Junk yard score
83 300SD with 230k on the ticker, had a wire fire that melted alot of hoses and plastic stuff, fuel lines, that valve thing on the back of the IP (boost compensator?), cruise control servo, etc. The car was well cared for, K&N filter, new battery, fresh ATF etc. There is some oil in the air cleaner housing, and the turbo has a little play, but overall seems pretty clean and solid. By the time I added up the engine cost, the core charge, the price of removing it (I didn't have tools, help, or time, and really, I didn't want to do it:laughing:) I got the whole car for a little more than what they get for a motor and trans:smokin:

If I find a nice MB with a bad engine (not likely) I'll probably jump on it, but other wise am considering swapping this into a 2wd explorer (with the MB auto), or my 67 bronco (maybe with a toy trans/tcase), to get a reliable, economical DD/parts chaser.

I've logged several hours searching, and getting overloaded with info, but nothing real specific to my needs.
What is the "pirate" of M-B diesels?
Where do I find cheap parts?
I think this is a OM617 engine, am I right?
What would an overhaul run me on this, rings, bearings, gaskets, etc?
Before I spend any $ on this, I want to hear it run (but don't want to relight the wirefire) what needs power, what vaccum lines need attatched etc?
Any good info on an adaptor to a toyota or ford 5spd?
What manual trannys bolt up to this, 2wd or 4wd?
How efficient, or inefficient are the ATs? I've heard that they rob 5+mpg?
What kind of gearing will I want for a 29"-31" tire?

Thanks in advance!

Junk yard score
83 300SD with 230k on the ticker, had a wire fire that melted alot of hoses and plastic stuff, fuel lines, that valve thing on the back of the IP (boost compensator?), cruise control servo, etc. The car was well cared for, K&N filter, new battery, fresh ATF etc. There is some oil in the air cleaner housing, and the turbo has a little play, but overall seems pretty clean and solid. By the time I added up the engine cost, the core charge, the price of removing it (I didn't have tools, help, or time, and really, I didn't want to do it:laughing:) I got the whole car for a little more than what they get for a motor and trans:smokin:

If I find a nice MB with a bad engine (not likely) I'll probably jump on it, but other wise am considering swapping this into a 2wd explorer (with the MB auto), or my 67 bronco (maybe with a toy trans/tcase), to get a reliable, economical DD/parts chaser.

I've logged several hours searching, and getting overloaded with info, but nothing real specific to my needs.
What is the "pirate" of M-B diesels?
Where do I find cheap parts?
I think this is a OM617 engine, am I right?
What would an overhaul run me on this, rings, bearings, gaskets, etc?
Before I spend any $ on this, I want to hear it run (but don't want to relight the wirefire) what needs power, what vaccum lines need attatched etc?
Any good info on an adaptor to a toyota or ford 5spd?
What manual trannys bolt up to this, 2wd or 4wd?
How efficient, or inefficient are the ATs? I've heard that they rob 5+mpg?
What kind of gearing will I want for a 29"-31" tire?

Thanks in advance!



I am working on putting an OM617 (same as your enigne your talking about) in my 89' toyota pickup.

I however have some bad news, to this day no one I know of makes an adaptor to bolt the 617 to a yota trans. I had read a thread about a guy that was made his own adaptor plate out of steel plate and bolted his W56 to the engine but that trans is a pile of crap and it can barley withstand the 22re let alone a turbo diesel.

I am using the MB auto along with a divorced Toyota 23 spline T-case.

There is a company that makes an adaptor to make a toyota case into a divorced case http://www.ottindustries.com/divorcetoyota.htm


I would go to http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/index.php and post in there as well as they have a section for MBZ diesels.

To start it nothing needs power aside from the starter motor and the glowplugs (under the injectors on the left side of the block)

To shutdown the engine you apply vacuum to the little vacuum modulator thingy on the back of the IP, OR you push the stop lever.


The MBZ auto is sorta like a TH350, no OD, no lockup but tough as nails and as an added bonus you can push start these autos as they contain a rear pump on the output shaft as well as the main pump.

They did put a 5 speed (2wd) behind these engines but it was only offered in europe as far as I know (never seen one here) so thats an option as well.


If you want a manual trans I would use an R150 or 151(harder to find) and make an adaptor plate.

The adaptor plate that guy on 4btswaps made was just a plate of steel he cut with a OA torch and then used a drill and a tap for the holes.

The only thing you would have to machine is a pilot bearing adaptor and have different holes drilled in the toyota flywheel.

Cheap parts for these engines would be from http://www.autohausaz.com/

Hope that helps some and BTW if you wanna put a regular yoke behind the weird(european) three bolt flange of the MBZ auto go to http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Mercedes_Order.html

Thanks for the info! If I go the toyota tranny route, I'd probably go for a tacoma trans/tcase to match my front diff. How is your swap coming along? When you go to get your pilot bearing adaptor made, consider getting 2 or more, I'd probably buy one from you, and help offset your costs. I will get some time later in the week to mess with this and see what I have.
Again, thanks for the info:D

I am not using a toyota trans, I am using a toyota transfer case that is going to be divorced and using the MBZ auto trans.

I'm no expert, but I'd steer clear of the MB trans idea.

Why whats wrong with a 4 speed auto transmission??????

They are beefier than a TH400 and have a rear pump which allows them to be push started, a capability no other auto trans I know of has!!

Man that W56 just gets my blood boiling, it is such a piece of royal shit!!

I have NO idea why anyone would even take a second look at one when there are so much stronger transmissions for the same price available!!

And if your makin an adaptor anyways, you can make it for any transmission!!

