I pulled the engine, induction parts, then head, then block coming out. That was okay. I've only pulled a complete 603 from a 124 once, and I cut the radiator brace to do it (junk car, made it easier). This one I just took apart before I decided to pull the block also.

Now it needs to go back in.

Putting the engine back in, has anyone put a fully-dressed 603 in a 124? I can leave the intake off easily enough, the A/C, alternator, and PS/SLS pump will go on once in the car, but it would be much easier to put the exhaust and turbo together on the stand.

Will the engine go in okay like that or am I making a lot of extra work putting it in with the turbo and exhaust parts in place?

Thanks for any experience you folks can give me.

Also, does anyone have a spare set of lift-rings for the engine? Mine are missing.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

heh... as I'll be doing this 3 times in the next few months, I would LOVE to have this info myself!!!

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

You're putting one back in John? That's a good sign!

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

we did two some years ago... engine crane with sway bar attachment

strip the rad out etc etc etc

engine minus manifolds

goes straight in no problems with two on the job.

with manifolds on it would have been more awkward, you're basically shoving your hands in there, outta sight, waiting to get crushed...

plus, one engine had lifting eyes, one didn't, so the gas axe and some scrap steel and we made lifting points from where the manifolds went, did NOT use manifold studs, but standard hex bolts

mate of mine pulls these engines all the time (MB specialist scrapper) and always pulls manifolds before pulling the engine.

I've stuffed it in with the transmission attached too. Removing anything from the sides will not help you IMO. The main problem is front and back clearance. Removing the radiator is the only thing you can do about that.

jeff,i put everything on the engine including the tranny,my key is to use a chain jack (come-a-long) between the front lift and the hook used to lift the engine,that way you can keep adjusting the angle as you go in. i do have a overhead crane so i suppose one would have to consider overall height available. am memory serves the main lifting hook starts off about 3 foot above the the engine i am lifting.
larry perkins

Last night I installed the bearing bracket for the radiator fan. The radiator had to come out. On my 95, in order to anything that has to do with the front of the engine, you have to pull the radiator. I don't even think I could replace the serpentine belt without pulling the radiator. I had to uninstall and reinstall that thing twice last night because I put the spacer on the wrong side of the fan pully, that sucked.

But its done...and after you do it once, its really no big deal. Makes me want to have a good coolant recovery system.

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77' 300D, "Cartman" SOLD @ 150K (didn't know what I had)
83' 300SD, "The Superdon" 325k+ @ 28mpg
95 E320 wagon, "Millennium Falcon" 231k+ @ 24 Mpg
95 E300D, "Sherley" 308k @ 33.69 Mpg, currently anticipating a head
99 Suzuki Intruder "Trudy" @ 45 mpg

You will have one advantage John - I left the CD's for the W124 Service Library in the glove compartment of the blue 87.

I'd be rather surprised if somewhere in the FSM they didn't cover engine removal and install, and other little tricks like how to release the hood and stand it upright or remove it altogether.

3 times, eh? Sounds like you'll be developing plenty of "character".

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Just say "NO" to Ethanol - Drive Diesel

Mitchell Oates
Mooresville, NC
'87 300D 212K miles
'87 300D 151K miles - R.I.P. 12/08
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD 67K miles
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club

My thinking is that the M603 and the M103 are pretty close in exterior dimensions. I put the engine and transmission complete in mine (M103 and 5 speed manual) last year and left the radiator cross piece in place. It is a tight fit and you really have to have a hook up on the lift where you can adjust the angle of the assembly as you drop it in. I had the front wheels on jack stands and the rear end jacked up about 3".

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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

"M103" but "OM603" ('oelmotor' in German).

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

yup. first install is going into the blue 87 you sold retmil46. I'm putting a lower mileage 603 into it. along with a bunch of other improvements!

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I should have no issues with it. I've pulled and installed PLENTY of 617's and I have several lifts, tilts, stands etc. I've even got a pair of chain hoists, and I beams to swing something from...

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Thanks for the info, sounds like the turbo goes on the engine before it goes in the hole. With it that close to together, it's a shame I don't have an engine dyno nearby.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff