W124 5sp to Diesel
 

I am looking at the possibilities of putting a diesel in my 86 300E 5 speeder. I may have a donor engine from an 87 300D but the obvious question is will the 5 speed be adaptable to the diesel? I don't know of any application that had the Turbo Diesel of this vintage matched to the 5 speed or if the gearing is even a decent match. Is the rear end ratio close? How much electrical box swaping is involved? Am I nuts? ...I mean how nuts is this? BTW Is the engine compartment vastly different? :confused:

I hesitate to respond because it's your car and your business.

I really hate to see one of the rare and fabulous 5 speed 300E's butchered up. There are MANY differences between a gas engine and diesel engine 300E. If I were of a mind to make this conversion I would not do it unless I had the entire donor car setting next to the recipient.

The M103 is a really good gas engine that will last as long or longer than the 86/87 diesel engine. It also is less expensive to rebuild and maintain.

Is there something wrong with the engine in your 300E? Unless there is something totally destroyed, it would be less expensive to rebuild that engine than the long term expense of eventually rebuilding the diesel.

It's your car and your business.

Have a great day,

China, of course it can be done, but heed Larry's advice.. you NEED the donor car for all the bits and pieces you didn't know you needed. I was looking for a 5 spd. Diesel, found a gasser automatic at a price I could not refuse with complete records/history. Put in a 5 spd. and its a different car. If the engine needs work, then it gets repaired. If it holes the block, then I'd consider a diesel swap (and only then). If you are interested in the ratios, etc., look it up in the technical data manuals for your year/model.

Don't do it.

It would probably be cheaper and easier to just fix the gas engine, unless it's too far gone.

If you really want the disel with the 5 speed, then switch the 5speed transmission into the disel.


Good luck.

Is the 300D a turbo or non? If it is a turbo forget the whole thing. The reason MB never put a manual in a Turbo diesel is that 5spds they were making couldn't handle the torque and were going through clutches and throw out bearings faster than I'm sure you (average-joe-consumer) would like to replace them. If you don't like the 5spd gasser, just shoot me an email, as I would be happy to take it offyour hands!:cool:
-M-

Hanno.....
 

Don't mean to jack the thread, but I was wondering if you chaged the rear end along w/ the tranny.

The gas engine 300E's whether automatic or manual have the same rear axle ratio.

Have a great day,