|
Merc engine suggestions?BenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
|
|
As some of you may know, I'm in the middle of building a ridiculously ambitious 4.5 litre turbocharged V8 to go in the Merc. As I now have some logistical issues (i.e.: all my garage stuff is 300 miles away), and the project hasn't really progressed much, I've been thinking about an inter-rim engine swap, so that I stand a cat in hells chance of having some form of quick car to go to RCS in.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I'm just pondering what sort of motor and gearbox to look out for. Doesn't have to be a V8, or have mahoosive displacement, but I'd quite like to keep it a Merc engine (although feel free to throw in some random ideas!) I'm thinking along the lines of a later C-Class 2.0 engine if the power is there (maybe lobbing on a pair of DCOEs), or a 3.0 / 3.2 straight six from an E-Class... What do you think?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tried and tested route of rover v8 or ford v6? Shouldn't be too hard a swap
|
|
|
|
|
Merc engine suggestions?BenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
|
|
Some basic (flexible) criteria: could do with 150 - 200 BHP (or potential to get that much); I don't really want to go the 2.8 six-banger route as that was a factory model anyway; Could do without farting around with gearbox bell-housing etc, so an engine and box from a rwd car is really a must
|
|
|
|
|
Merc engine suggestions?BenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
|
|
Tried and tested route of rover v8 or ford v6? Shouldn't be too hard a swap Hmm, I was tempted as we had a Cologne V6 knocking about for a while... Rover V8 would be good but it's a very well trodden path (maybe not such a bad thing...) You've got me pondering a 24v Cossie V6 though... could be fun... ;D
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
if its just an interim engine is it possible to look for something that uses the same engine mounts?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Merc engine suggestions?BenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
|
|
Ooof! Lexus lump would rock, but I fear may be a bit pricey / full of electronic trickery that I can't transplant! I saw one guy in Saudi that stuffed a Supra lump and box in his... very cool! AFAIK, the MB V8s all use the same mounts (maybe not the newer mercs), so another Merc V8 would be logical, but hard to come across. I've even considered *gasp!* sticking a BMW lump in it!
|
|
|
|
Mr K
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,993
|
|
|
no offence, but if you don't have the means at the moment to put your turbo v8 project in, how are you going to put anything else in? and if its just that your tools are along way away, would the conversion time not be better spent getting your tools? but its never that simple What about sticking with your merc V8, and putting it in as pretty much standard, and then developing the turbo (and wernt you going for MS?) setup as abit of a rolling project. Jag v12 on 12 reece fish carbs and a 12 pipe exhaust system ftw.
|
|
|
|
|
Merc engine suggestions?BenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
|
|
no offence, but if you don't have the means at the moment to put your turbo v8 project in, how are you going to put anything else in? and if its just that your tools are along way away, would the conversion time not be better spent getting your tools? but its never that simple Point taken, but there is a lot of work left to do on the V8 - building the engine back up, finishing the Megasquirt system, plumbing the turbo in... dealing with the inevitable complications of it all... I just think that I'd be better off taking my time with that and having something in the engine bay that will drop in a bit easier (i.e.: it's all pretty much built up already and all I have to deal with is hooking it all up) Just thinking ahead and not having the Merc at all for RCS (for the 2nd year running) I don't have a hell of a lot of time at present, and the V8 project needs plenty!
|
|
|
|
Nick
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,483
|
|
|
what about a 2.5 straight 6 and gearbox out of a bmw, cheap enough £200 shud get you a decent one, pretty damn reliable and 170horsies out the box. and no trouble selling it on afterwards. this might be a curse word idea i'm not sure. but at least another option.
|
|
idea stolen from rattely eddie.
this weeks car count "5"
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.6 merc amg ;D ;D ;D
|
|
"quote hairnet"
I'm not paying nine pound for a pi$$!
[/quote]
|
|
|
|
|
Yeah right! You try finding one... BenzBoy - I have to admit, I've never really understood your 4.5 idea - yup, v8 + supercharger = fun. But the 4.5 is an old dog of a bloody heavy cast engine. You can pick up a rusty w126 SE or even SEC with great aluminuim 5.0/5.6 engine for a few hundred quid. It then solves your short term problems of having something with 8 cylinders and 260hp (or 300 for the 5.6) for RCS and you can then continue with developing that engine instead of having to do another engine swap later in the year. I have a compreshensive set of wiring diagrams for these engines too. Aaaaand people are going mad for w126 spares on eBay at the moment, so you could probably get your money back by selling off other parts from the donor car. Just a thought.
|
|
There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes
|
|
|
|
|
four pot kompressor motah
or a 230/260 if yoou wanna get it moving bwm pita
|
|
2001 HONDA CT110 (NOT RCV)
|
|
|
|
|
If you didn't say "keep it Mercedes" I would have suggested an L28ET or RB25DET engine transplant, possibly even a 1JZ or 2JZ, but you did say keep it Merc.. so I won't
|
|
Skyline: 1963 - 1973 - 1983 Sunny: 1982 450SLC: 1973 Navara: 1992 Gloria: 1992
|
|
|
|
Merc engine suggestions?BenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
|
|
Good suggestions! I wouldn't feel all that bad about chucking in a J-engine of some sort or a BM 6 pot, that could be quite good fun! ScrapinScrap - you talk a lot of sense. I kick myself when I think about passing up a 5.0 Merc V8 for £70 a couple of years back. The 4.5 iron block was an impulse eBay buy, and yes it is ridiculously heavy... the project just escalated really, and it perhaps isn't the most ideal engine to start with. If I could find a W126 for a couple of hundred with an ally block V8, that'd be ideal. As you say it could become a rolling project then, bolting the mods on as I go...
That Merc straight six looks kind of tempting... I may have a punt on it as it's not all that far from me. 200k miles is a fair bit though...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The w124 3 litre straight six is a corker of an engine. Reasonably powerful, but torquey as you like. 200k is no worries if properly maintained. Make sure you get the 'box as well though, as the internals are matched to the torque of the engine.
So if I can find you a cheap w126 with 5.0 or 5.6, you'd be interested then?
|
|
There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes
|
|
|
Merc engine suggestions?BenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
|
|
I reckon so - before I got the V8 I had my eye out for a 3.0 or 3.2 (M104?) six-banger, and if I could find one I'd plump for it if the price was right. I could do with having the complete engine and box because of the reasons you said. A cheap W126 would be great! Do you know of one?!
|
|
Last Edit: Mar 7, 2006 12:32:55 GMT by BenzBoy
|
|
|
|
|
Not right now, but I often get offered them. Will keep you informed...
|
|
There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes
|
|
|
|
|
Buy a rusty old shape 300ZX (Z31) and use the 3.0L V6 from that. 178bhp in stock form and very torquey. It's also a very compact engine. Rusty Z31's can be had for under 200 quid and it's a great engine for the money.
-Ed
|
|
1962 Datsun Bluebird Estate - 1971 Datsun 510 SSS - 1976 Datsun 710 SSS - 1981 Dodge van - 1985 Nissan Cherry Europe GTi - 1988 Nissan Prairie - 1990 Hyundai Pony Pickup - 1992 Mazda MX5
|
|
|