Dear Veterans:
I recently bought a very, very clean '74 280, with 46,000 original miles, for real cheap. It first belonged to a older woman who didn't drive it much, then three years ago it was sold to the guy I bought it from. Either he ran it out of oil or the "fast oil change" left it out. Either way, the 110 engine had a hole in its crankcase... Anyway, I've since removed the engine with its transmission. After hearing stories of the 110 engine's disappointing fuel milage, tendancies tocarb warpage, cam wear, etc., I am interested in the possibility of finding a more efficient, reliable engine. Does anyone know what other engines would fit and can recommend a source for a good used or rebuilt engine? I am in the Mpls. area. Thanks for your help.

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With just 46k miles on the car, I'd seriously think about picking up a NEW factory 280 short block..... then mounting your low mileage components (cylinder head, camshaft carrier and zenith carbs) ..... and driving the car for at least 200,000 miles.

Whatever you do - dont junk the old components.... people on this board are probably licking their chops over the camshafts and carburetors.

Also they ran the excellent twin cam 6 into the early '80s - even into the 123 body style - so your chances are excellent of acquiring a decent short block through the junkyard network.

Otherwise, the 114/115 body style carried practically every engine (except the V-8) that MB produced in the '70s .... including 4 or 6 cylinder gasoline engines (230, 250, 280) and 4 or 5 cylinder diesels (220, 240, 300).

Bonus of the 220D and 240D is you can also get the standard shift tranny and clutch hydraulics that will bolt right into your car, but path of least resistance (and greatest longevity) strikes me as new 280 short block.

__________________
'80 300SD/ w116
'79 240D 4-spd
'71 750cc Guzzi

previously owned:

'83 240D 4-spd
'77 280SEL 4-spd
'74 280/8
'72 250/8
'65 220Sb 4-spd
'63 220Sb 4-spd
'63 190c 4-spd
'61 220Sb 4-spd
'60 190b 4-spd

Diesel Dog:

Thank you very much for your advice.
There is a '72 M130 engine on ebay right now (item 2417603192), would this be a relatively no-hassle switch? Given what I have, an otherwise perfectly stock '74 280 with things like the York air conditioner system and the exhaust still intact, would there be any compatablity problems?

If I go with a different engine such as this, would I also have to use a different (automatic) transmission, or can I use the one I have now (which was hooked up to the original M110) ?

Thanks for your help.

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Will,

On my 250CE I recently swapped an M130 out and put an M114 in (injected SOHC that I'm not sure was avail in the US but not uncommon here in Oz). Reasonably straightforward but for a couple of curious issues (apart from converting from carbs to injection that is!). Things like the vacuum line for the brake booster are different lengths with different elbows etc. Transmission is the same but flexible hoses off the block to the cooler were different lengths (really weird as the blocks are very similar). Exhaust downpipe off the manifold is also likely to be different.

Going from an M110 to the M130 would probably be slightly more complicated - cant remember which side the AC compressor mounts on in the M110 but on the 130 its on the right hand side of the block - suspect it might be the other way around for the 110. If you got the M130 motor with pretty much everything attached (booster line, manifold + downpipe etc) you shouldnt have too much trouble.

More to the point you would be going backwards from a twin cam to the SOHC, which wouldnt be my preference. That having been said the M130 is a solid engine. If I had to do the same job again I would be opting for the 110.

I think the previous post about getting a new block for your existing componentry is a good idea. Keeping that car as original as possible just makes good sense provided the rest of its condition stacks up with the mileage. There must be literally hundreds of these blocks available from dismantlers for next to nothing - they seem to way out last the bodieson the 114 chassis!!!

Best of luck,
Daryl

Thanks for your 2 Cents...

I'm now intrigued with the idea of getting a short block M110, and in an effort to make myself feel better about the milage, replacing the solex with the redline unit (2bbl?) mentioned elsewhere on the forum. Does anyone know how much this would improve the milage? I'm more interested in milage rather than performance...

Also, who do people like for a source for M110 shortblock rebuilds?

By the way, DO NOT BUY ANYTHING from ASAP Motors in Houston. Last summer, they sent me- get this- twice in a row- a bad used 110 engine. Terribly worn cams, sand and grit, way below the scale leakdown, etc..They were impossible and, well, mean to work with. I was not surprised to find them noted many times with the Houston area BBB. Color me learned.

Will

Replacing the 110 with a 130 would be a real hassle. The exhaust is on the right side, and the transmission will not work.

My recommendation would be to go with an injected 110 out of a 280E, 280CE, or 280SE. You would need a bunch of piece-parts but there are a lot of rustbuckets around that have them.

That is a very nice engine. If you can find a Euro version, so much the better. These engines come up on e-bay from time to time.

Metric Motors is the best place for rebuilt short blocks. Adsit is OK and closer to you.

www.mercedesengines.net
www.adsit.com

You can also try TMC at 410.789.7896 for used stuff.

Good luck - that's a nice car!

__________________
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