Looking for turbocharger for 240D

[Maddog]

Can anyone give me the name of a company that sells a turbocharging kit for an old 240D? If there arn't any, does anyone know how hard it is to convert it to the 240TD? I am interested in either buying a kit or buying the mercedes system and putting it on. Any advice is GREATLY appreciated. Thankyou!

[Speedtek]

There were 2 kits made back in the early 80's that I know of:

1. BAE (cost was $900!)
RaJay Turbo
Stock Exhaust Manifold with a U pipe/adapter.
5 psi boost
NO wastegate

2. Callaway Turbo Systems (was very pricey)
Custom manifold
IHI Turbo RHB52 (too small)
Intercooled
(I called Callaway to see if they still had the parts but they sold it all to some mercedes collector in the early 90's and don't remember who.)

I think ARKAY made a kit too. but never seen one.

If I were to do it again i would not buy a kit and just MIG weld a flange to the stock exhaust manifold. use a T-3 turbo from a Ford Thunderbird and Intercooler from a SAAB. 7 psi boost and it will be a blast! I think you can get all the parts for less than $700 with a rebuilt turbo. I have seen some of these turbos on ebay sell for $300 rebuilt so that would be cheaper!

My quartermile time dropped from 27 seconds! to an awesome 20 seconds! GO DIESEL! and my mileage went up to 28 mpg from 24
the car was an automatic and was still slow until it reached about 20 mph. The turbo sizing was incorrect.

good luck!

[Benzmac]

Also, Turbo Tom's in Atlanta built these kits. He is still in business.

[Bill DeWitt]

I put a ReJay on my new '74 240D and it made it wild, but
did shorten the life of the engine...a little over 200000,
however, it was fun til the end.

[Maddog]

Do you think he still builds the kits? Also, do you know if there were any modifications to the injection system? I could design one myself but i don't have a dyno to do a hundred runs on, or the time. Did they just boost the air going through and leave the fuel system alone?

It easier and cheaper to chance whole engine, to 300 TD engine more power and is easy to add some power too those engines, fit there no trouble, I have some if you need reasonable price

[Speedtek]

I had my BAE kit on the 240D since the motor was 10k old till 100k. It ran great. I pulled the motor and sold it to someone else.

I also at the time worried about fuel enrichment. I tool the car to a guy who rebuilt Bosch Diesel injection pumps and he did some kind of tweak to the pump and charged me $80 (in 1980). It helped a little on the high end. BAE told me not to worry and Callaway didn't do anything to their car.

I turbo-ed a lot of Rabbit Diesels and ran 12 psi boost with no fuel enrichment. My shop truck was a rabbit diesel with a Callaway Turbo kit and homemade intercooler running 16 psi boost. On all these cars I installed a Exhaust Pyrometer before the turbo and made sure never to let it get past 950 degrees.

(I put a "J" turbo motor in. Now it goes faster. hehehe)

If you have some mechanical skills you could build the system yourself. on the 240D it is simple and there is a lot of room to add the turbo. The most fun was taking out the oil pan to Drill it for the oil drain. (We used grease and a drill & tap it very carefully). Then you have to remove the oil filter assembly to drill and tap a hole for the Oil Supply to turbo. Maybe try and find a guy at a muffler shop that could modify the manifold for you. Ask around and you might find some guy that races cars and makes his own stuff. (that's what I did when I first started.)

[Bill DeWitt]

I agree with benzboy1. go with the turbo 300D...the 240
wasn't designed for a turbo, however mine made it just past
the 200,000 mark

[Maddog]

Im perfectly capable of making one myself. I just wanted to know if i would have to do any fuel enrichment? If not, i can size and fabricate the turbo myself. I know that some engines will not put out very much more power at all if the fuel isn't inriched with the boost. Tell me what you guys know.

[Bill DeWitt]

My mechanic did not touch the fuel at all...when he
installed the turbo for me... I did have the pyrometer
installed and never exceeded 1200 d F longer than one
minute...RaJay told me to drop a gear or slow down...Bill

[Maddog]

What is the power gain on these cars for around 10 psi intercooled?

[Bill DeWitt]

Maddog, can't help there...did not have mine intercool-
ed...bill

[Maddog]

what about not intercooled?

[Bill DeWitt]

If memory serves me right, I think to top speed on
that car was 84 and after the installation it could do
100 mph on level ground at 1000' elevation. If you
are familar with Denver, Co., starting at the intersection
W. Colfax and I-70 and going up to Buffalo Bill"s exit at
about 7500 or 7600 feet the car would top out at 55 in third
gear. The pyrometer was close to the prescribed limit and before
the turbo was installed it was in the right lane dogging along in
second and sometime in first gear with black smoke blocking out
most of the traffic behind...bill

[Maddog]

Sounds very pleasing!