Mercedez 5Cyl Turbo Swap

[LAFFlyBoy]

I have an 89 Ranger with teh 2.9l V6 guttless wander and a freind has a 85 Mercedez 300d that the car is givving up but the engine is still strong and gets 35 mpg. I was thinking of buyin the car from him and install both the engine and tranny from the car.

I'm wonderin hoe difficult is this process. is it mrealy a matter of welding new engine mounts and havein the driveshaft reworked? what all do I have to look forward to if I have both complete vehicles?

 

[TwoWhels]

I think you may have some oil pan issues
the 300 no turbo?
Do it and take pics...let us all know how it works when your done

 

[Captain Ledd]

I wanna say someone did just that on here. But I can't think of who, or even if it was on the old forums before the apocalypse (we lost all info and threads except for a select few). I don't have the time to search for it ATM.

I remember it being white, and the Mercedes engines have a large front oil pump, and it will determine where the engine sits. I recall it being somewhat more forward than normal. It still looked super clean, the guy did a nice job.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

I'd do it in a heartbeat. Those mercedes diesels are an excellent, long lasting design and combine the perfect balance of engine weight and power for a ranger.

If you understand how each system works (the mercedes diesel and the 2.9 ranger setup) and possess good fab skills and tools, I see no reason why you couldn't do it. Obviously it's not going to be a bolt-in sort of swap, but everything should fit and work with enough effort and time.

 

[master hec0]

those diesels are good i have an 83 300sd so its turboed once the body rusts out i might conciser swapping it in to my bronco II. the Mercedes is vacuum controlled ignition so you would need that stuff.

 

[LAFFlyBoy]

Unfortunatly I'm too well aquinted with teh 2.9 set but but don't know much about the deisel. but have been facinated with the idea.

how does that vacuum ignition system work? will it work to just pull it out of the car?

how big of an issue is the forward oilpan sump, and the engine mounts?

 

[Bob Ayers]

Unfortunatly I'm too well aquinted with teh 2.9 set but but don't know much about the deisel. but have been facinated with the idea.

how does that vacuum ignition system work? will it work to just pull it out of the car?

how big of an issue is the forward oilpan sump, and the engine mounts?

A diesel doesn't have an ignition. It does have glow plugs for starting, with a thermal timer so they stay on longer, the colder it is. The Mercedes fuel injection pump has a vacuum operated fuel shut off. Because the diesel doesn't have a throttle plate either, it doesn't develop manifold vacuum, so it has a mechanical vacuum pump for the brake booster, door locks, HVAC, etc..

 

[Captain Ledd]

A short thread, but info none-the-less.
http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4392

and pics:
http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll24/Phillyburger/Ranger/

 

[master hec0]

A diesel doesn't have an ignition. It does have glow plugs for starting, with a thermal timer so they stay on longer, the colder it is. The Mercedes fuel injection pump has a vacuum operated fuel shut off. Because the diesel doesn't have a throttle plate either, it doesn't develop manifold vacuum, so it has a mechanical vacuum pump for the brake booster, door locks, HVAC, etc..

yes what he said I was using the wrong words.
those build pics should be quite helpful i have seen this done on a 98 F-150 the only deference was he had the turbo version.