Intercooler Project for a 617 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JiveTurkey · #1 02-22-2011, 08:30 PM

Heya Peaches. I'm showing some love to the 617 in "Karl" the SD. I have an intercooler kit I pieced together with mandrel bent tubes, silicon connectors, a blow off valve, and an air-air intercooler with less than 1 psi drop in pressure. I'm excited to plumb it into the SD. I'm also planning an upgrade to a Holset HX30 turbo if I can locate one. Finally, I'm planning to swap my weary MW injection pump for an M pump tuned for plenty of enrichment to support all that lovely boosted cool dense air. I have a 722.3 transmission lined up too for down the road.

Valves are nicely adjusted, EGR is fully deleted and blocked off, ALDA removed from the MW pump, 3in straight SS pipe with no resonators and a big fat glass-pack muffler with a 45 degree downturn tip, propper vacuum going to trans, fresh fuel filters, and Shiny Monark injectors courtesy of Sean C Watts (awesome member and a good friend) will all enhance this (Clarksonian) powerrrrrr upgrade.

For now to tide you guys over here's a picture of the intercooler kit. As some of you know I'm a corporate slave to Bank of America Mortgage Servicing so I can only work on weekends but I get lots done on the weekend so I'll keep you guys posted.

vstech · #2 02-22-2011, 08:38 PM

you can ditch the blow off valve... not needed in a diesel. no throttleplate to require it.

this is a cool mod. are you gonna draw it out first, or just start putting it in?

I can move this to the performance section if/when you think more help would be needed.

what horsepower are you looking for?
200? 300? more?

JiveTurkey · #3 02-22-2011, 08:56 PM

I'm not going for huge horsepower. My plan is nice and sequential. Upgrade things properly the first time 'round leaving plenty of room for future capacity should I head down that road. I'm definately going to keep as much of the stock "cold" air intake as I can because it's one of the strongest parts of the equation.

My reasoning; The injection pump is old anyway, if I'm going to replace it why not find an "M" pump which will support plenty of power. The little T3 has held up admirably but I think the HX30 is the best compromise between potential power and packaging. Feel free to solicit any other ideas on replacement turbos though as I'm not totally committed to the Holset yet. Installing a 722.3 transmission can't be that hard and the price is right for the one I have arranged courtesy of my friend Al over in the vintage forum. I'm not trying to create a screamer, just keep going with my vision of a "Q" ship diesel S class. I think a 2.88 diff swap would be in order down the road as well. The w126 chassis is quite a fast one so it's a great starting bed.

edit: Wouldn't the bov help out on gearchanges or is completely supflerous in a turbodiesel?

lupin..the..3rd · #4 02-23-2011, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JiveTurkey

edit: Wouldn't the bov help out on gearchanges or is completely supflerous in a turbodiesel?

"Help out" with what?

Like vstech said, there is no throttle plate. How is a blow off valve going to work without a throttle plate?

Answer: it wont.

JiveTurkey · #5 02-23-2011, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lupin..the..3rd

"Help out" with what?

Like vstech said, there is no throttle plate. How is a blow off valve going to work without a throttle plate?

Answer: it wont.

Me seeking clarification on something I'm unsure of doesn't give you permission to be a snot.

As for finding space there's miles of room behind the front bumper and plenty of room to plumb the pipe in with those silicon connectors. The trick is going to be in how much of the original intake system I can keep. The stock intake is a powerhouse but it's also quite large.

Issues:
-finding an HX30 (they're bloody rare!)
-finding an "M" pump
-alignment of oil supply / return tube
-Wastegate connundrum, I can't seem to find out if the HX30 has an internal wastegate or not. I'd prefer external but internal saves more space and requires less fabrication with the exhaust manifold. I'm guessing the majority of HX30's have internal wastegates since they were stock on Dodge Ram 2500's and stock turbos usually have internal wastegates for simplicity/cost reasons.
-I'd like to avoid having to fabricate an exhaust manifold because turbo exhaust manifolds require tough metal but I'm not opposed to doing it.

As they would say on Top Gear "There's quite a lot left to do if we're honest..." But I'm freaking excited for this build. I love the 617 as an engine.

JiveTurkey · #6 02-22-2011, 09:22 PM

I forgot to add this build includes a pyrometer in the exhaust manifold, a mechinical boost guage, and a manual boost controller.

leathermang · #7 02-22-2011, 09:56 PM

Someone else was doing this a while back..
I don't remember who...
lots of discussions though...

SirNik84 · #8 02-23-2011, 01:22 PM

I'd like to see how you make it fit into you 126, as I'm completely happy with my intercooler setup. I've been kicking around the idea of an air-water setup, as the 126 doesn't seem to have any truly good locations for an intercooler... You may have space in the bumper, I wouldn't know because I've had a Euro bumper for 4 years now, Not sure the space available in the US spec bumper. I'll be fallowing your build.

JiveTurkey · #9 03-02-2011, 09:07 PM

I won a remanufactured Holset HX30 on a popular auction site today!! Only cost me four hundred and five greenbacks. I'll post pics as soon as it arrives. It looks like it has an internal wastegate.

JiveTurkey · #10 03-05-2011, 03:13 PM

Secured a good EGT gauge and manual boost controller today. Boost guage is sitting in my car. I might fabricate an intake manifold from schedule 40 weld-els. The intercooler piping is going to require minor cutting but it won't be too bad.

Still looking for an "M" injection pump.

mike-81-240d · #11 03-05-2011, 03:24 PM

M pump is only good for less than 100hp unless you start with a modified one. If you do all this work only to put a stock m pump on it'll most likely loose a bunch of hp and tq.