It's a hard sell to swap any gas burner into any MB diesel, but allow me to nerd out here so that we can appreciate what the guy is saying. This is the 1UZ-FE engine. To put this engine into perspective, people are taking 2JZ-GE engines *out* of their MKIV Supras and putting this engine in. Need I say more?

I thought it was allowed as long as the replacement engine met emissions requirements for the same year as the vehicle's model year or later. You can put a 2005 MY engine (that still meets 2005 MY CA/Green state emission levels for that year) into a 1985 Mercedes but you can't put a 1984 MY engine in a 1985 Mercedes.

There are also federal laws regarding engine swaps, but there may be very minimal risk of federal enforcement at the local level.
The biggest issue would be with installing a diesel into any gasser less than 25 years old, in local jurusdictions where those gassers still legally require emissions inspection. Even if the inspector could overlook the fact that there is now a diesel in place of the original gasser, he is still required to check for all the emissions equipment that would be present with the original gasser engine - cat converter, EGR, PCV, vapor recovery, smog-pump etc.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

I'll be one more to say most buy a Mercedes diesel because of the engine, and a classic car to boot. Really hate to see it swapped out especailly for a Ford engine....

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1977 240D turbo

That's true if you have a nice example that's worth keeping original. I have a rare Euro TD with a factory 5-speed, and a solid-body stick 240D that I would never consider for an engine swap. And I had a very rusty stick 240D that I originally acquired as a parts donor, but it ran & drove so well, I wound up using it for a couple years until a neighbor bought it.
However, the automatic 240D I recently sold was a $200 car, that had been thrashed by the PO's teenagers for several years, until I rescued it.
It had a nice repaint, but extensive rust and a tired engine. Compared to my stick-shift examples, fuel mileage was pretty mediocre. I fixed the worst of the rust and some of the other flaws to make a decent running local-errand vehicle out of it, but it never would have made a good all-round substitute for my other cars.
If the engine or tranny had gone, it would have probably been parted out or junked. So I did sometimes think about how a small-block Ford V8 and tranny might work in that car. Fortunately, it got sold for a decent price to become someone else's project. Nevertheless, as my very first diesel, I was still a bit sad to see it go.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

I thought it just had to do with the placement of the catalytic converters, and the usage of the original transmission.

I was big into fieros and there was a lot of information of CARB certified swaps. No one in Cali had a CARB certified Northstar or 3800 supercharged manual since they were offered with automatics only. But people did 3.4L DOHC swaps because they sold Lumina 5speeds. Those are all GM, but they are different manufacturers.

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68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

Well I am talking about Mercedes in general, not just diesels since a Mercedes diesel engine does last a long time if taken care of properly, as will a Mercedes gasser but gasser engines usually wear out sooner obviously. I just posted it here because this is the most popular section of the forum that pertains to cars.

I would say your car, your time, your money. Me personally, I have no problem with people swapping engines from one brand of car to another. Why people get up in arms about a "cross-breed" I have no idea. Its a car, not a race horse (or insert favorite thing to get snobby about in this space here).

If YOU enjoy the car more after you are done, that's all that matters right?

I happen to really like the look and feel of a W123 chassis, but was underwhelmed with the lack of acceleration. I know that the OM617 would run forever if taken care of but, I wanted some horsepower, plus the lovely V8 rumble. So I found an 81 300D with a broken transmission and bought it with the express intent of putting a 302 Ford between the front fenders.

For anyone considering this, send me a PM (so that this thread stays on topic) and I'll tell you the details of what I have found after doing a test fit of the engine and transmission. I might start a thread on it in the performance section, but since progress is slow due to work and family taking priority, I would like to wait until it is finished to do a complete write up.

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1981 Mercedes 300D

Something like this?

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Jim

Ehhh, not really. I prefer the understated look of a stock hood and a well tuned (not stock quiet, but a bit louder) exhaust. That supercharger sticking through the hood just, well lets just say that's not my style

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1981 Mercedes 300D

This is a situation that varies from state to state, however I can speak first hand to the issue of installing a diesel engine into a gasser in California, having just completed the swap of an OM617.952 into an '85 380SL. (Full swap thread here - swap thread and web page here - SLDiesel.com )

You are correct in observing that as long as the vehicle is titled as a gasser, the inspector or smog check facility, is looking for a gas engine and all the gas emissions crap. The key to doing the swap is to get the vehicle retitled.

Here is the critical information (California specific): There are 4 dimensions to such a swap

[1] If the vehicle is a '75 model year or earlier, you can do anything you want as there are no regulations
[2] In all other cases, the donor engine going into the swap vehicle must be of the same model year or newer
[3] The engine must have all of the smog equipment present and working as was present on the donor car as of the date of manufacture
[4] The engine must be from the same class of vehicle - classes being automobile, light duty truck and heavy duty truck. (no heavy duty truck engines in a car)

The state allows re-titling the vehicle from MP=G (motive power gasoline) to MP=D (motive power diesel).

The process is involved but straightforward. Once complete, the vehicle is inspected by a member of the BAR (not that bar) the Bureau of Automotive Repair. It is their responsibility to determine adherence to 2,3 and 4 above. In my case this was a 30 minute process - 2 for inspection and 28 for paperwork.

Then DMV does their own verification, which is essentially just checking the numbers on the chassis, and then issues a new title. Since diesels before '99 are smog exempt, there will never be a smog inspection.

This is very current information, having just finished the re-titling process last week.



This information is for California- your situation may be different. Hope this helps.

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

Why would one want anything else when one could get a myan tuned 606 for their car....

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All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to stand by and do nothing.

Too many people tip toe through life, never attempting or doing anything great, hoping to make it safely to death... Bob Proctor

'95 S320 LWB
'87 300SDL
'04 E500 wagon 4matic

Having long heard about California's legendary emissions beaurocracy, I'm suprised they're that tolerant of engine swaps. Here in Virginia, the cutoff for emissions on gassers is anything older than 24 years. It would be interesting to learn whether Virginia DMV has any similar retitling procedure, but I doubt it.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

Yes, it's that very accurate perception about our smog-nazis that creates so much mis-information about swaps in California. People just assume that it can't be done. I don't know why things are as they are, but on that one point I'm not complaining.

It would be theoretically possible to do a swap in VA, get the vehicle titled in CA and then re-titled as a diesel, then bring it back. Probably more trouble than it's worth, but with so many different state systems, you might be able to find something closer that would get the job done. Actually, a person would be wise to buy a vehicle out of state, do the swap, get it re-titled and then bring it in and register in VA. That way it would have never been in the system and wouldn't throw a red flag. I can't imagine a DMV bureaucrat questioning a "Mercedes Diesel"... they would never know to even question.

Maybe one day when I get a bunch of extra time, I'll do the research to create a chart of what the various states requirements are.

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

Yes, the small Ford can be set up with a rear sump or a pseudo front sump oil pan.

In about 1993 I spoke with a fellow from Weatherford, Texas who owned the Power Service fuel additive business. He was looking at putting Small Ford V8's into MB's and developing a kit to sell. I pointed out that the Fox body Ford's had the pseudo front sump and he got all excited about it.

Since I had no interest in such a swap I never kept up with his progress.

If I were going to put a different engine into an MB, I can't imagine a reason to use a Lexus engine. There are PLENTY of modern engines with less complication but are great engines. It would be a bit of a project, but with so many different cars being built today, I'm sure that a less expensive engine could be found for the purpose.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

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