New to the board have a 280 W114 Coupe... Need Help with Engine Swaps

[RetroRodMerc]

Been a lurker for a while, registered just the other day now that I have my car on the way, will be delivered next week.

So hello and thanks for any help in advance!

This might offend some....

I got a sweet deal on a W114 Coupe it has the M110.

Has Bad gas, but will start on fluid and was driving. I will be going through it and doing the basics see what needs service and what has to be replaced plus cleaning the tank.

I purchased it with the intent to swap the motor out.

I may do something funky with the stock M110 short term. Car will be entered in the Grassroots Motorsports Challenge 2009.

I am trying to find out more about possible motor swaps - using basically junkyard parts and staying in budget, I might do something more appropriate after the challenge, but short term I am considering several options and looking for help, knowlege, etc... Can any one Help - yes I have been using the search feature but not finding what I want on the W114, on the W123 and others yes, not so much on the W114.

The challenge features a Drag, Track and Concourse event with points earned in each category. Budget is $2009.00 same as the year of entry. That includes price of car.

OPTIONS I am considering based on what I have available to me:
1.) - boost the M110 [turbo(s) or Supercharger]
2.) - Swap in a 3.8 Buick Turbo Motor
3.) - Swap in a V8??
4.) - Swap in a Turbo Audi 20v I5
5.) - Open to suggestions - need to avoid high cost for donor motor/trans

Currently - I am looking at a turbo or supercharger with carb - since it has a carb already. Can adapt a Eaton to a carb setup - yes I know you can buy them that way too, but I wouldn't when I can make a used one work.

Can use a Draw thru setup or 2 similar to the Early Buick 3.8 turbo with carb. I have several complete Buick carb turbo setups, so doing one or two and running a pipe over to an elbow mounted on the intake would be easy, however fair market value has to be assesed to anything I add to the car even if I already have the parts. So can't go crazy.

Draw thru has it's limits but I don't have to pressurize the carb as I would with a Blow thru - Fuel Injection can come later.

I do have 2 spare Buick 3.8 T-type motors - one is SFI and the other is a 83 Carb turbo. I was thinking of swapping one of those in.

I was reading about the 4.3 setup that someone put in a 123 I believe - the 3.8 is physically smaller so fitting in the bay would not be hard.

Yea that's a Mouthful and if this is in the wrong category, I apologize

Sorry if I speak typo a little to fluently!

[Pooka]

I have seen some Toyota four cyls in 114's, but when you start putting in a V anything you have to be carefull about clearance for the steering gear.

[RetroRodMerc]

Yep, a 60 Degree V should fit better than a 90 degree. Not a fan of a Toy 4, but if I was going that route then likely it would be a 1JZ.

Thanks for responding.

I have also considered the Rover V8, junk yard has few of the 4.0 and 4.2, far better than the 3.5/3.9 and with a 300 Crank and volvo valves I could build a 5.0 all Aluminum V8 - but and it would be smaller than a chevy or ford if I do recall.

[RetroRodMerc]

On a different Note - If I wanted a 4 I would use a 2.2/2.5 Turbo Chrysler Motor - Easy to get 300 HP/300Ft Lbs using the Super 60 Package and on the cheap.

[wolf_walker]

Vw tdi

[ToddG]

I was in England last year (I'm American) and picked up a copy of Mercedes Enthusiast. Have since found the magazine in town.

Anyway, in this one issue, a guy in England dropped a m117 into the 123 body coupe. Looked sweet in the pics. Not sure what they did for tranny and rear, but it's do-able. I image it would work in the 115 coupe as well. The 116 450's have less bulky exhaust manifolds, then the 280se 4.5, so if you go that route find a late 70's 450. But if you want to carb it, guess you'll have to get a US v8

[t walgamuth]

The 280e is a strong engine especially in euro form.

If I had to swap in an american engine i would look at small block fords, because of the narrow head configuration and lighter weight than the chevy.

The rover/ buick v8 is light but not much if any narrower than the chevy v8.

[Tomguy]

your goal is something cheap and light, right?

What is the cheapest aluminum-block V6 you can get that has a fair amount of horsepower and torque to move a heavy MB?

