Ok, this is just a curious question that I have. I am just wondering if any of the 300td mercedes were intercooled or not. I was checking out some of the posts and have gained some interest in these cars. Seems to me if they are not intercooled, that intercooling them could help alot in the power department. I read about people in Austrailia who get intercooler kits for their landrovers, etc, and it really seems to make a difference. Any comments on this subject?

I'm not sure if even the 98 turbo's are intercooled.

You could probably get innovative and add an intercooler, but that alone will not add power by itself.

With a diesel engine, the only way you add power is to add fuel. To add fuel and still have the engine live, requires increased airflow into the engine. Cooling the air will make it more dense, thus more air in the cylinders.

At that point you have to add more fuel by diddling with the aneroid. Question is, how do you know how aggressive you can get adding fuel before you start to shorten engine life.

Godd luck,

I have been wondering about this intercooler subject also. Not that I want to install one, but wondering why there isn't one. My neighbor has a Dodge Ram truck with a Cummings diesel engine. It has an intercooler that is absolutely huge. It is as large as his radiator, height and width. Of course this is a more modern diesel, it doesn't even ahve glowplugs. It uses a heated intake manifold. If the temp. gets below 32 degs. an inline fuel heater come on.

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1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

I once bought a 1984 300D Euro diesel that had the "turbo diesel" badge on the rear. This car was outfitted with an intercooled turbo. In my ignorance, I thought this was a unique Mercedes innovation that only the Euro models possessed. Not so. Not only was the intercooler a farce, but the entire turbo was as well! Some unenlightened mechanics slapped a turbo and intercooler on a 5-cylinder diesel that was NOT meant to be turbocharged. As Larry mentioned, it's just not as simple as that. So the net effect--with this car--was added weight from the superficial turbo/intercooler, and a smaller radiator to allow the intercooler to fit. In the Texas heat, a smaller radiator simply will not do! I traded this car in on a real turbo diesel...

Live and learn.

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Matt
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1995 E300 Diesel (Die Blau Frau)

If you add an intercooler, your car might be a bit slower off the line (more turbo lag) because the intercooler will add more restriction for boost to travel through before it gets to the intake. I think if you do add more fuel and boost, you would have to monitor the exhaust gas temp (egt) closely to make sure your engine is not running too hot. I have read on the TDR Website (for Dodge Cummings diesels) about people installing a pyrometer between the exhaust manifold and the turbo and monitoring egt's from the cabin. Does anyone know what the safest egt for the 617 turbo engine (or any turbo diesel)should be?

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2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Turbo Diesel - 4x4, auto, 3.54 gears, long bed
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'92 300D 2.5 Turbodiesel - sold
'83 300D Turbodiesel - 4 speed manual/2.88 diff - sold
'87 300D Turbodiesel - sold
'82 300D Turbodiesel - sold

The 98/99 turbodiesels are in fact intercooled. The
cooler is located below the bumper on the drivers
side, behind the fascia.

If the intercooler is of adequate size it will not be a restriction. The last thing you would want to do is use an intercooler that had inadequate flow, this would just plug it up and make it worse.

Good luck,

My 87 300SDL has a intercooler located just behind the diver side bumper. So Im sure you can get one for your car.
This car is a rocket ship fastest 300 diesel I have driven.

The '87 SDL is not intercooled. I have that same engine
in a station wagon.

That thing in the drivers side bumper is actually the
oil cooler. Follow the lines back to the oil filter
cannister to convince yourself. Or follow the output
from the turbocharger.

- Jim