I have worked on alot MB trans. I would never say they are beefier than a
TH400. Parts for the old MB trans are getting hard to find and if you need a band you will be looking at $600 for used on. They are not a great trans but they get the job the done.

I guess I missed that about your auto/divorced toy setup. I checked out the thread with the red 4runner with the om617, I didn't finish it, but it looked pretty promising. If the W series trans fit, the Gs and Rs should work too (maybe with slight modification). I talked to one of the machinists at work today about a "government project" said it would be no problem to set me up with an adaptor plate and a pilot bearing adaptor :smokin: If this engine checks out, I might be driving a MB/toyota powered classic bronco pretty soon:D

Any input on the gearing for these?
What I've seen online trying to figure this out;
No overdrive, these run well/efficiently at a higher RPM
They start in 2nd gear unless you mash it
Slow to get rolling, but they will run 120mph+
ATs are real parasitic, significant reduction in accelleration and mpg

Soo, will a 5spd manual with overdrive, 31" tires, 3.50 gears, and a similar curb weight to the 300sd (3500lbs) be a fun to drive economical rig?

Thanks

BTW early versions of the C6 "cruise o matics" had a rear pump too, heard some stories about 60mph "push starts":laughing:

Oh wow you learn something new every day lol, I thought MBZ was the only one to put a rear pump in an auto, although I have no idea why others havent done it ($$$ prob like usual)

IF and this is a big IF, you put a R150 or R151 behind your MBZ you may have a potential buyer of the second one sometime down the road, or at least a CAD drawing of it lol.

You should put the R150 behind it only because they are very easy to come by and you wouldnt need a one in a million bellhousing as you would for the R151F. Or at least make the adaptor for the V6's bolt pattern so that you can use any R series trans bolted to the V6's bellhousing.

I will have to look into the C6 cruise-o-matics lol

hmm..it'd be cheap to make a custom MB om-617 to a v6 5spd adapter...screw auto's

Well I will add my 2 cents worth. I work for a company that sells G wagen and Unimog parts and I deal with the 617/617a engines and the different transmissions all the time,
You want a 617a which is the turbo motor. Usually from a 1982 to a 1985 is the best choice. The 1978 300SD motor does not run an EGR and if you want to elimanate the EGR look for an exhaust manifold from this engine, If you buy the engine out of a car you want the glow plug contoller from the drivers side fender and you want the 1st piece of the exhaust coming off the turbo. The engine comes with a tachometer drive off the front of the crank pully and if you want to try to hook this up you will also need the controller that is also bolted to the drivers side fender. It is easy to reuse the sedan air cleaner assembly.
There are several transmissions used. The sedan automatic does not allow you to constantly use the tranny in 1srt gear where as an auto tranny from a G wagen will. The G wagen also comes with an 8 bolt round flat flange instead of the three bolt flange, they are interchangeable. The G wagen auto tranny also uses a deeper pan and holds more fluid. This a very durable transmission. The G wagen also has provisions to mount a brace between the transmission and the transfer case for rigidty on all automatics and manuals
There are several 4 and 5 speed manual transmissions available. The G wagen used a 4 speed that is very close to the 4 speed used in the USA model 240D. This is a mercedes box and it is very strong. The 5 speed used in the G wagen and again a similar (but very rare) 5 speed used in a 300D sedan was made by Getrag and uses a one piece transmission and bell housing design. The transmission is weak compared to the 4 speed and there are almost no rebuild parts available. Mercedes will just sell you a new one, they do not rebuild them either. If you are changing from a auto to a manual you will need a new flywheel and the cost for this flywheel is around $575.00. You must also have the flywheel balanced with it attached to the crankshaft. Mercedes balances them together as a unit.
There is an alternative 5 speed manual made by Mercedes which is very much like the above 4 speed. This transmission was used in vans, buses and military G wagens. There were 2 configurations, one with a granny gear + 4 and the other 4+ an OD. You can find these transmissions.
A major thing to consider is geting the shifter with the transmission as Mercedes is quite proud of their shifters. Also if you find a G wagen transmission try to get the short drive shaft with the transmission. A new one from Mercedes if you end up needing it is around $2000.00. No I did not add one too many zeroes.

Ok sweet but I got a few quick questions:

1. Does the G-wagen use a divorce mounted case??

2. Are there internal differences between the 722.xxx in the g-wagen and the one in the car??

3. Did MBZ ever put a 617 in a g-wagen from the factory? If so did they ever sell one in the US??

4. Would you sell me a deeper pan, I have a 4 bolt pan from a 722.120 (80' 300SD)

5. Does the g-wagen t-case have a pass side drop??

1. Yes the tranfer case is divorced.
2. I would have to look to see how many internal parts have a "460" part number prefix. The gearing may be different.
3. The 617 was sold in the G. It was called a 300GD. They were all non turbo. There have neen alot of conversions to the 617a turbo engine. The trucks were all sold here as a grey market vehicle. The year models in the states would be 1979 - 1986. There are some 1987 - 1989 models in Canada.
4. I can get you the pan but I would have to look up the drawings to see if they are interchangable.
5. The transfer case is passenger drop. The transfer case is very strong and it is compact as well. The other interesting thing about the transfer case is that it is fully synchronized.

How much do the Gwagen transfercases go for???

How do they couple the gwagen trans to the transfer case?? Small little drive shaft or something else???

You will have to find a used one as you truely do not want to buy a new one. Make sure it is from a 1981 or newer truck as they made some chages and the old parts are not available. They do use a short shaft between them. The drive shafts on a G look like they are sized for a 2.5 ton truck. They are about 3 to 3.5 inches in diameter.

forgot to say that the tranfercase is different for the front drive shaft spins the opp. direction then the rear so is no good unless you have axles