I'm seriously considering swapping an 83 300D engine/tranny into my 81 300D non-turbo.

How feasible is this?

E.g, would there be a different differential for a turbo?

Would the engine and transmission mounts be the same?

Is the driveline the same?

And then there are the speedometer/tachometer issues- is this taken off the transmission, requiring a new speedo?

Can a non-turbo radiator handle a turbo engine?

And so on ....

My goal is to have quicker acceleration, avoiding those annoying rear ender situations. Does a turbo have much boost lag?

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Erlend
1981 300D 202K daily driver

Not worth the 20 extra horses

Different differential 3.46-NA, 3.07-turbo
Different driveshaft
Different engine arms, also different motor mounts
Different tranny, the turbo may shred the stock 722.118
Different inst cluster
Different radiator
Different oil cooler
And there's probably more I can't think of at the moment

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83 300D 328k mi (623) Light Ivory - daily driver
82 300D 166k mi (881) Thisle Green - fixer upper
82 300D 282k mi (473) Champagne - parts

Does not make much difference
no
don't think so
The trannys are different, but I think other's have run a turbo engine with a non-turbo (240D even) auto tranny with no issues.
not if you don't change the rear end
my turbo engine cools fine with a 240D radiator
easy swap


Also I think the increase is more like 40 HP

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

everything is the same if both trannys are auto. Same shaft, same mount.

You will have a much quicker car off the line due to the differential ratio.

There might be some slight differences in the location of the engine shocks, but again, if you have both engines complete, it should be pretty straight forward. Maybe some minor parts swaping...

If the turbo engine is in good shape, I would go for the swap!

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1982 W123 300D NA Euro, 300K Miles, 4-speed manual, 3.46 rear diff, early W126 front brakes, Penta rims with 205/60R15 FH900's, custom fitted (by me) audio system, more to come into the money pit... Soon to be installed: Bilstein HD, R107 front discs and 4-piston calipers, HD Suspension springs, wagon front swaybar.

He will need to do some work for a tach. If he has both cars readily available its something that can be done easily enough over time. There really is no point to a tach on one of these other than a point of reference for economy.

I would do it, 83 a rust bucket and 81 pretty decent?

it will take a good weekend and a bit exta to do it.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

There is not much difference in the 0-30 mph performance. I've owned both and I'd stick with the NA for the amount of work required unless you want to make this a fun "project". Otherwise the 952 will fit right in and you can use all the same other stuff with no major issues.

I just finished doing this swap in my 300D. It's a fair amount of work...anybody that could pull this off in a weekend, or even two, is a much better mechanic than me. And I was working with a manual tranny Euro-spec car that is mechanically very simple compared to most.

That said, I'm pleased with the results. The 617.912 engine was rated at 77 hp, according to my shop manual. So that is a gain of 40+ hp...pretty significant IMO. The lack of power was the worst aspect of owning this car, for me, and the only real gripe I had about it. Although it's true that off-the-line performance isn't much different now.

A couple of issues related to mounting the engine: the 123.130 chassis mounting ears for the non-turbo engine shocks don't line up with the upper mounts which were integrated into the arms of the turbo engine. So I couldn't re-use the engine shocks, although you only miss them at idle, and even then not too much.

Worse though, one of those old mounting ears was in the way of the lower oil pan on the turbo engine, so I had to do some cutting/grinding. But once I clearanced the pan it worked fine. (I re-used the old engine mounting arms but I believe the turbo arms would have located the engine just the same.)

The throttle linkage was a lot simpler on my old engine. I re-used the 617.912 valve cover and bell crank, although some minor adaptation was required. I ditched the cruise control module from the turbo engine.

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1995 E300 200k
1981 300GD unknown km

40hp.

Yep

123-77=46

Post 1980 NA 300Ds had 87 hp

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83 300D 328k mi (623) Light Ivory - daily driver
82 300D 166k mi (881) Thisle Green - fixer upper
82 300D 282k mi (473) Champagne - parts

I would imagine the 3.46 diff would be nice around town, but on the highway....

The 3.07 is at 3000 rpm at 70 mph.
The 3.46 would raise the rpm close to 3400 at 70.

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83 300D 328k mi (623) Light Ivory - daily driver
82 300D 166k mi (881) Thisle Green - fixer upper
82 300D 282k mi (473) Champagne - parts

The engine/tranny from the 83 300D with the 722.315 is almost certainly a different length than with the 722.118. I don't know if you will be able to make this work with the existing ds.

With the previously mentioned problems concerning the engine arms, mounts and engine shocks, even if you owned the 83 300D, this will be a lot of work....one way or another.

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83 300D 328k mi (623) Light Ivory - daily driver
82 300D 166k mi (881) Thisle Green - fixer upper
82 300D 282k mi (473) Champagne - parts

I have both style of motors in excellent working condition, and I'm telling you swapping will only disappoint you. Unless you have serious problems with the existing motor or plan on climbing the rockies on a regular basis, the difference would not be worth the effort, IMO.

From 0-40, Norm is about on par with Turbo.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

So I have a '81 300D and the tag on the back says just diesel no turbo diesel. The PO informed me that it has had its engine swapped out and the replacement engine's owners manual says it is a 617.912 but I have a turbo motor in my car.

Isn't the .912 a N/A motor and the .952 a turbo motor?

Was there ever a turbo .912 offered or is the reman engine manual just flat out wrong and I actually have a .952, because if I do have a .952 then it is a very feasible swap.

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'81 300D - swapped to a 617.951 turbo motor with a 150 amp alt.