As the title of this thread says, has anyone done this mod? That is, swap out the gas engine for a turbo diesel engine? I am pretty sure it has been done.

Want to know what was involved ?

How much "mod-ing" was required ?

Overall satisfaction and thoughts on the project?

Pretty sure the engine will drop right in, at least the OM617.950 which went in its cousin the 300SD from 1979 to 1980.

Assuming the first W116s out there, circa 1973.

Interesting you should mention this, as it is a project I have sitting in the garage right now.


I actually bought a vehicle someone had done this exact modification to. They used the original drive train Swapped out the ends of the transmission (held on by a large nut).
Everything swapped over very easily. They used a 6.9 Radiator and oil cooler in place of the 78-80 oil cooler and radiator. And they spliced the ac line to power the glow plug relay, while removing the ac compressor (the ac switch became the way to turn on the glow plug unit, hold for as long as needed). They also swapped out the instrument cluster and fed the oil line into the dash.


It is a really clean and straightforward swap. The chassis is just over 4inches longer and everything else on the w116 chassis are the same.


As a side note bc I was concerned about the weight. The 450SEl and 300SD weight the exact same, assuming you swap the aluminum deck and bonnet over.


I drove the car over 500miles back from ohio, handle the same, drove great. Didn't notice much difference being 4inches longer. For a passenger though, what a world of difference.

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a good resource for this would be the w116 discussion forum

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Just about all the parts from a W116 300SD are plug-and-play in a W116 450SEL, but you have to make sure you have all the parts needed. I'd shy away from doing it if I didn't have a 300SD parts car. For one thing, the upper oil pan on the W116 OM617 is shaped differently to clear the crossmember. The ones from the W123 and W126 OM617 turbos won't fit without modification of the upper oil pan.

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1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

You mean W116.org ? I’ll jump over there to see what’s cooking

Also, several years ago there was a 450SEL on eBay that was made into a 300SDL. It looked rather nice, so it's been done before. There is a member on W116.org doing the conversion on one right now.

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1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

I knew there was something up with the OM617.950 engine or at least the oil pan

Any link to W116.org for the conversion? I didn’t find it?

They don't really have a thread going, but this is the person: https://forum.w116.org/shop/450sel-parts-for-sale-engine-transmission-rebuilt-radiator-and-other-compenents/

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Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

I thought that was the thread you were speaking of. Diesel 617 = Assault

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Nosce Te Ipsum "Know thyself"