Just a few questions in regards to the 4.2L V8 and their wiring,.. Have a line on a motor and tranny to possibly move to a rig and was curious on scooping the wiring out of one,.. is there a body and Drive train separation? Is it all integrated? How critical are thing like Wheel Speed sensors, abs, lights, cabin, accessories , cluster ect ect to making the motor run correctly if it were per say transplanted to a tube chassis,..

Insight?

If I had to guess... and this is all I am gonna do.

The powertrain is probably governed by 1 or two essential modules.
Either a PCM or an ECM and a TCM.

I doubt very much that you would need any of the rest of the body wiring to make the motor go EXCEPT for anything having to do with the VATS system. I have never actually looked into how MB handles this in these years. My hunch is you will also need the BCM but only the circuits which are essential for starting.

I believe you could do away with the ABS system entirely, you could probably do away with the cluster and also the cabin systems.

If you have the whole car, I would get it running and then start stripping things out 1 at a time. Remove something and then take it around the block. See how it goes and then remove something else.

A membership to ALLDATA for that year and model would not be terribly expensive and probably very advantageous for you if you can read schematics.

I once pulled an injected six out of a '88 Subaru XT6 and transplanted it into a '86 GL Wagon. Not exactly the same but... same idea. I spent several hours just staring at the wiring schematic trying to wrap my head around what went were and which parts I would actually need. Most of the harness came out of the car, other parts I scratch built because I didn't wanna pull the dashboard at the time. I did get this to work and this was my daily driver for a couple of years.

It might be easier to pull the motor and go to a stand alone engine management system.

Good luck. I am certain this can be done. It is gonna be some work though.

I'm just finishing putting a 3.0 turbo diesel from a 99' e class into a G wagen.
I got the whole car, removed the complete loom from it and laid it out on the floor around the engine and trans and started cutting out what wasnt needed, not really that big a deal just time consuming

It's just a pipe dream at the moment,.. I drool over a Merc V8 powered buggy :)

The main engine harness runs straight to the ME. Finding someone that is able to program the ME will be the hard part. It uses a EIS that uses rolling codes to start and the ME is married to the EIS. It would be alot easier and cheaper to just slap an LS motor in the buggy.

The main engine harness runs straight to the ME. Finding someone that is able to program the ME will be the hard part. It uses a EIS that uses rolling codes to start and the ME is married to the EIS. It would be alot easier and cheaper to just slap an LS motor in the buggy.

What are you refering to with the ME?

If I were to do this I would just megasquirt it and while your at it why not go with the 6 liter v12? A used long block can be had for less than 4Gs. I mean a bigger pipe dream is a better pipe dream right?

... it occurs that that same v12 block is used in the Pagani Zonda all they do is bore it out... I'm just saying...

ME is the engine management, which you'd have to go to a dealer to get the software to program parameters and to code a key to use OEM engine management. Not to mention the throttle body is drive by wire, and ALLDATA is probably not gonna tell you much, as Benz keeps stuff very much under wraps.
I'd contact MSefi.com to see if they make a system that would be compatible, or find a G55 and use the complete driveline :grinpimp:

If I were to do this I would just megasquirt it and while your at it why not go with the 6 liter v12? A used long block can be had for less than 4Gs. I mean a bigger pipe dream is a better pipe dream right?

... it occurs that that same v12 block is used in the Pagani Zonda all they do is bore it out... I'm just saying...

That v12 is cheap for a reason. They are a powerless pile of shit. But the
m275 v12 is a fire breathing beast. With a little programing it will put 750hp and over 800lbs of torque.

What about tossing all of the Mercedes wiring and builiding your own harness to work with an aftermarket ECU?

Everything is connected. As stated, the ME (engine management) and EIS (electronic ignition switch) have to be happy for the engine to run. There's a lot of other stuff too, but that's a start.

You could use a stand alone controller to handle the fuel injectors and coils, throttle would have to be figured out, there's 2 knock sensors in the valley you could use (if the stand alone uses them) and a crank sensor on the block by the tranny.

Good luck... I'd just get a v8 from somewhere else, they really don't make that much power. Unless you can get your hands on a new twin turbo v8 (and make it run.)

I work on MB's for a living. There would be so much crap to make that engine work you may never succeed. You may be able to get a megasquirt to make it run but how are you going to deal with the varible camshaft timing? Just go with an LS1 and save yourself a lot of money and a huge headache! Oh yeah more HP as well.

ME is the engine management, which you'd have to go to a dealer to get the software to program parameters and to code a key to use OEM engine management. Not to mention the throttle body is drive by wire, and ALLDATA is probably not gonna tell you much, as Benz keeps stuff very much under wraps.
I'd contact MSefi.com to see if they make a system that would be compatible, or find a G55 and use the complete driveline :grinpimp:

ME is "Motor Electronics" you wont be able to go to the dealer and program parameters in the ME, You can only do so much with a DAS/Star machine and programing the ME isnt left to the techs. There aftermarket companys who can do it. Its time to make friends and get a dealer password to log on online and look at the wiring diagrams.
BTW useing all the stock stuff would be a pain, ME, K40, the harness is a mess of wires

I work on MB's for a living. There would be so much crap to make that engine work you may never succeed. You may be able to get a megasquirt to make it run but how are you going to deal with the varible camshaft timing? Just go with an LS1 and save yourself a lot of money and a huge headache! Oh yeah more HP as well.

Variable cam timing didn't come about till the 272/273 motor. If you're really set on a new-ish benz motor at least go with a 113. Like I said before, engine management is gonna be a bitch. You'll also have to find an aftermarket throttle body, as the traction control system has power over the throttle through ME.

Basically all you'd be using is a long block, so what's the point? And good luck finding an aftermarket engine management system that can control dual spark plugs.


I'd love to see an OM648 swap. Straight 6 turbo diesel, lots of power. But again, would be very very difficult to run outside of the car it came from.