E500 with 4.2 litre engine?
 

Guys,
I came across this immaculate 1992 E500 with 215K km's, but noticed it has a 4.2 litre engine. Is that possible? I thought they all had 5.0 litre engines. Or could it be just a E500 badge on a E400 model...

Thanks!

The VIN prefix characters will indicate the model; '92 500E is WDBEA36; '92 400E is WDBEA34.

Duke

No, its not a 500E. Another simple test: the 500E has the sports 4 seat interior as on the coupes; if it has normal rear seating, its not a 500E. Front lights and fenders, rear dif, 235ZR tires are other dead giveaways. If it looks like a normal 124E class its not a 500E. No-one would install an entire new M119 4liter long block, which would probably cost over $20k, into an otherwise OK 500E body, inlieu of a valve job or even a short block. Its cheaper to just change the badging.

Just curious - how can you tell a 5.0 M119 from a 4.2 M119?

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

According to the Performance Products catalog, which is a remarkably useful item considering that it is free, a 4.2 is a 119.975 while a 5.0 is a 119.974.

Thank you, but I meant with a quick look under the hood.

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

Vronsky, did you just pop the hood and look, or did you check the engine code? Both engines look the same from the outside.

I quick look at the VIN would work - E420 is a WDBEA34 and a E500 is a WDBEA36.

Pics
 

Here are three pics I took. From what I know of E500's, this car fitts all.

Engine bay

Driver-side

Total

Thanks

Vronsky,

What we are trying to get at is: How do you know this car has a 4.2 L engine?

The sales guy told me so: the car is specified as an E500 with a 4.2 litre engine in the registration documents. Will give the guy a call tomorrow to find out the VIN code.

It has all the right body work for the 500E, and has the sportline steering wheel. If you can find out the true engine size and if it is a 5.0 you might be able to pick the car up for cheap if the dealer still thinks it has the 4.2 in it.

Re: E500 with 4.2 litre engine?
 

Maybe its on a second engine?

Visually the only item that looks a bit different to me is the ABS Unit on the drivers side of the engine. Other than that the body panels and engine look the same. Can you take shots of the interior dashboard. As everyone else has already suggested definitely check the VIN# to determine if it's a 420 with a possible 500 bodypanel conversion.

Also take a picture of the battery in the trunk, the 400E and the 500E have different configurations and this would be an area most people wouldn't think of changing.

could be an E420 that was converted to look like an E500. it's silly, but it's been done before. some nutjob here in Vancouver's done it.

spent over $16,000 to do it. :rolleyes: