M104 into w201 with a MT, viable?
 

I have a 94 E320 that's a daily with 180K, well cared for engine with history, runs like a top, etc, etc. The car has some serious accident damage from previous owner underneath, and while it's a fine work car and still presentable I can't bring myself to put but so much money into it long term. These things are all but worthless to sell as a whole unless they are mint, I could make more parting it out but I started thinking this spunky little engine might be fun an a 2.6L 190E.

There is sporadic info online but I've gathered as far as engine swaps it's not a huge endeavor and I've done such before so that's not a huge concern. What I haven't been able to pin down is what, if any, manual trans can one stick behind it(that will take spirited driving and not break too often).
I'm not sure I'd bother with an automatic.

I'm assuming I'd need a trans from a 6cyl car, or possibly from a 16v 190 which I further assume is either nearly unobtainable or prohibitively expensive(or both) in the case of the latter. I'm sure I can find pedals from a MT 190e and I can have the driveshaft taken care of, am I asking for grief to try to find a trans that will work? Other than the super rare w124 MT cars I'm not sure what would even have had one, especially in the US.

Thoughts/experience? I've google'd but most results seem to be long idle discussions and very little actual experience doing.

I don't suppose anyone has an adaptor to put a T5 behind a 104? lol...

There may be something here. I think someone used a very specific V6 Mustang trans ( due to long input shaft ) and a 722.6 bell housing. I'm not sure if they got it running or not.

Also have a look at the 190rev web site.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/performance-paddock/271090-non-mb-trans-mb-engines-32.html

I made the adapter to put a t5 behind the Benz v8. You could I suppose make one for a 6 cyl car, but it's a ton of work for something you can (albiet hard to find) find factory parts for.

My buddy, 202Brabus, has a 190e sportline with a 3.2 m104 and a getrag 5 speed. Running megasquirt. He's busted several transmissions (he's now going 6 speed), several clutches, and a few differentials.

He's not turbocharged yet and breaks a crazy amount of parts. The hard to find part for what your thinking is the flywheel. Always hard to find and expensive is a 6 cyl flywheel. Iirc, he used a 4 cyl flywheel, but runs megasquirt so that allows it to work.

Let me know if you need any more help. Were you going to get a 190, or manual swap your w124?

I think I'm spoiled from Volvo-land.

It's pretty trivial, and cheap, to just stick whatever T5 is appropriate behind a redblock these days. Like so https://www.kaplhenke.com/products/240-dual-pattern-ford-t5-tko-adapter-plate


It took awhile to get to the point where things are nearly a bolt-in but I'm surprised there aren't any solutions for such with Mercedes.

Do you want your 104 to remain stock or not?

A stock M104 will do fine behind any of the W201 or W124 MT's. Slicks, a 3.6 and a heavy W201 will probably push the 8v trans to the limit, but otherwise, you'll be fine. The benefit of the non-dog leg boxes being that you have an OD and if you want to DD it or drive it on the highways, the M104 will appreciate the OD even with a 3.27 or 3.07 rear drive.

How you want to run your Engine Management will heavily influence your trans choice unless you're a competent fabricator. The reason being, single mass vs dual mass will influence your choices if you want to run an OE engine management. This will influence MT Choice.

As an aside, I've followed 202 Brabus on the rev. I do not understand how he's trashed so many parts with his setup. I think my car was heavier than his with relatively equivalent HP and the most I've toasted is a few subframes.

Pretty well stock, it would be into a 190e 2.6.
I'm open to engine management, megasquirt is an option but the
factory setup seems to work reasonably well.
Definitely a streetcar, just a bit lighter one
than the w124 it's in now.

A manual trans Volvo was way more common than a manual MB ( at least in the USA )

The last inline 6 manual was 91 or so, the last 4 late 80's ? Even then they were not so common. The manual did reappear in a few 4 cly SLK and perhaps other small cars in the late 90's or so. Unless you go back to the 60's, all of these had a bell housing integral with the trans making a swap difficult.

The last V8 manual might have been late 70's in a SL but even then, not common.

Also, the market for MB manual stuff is likely much smaller than Volvo.

You can just get the late model 6 speed from an slk with a m111. Flywheel and transmission. Get the clutch pedal assembly from a 190e stick.
There is no reason to adapt something else to it.
And manual transmissions are easy to import from other countries if you are having trouble finding one.

Is tho true? Will an SLK 6-speed bolt to an m104?


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If it came behind an m111 engine then yes. If it came behind a m112 then no.

What about the shift linkage and transmission mount?

Why did you guys HAVE to end this?! I'm contemplating the purchase of a 190D (yes, D) with a bad engine and a five speed. I've been reading up on swaps, what did you decide Wolf_Walker?! And the 6 speed?! Hmmm.

Still pondering, it's not off the table but the stick sounds like more work and money then I'm probably willing to do for what it'd end up being. The 104 in question is still happily being a daily driver for my significant other as we haven't found her anything that really strikes her fancy.

I have a manual transmission swap for sale. Everything you need to convert auto to manual including pedals, shifter, trans (717.410), support bracket, driveshaft front half, flywheel, clutch. It's from a 190D so you'll have to use EFI.
PM me if interested.

C230 Sport Coupe W203 6 speed will work and are more plentiful than the R170 6 speed.