I have a gray market ’95 S280 with a 5-speed manual transmission and it needs an engine. I plan to either buy a 1994-95 C280 parts car or get the engine from a junk yard. Obviously Mercedes never sold C280’s of this era with a 5-speed stick so what if any modifications will I need to make to install the engine from the automatic C280 into my 5-speed S280? I checked the parts CD and the crankcase(block) and the crankshaft have the same part numbers between the two cars. Will I just have to swap the flywheel for the flex plate and then everything will bolt back together?

from experience but i bet it will bolt right up.

i have done this with 123 cars several times.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Is there a pilot bushing in the stick crank hub? If so, you would need one in the the automatic's. Are the flywheels balanced as a unit, or to the engine? If they are balanced to the engine, then to do a perfect job, you would have the stick flywheel statically balanced to the automatic's.

I had to deal with these two items when I did a swap on a 280E.

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Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

Then can I assume a straight six engine from a '95ish S320 or E320 would also fit? What is the horsepower difference from a 95 C280 and S320 engine?