I wonder if a 3.5L Chrysler V6 would fit... You'd need the engine and trans from a 300 or Charger but they're FR so it'd go in with driveshaft mods as long as you have clearance otherwise, and that's 250HP stock. Not that the M110 is weak but you're shaving off a lot of weight there, adding about 50HP, and getting a modern 5sp trans...

Or you could shoehorn in something like a 351 windsor... now that would be something else if you get one that's already been bored and has a good cam...

[GGR]

Apparently m117 is a good fit and bolts in using W107 mounts. You may find a 300hp (ECE 822) euro 560. You may have to use 560 SL exhaust mnifolds.



more in this thread: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=243271

[JMURiz]

Originally Posted by GGR

Apparently m117 is a good fit and bolts in using W107 mounts. You may find a 300hp (ECE 822) euro 560. You may have to use 560 SL exhaust mnifolds.



more in this thread: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=243271

Woah, that's toooo cool!

[RetroRodMerc]

The MB v8 sounds interesting until I consider the cost of purchase let alone repairs. Cheapest I have found is $900.00 just for a M100 - would interesting - but that does not include anything else and I don't have any way of knowing condition of motor other than physical inspection, since it's not in a car and there is no warranty.

I appreciate all the responses, keep them coming.

I can get a running Ford 3.8 SC out of Tbird for 300.00 or 400.00 for the whole car.

I can get a Ford 5.0 - again complete Car - 550.00 with Auto - it's carb'ed and has a c4.

I can use one of the Buick 3.8 Turbo I have - just add trans

I can get a Audi 5cyl 20v Turbo for 650 - of course would need an adapter, and different trans, but that price is for the car.<<--- of course expense of maintaining, mods, etc... does not make this the best choice in my eyes, but has wicked potential.

As I mentioned short term plan I think I will follow is to boost the M110.

Mount a SC and pressurize the Carb - or replace current carb and then pressurize new carb.

I am also considering a TBI covnersion - done plenty of those - was thinking I would grab aa 4.3 Setup with ECU and wire harness, eprom emulator/programmer and tune it. The basic TBI setup should run about 350-400 or less depends on what the junk yard charges me.... TBI units are cake to setup and tune. A stock setup on the 4.3 would support 4 PSI before the engine starts to run lean - On the 2.8 --- should be easy enough to setup and tune in.

Just retard the timing a little - maybe use a MSD box and see what I can get away with.

This saves a lot of motor swaping - and lets me take my time pulling everything together for the swap once I decided on the best motor for the job.

I will post a new thread about boosting the M110.

I am still looking for suggestions for motor swaps, the Chrysler v6 sounds nice, but the issue their is again cost of purchase for motor. Considering how new the motor is plus having to wire in the EFI, etc... or use and aftermarket efi, megasquirt etc.

If I was going to go chrysler - again I would think a turbo 4, maybe with a DOHC head swap for the 2.4 later model - 400 Hp is not un obtainable in a turbo 4 and still have reliability, although 300 is more reasonable with less boost.

[Skippy]

I like the 5.0 idea, but it sort of depends what year you're talking about. It sounds like the one you can get is an early 80's or late 70's model with little more power than the stock M110. If you can get a later model HO 5.0, that would provide lots of power for a 114. Another thing to consider is swapping the HO (or aftermarket) cam and heads onto the older motor.

[RetroRodMerc]

The 5.0 is an 84/85 Mustang with some upgrades, I have not gone and looked at the yet, a friend of mine from the local Mustang club told me about it. The guy that owns it is in serious need of some cash... so price is not firm. But yea it would be a nice upgrade.

I just have to look at everything - motor, trans then consider any other costs that I have to account for I certainly want to give the suspension and 8 year old tires attention.

I am also trying to figure what I can do to tweak the suspension, maybe lower the car a touch, etc...

But yea the 5.0 - is easy to get HP/Torque out of with minimal investment.

[Pooka]

I am not making a joke here, so please don't take that way.

When you talk about lowering the car... I think that when you put a heavy V-8 in there the front end will lower perhaps more than you want.

Not that I am trying to talk you out of this project; I am just trying to think ahead.

[GGR]

M100 engine is far to heavy. You should consider an all alloy M117. Not much heavier than the L6 and helps you keep the balance of the car. And they are plenty around. Best is to get a complete but totalled W126, a 500 or a 560.