Not going to get into the reasons why here, but I am going to do an exact motor swap for my car and look here for guidance.

The donor motor has 265K miles on it, starts up in cold weather just fine and runs nice. Only leak is on the IP and I have yet to isolate where it is but its not terrible, the fuel lines have been recently replaced as they can still be seen through. The motor is being removed today by my cousin at his shop and I will have it in my garage before putting it in the current daily driver as my budget allows.

Here is what I plan on changing:
Oil Pan gasket
Rear main seal
Trans front seal

My cousin mentioned I may want to do the valve cover gasket at the same time, it is not leaking. I am already over budget on this car and don't want to spend stupid but if its wise to do while the motor is out I want to do it. If I did the valve cover gasket I would probably want to adjust valves and check timing chain. Are these things within the skilset of a DIY like myself? I can get my cousins assistance and while he's not a diesel tech he is solid on cars in general.

Motor mounts are new. New belt tensioner and fan clutch. Anything else I should be looking at?

My plan is to have the injectors from the old motor tested and rebuilt if needed afterwards and then put a new set in the donor motor since I don't know the history of it other than it appears to be well maintained. I'll post some pics and keep this thread updated.

TIA

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1995 E300 diesel

I would suggest a new oil pump chain tensioner.

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Jim

It's kinda hard to adjust hydraulic lifters.

I'd say do the oil pan gasket while it's out of the car. You can check timing chain stretch with a dial indicator.

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'84 190D 2.2 5MT (Red/Palomino) Current car. Love it!
'85 190D 2.2 Auto *Cali* (Blue/Blue) *sold*
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i think you've already got it covered with the scope of works including oil pan gasket and rear main seal. Whilst you can get to the rear main seal by dropping the transmission, it's a good one to tick off the list.

Some have complained their newly replaced oil an seal has leaked straight after replacement, so probably not a bad idea to fill with oil a day or two before you drop your newly aquired 606 in. It's really the only the job that requires pulling the engine. The rest can be done when your budget allows.

I really wouldn't bother replacing your valve cover gasket until it starts to leak. It can be done at any time.

Yes, as mannys9130 said hydraulic lifters on this one, 24 of them.

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1995 E300 Diesel

Thanks, I see there are 2 different rear seals for this engine any pointers on which one I would need?

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1995 E300 diesel

I replaced my rear seal whilst I had the transmission out and I used the regular seal not the 'repair' seal. You only need the repair if the regular seal no longer stops a leak. Best to save the repair seal for the day it's needed.

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1995 E300 Diesel

thank you, I do not believe it is leaking but I won't know for sure until the motor comes out.

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1995 E300 diesel

even if you found it was leaking, it can still be replaced with the regular type. I'm yet to see a crankshaft so worn it requires the need for the repair version. The repair version just moves the edge of the seal slightly to a different spot on the crankshaft.

I suppose a taxi might eventually damage the crank not by the million miles they put on the cars but by engine hours running..

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1995 E300 Diesel

If you don't have evidence that the vacuum pump has been replaced, I'd go ahead and replace it. 265K is enough miles to replace it even if it's working fine, IMHO.

Rgds,
Chris W.
'95 E300D, 454K

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Objects in closer are mirror than they appear.

UPDATE:

my cousin took the motor out and I brought it back to my place. When I was picking it out of my truck with crane...one of the bolts holding it broke and the engine dropped about 2' and broke the valve cover. I had just walked around the corner out of sight and glad I wasn't standing there or I may have gotten hurt. It made a hell of a racket. Fortunately I have a spare valve cover on the motor its replacing

Rear main seal is dry and I am not sure I should replace it- is the replacment a 1 piece seal?

I will be doing the oil pan gasket before it goes in the car in January. Also fixing the leaking o-rings on IP.

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1995 E300 diesel

Long overdue update!

After a crazy year we finally completed the swap in the past few weeks. What a job ugh!! Even with a shop & lift, experienced mechanic cousin.

Few rough points:

The top 2 bell housing bolts are tough, if you lift up on the front of the motor a little it gives extra clearance. I ended up putting in the remanufactured transmission 4x, by the last time I was an expert LOL.

The motor sat for almost a year, this caused some rust issues on the valves that created extra problems lining up the flywheel to torque converter and getting it bolted. We initially got all 6 bolts in, then when turning the crank to tighten them it wouldn't move all the way around. Our initial thought was that a piece of the valve cover was stuck in the timing chain. Copious amounts of WD40 was sprayed in the intakes and injector holes and gentle turning back and forth.

I tried pulling a vacuum to bleed the fuel system when it was re-assembled. Didn't really work, some part of the system was preventing it. Fortunately the motor fired up after only about 30 seconds of cranking, at first it was missing on one cylinder but after we revved it a bit it ran awesome.

The transmission stopped going into R about 2 months ago if it was on any sort of incline, I had a reputable shop look at it and they said the best option was a reman for $1800.

I also swapped the steering box from the donor car, it was much tighter.

When reconnecting the vacuum hoses, I had the fuel shutoff mistakenly connected to the wrong spot and it wouldn't shut off. Took a while to figure that one out.

I also replaced the rear main seal, because I had it and it was super easy with the motor out. Also did new pan seal, water pump, thermostat.

I feel like I know this drivetrain inside out now!!





This wasn't a good day- both of my vehicles on lifts!!

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1995 E300 diesel

Awesome job! Thanks for posting.

I have immensely enjoyed tinkering on my 05. Everytime I spend some time on it runs even better it seems like. One of my favorite vehicles I have owned.

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1995 E300 (W124)
1999 ML430 (w163)
2011 GL350 (x164)
2016 Sprinter 144" 4X4 lowtop (906)
2004 E500 (W211) 4matic Wagon (Gold)
2004 E500 (W211) 4matic Wagon Avantgarde (silver)

Thanks its a bigger job than I thought. I have confidence in this motor, it fired up quickly after sitting for a year- whereas the old one was so problematic after I replaced the plastic fuel lines, I ended up spending hundreds to have a shop get it running and they said it was a problem.

Still waiting on the new OVP relay from Pelican (great buying experience BTW) to hopefully solve the low idle/tach problem. I tried swapping in the one from the donor car, old style with 1 fuse and now the tach doesn't work at all and it wont kick up to normal idle.

Then it needs the LCA bearings, I have the parts and spring compressor. Will be nice to not hear it groaning like an old man

I will have the donor car available for any parts before I scrap it- but warning there is not much left on it, has been heavily cannibalized!

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1995 E300 diesel