Hello all,
A friend and I are contemplating a diesel swap in a J series jeep truck
and we have decided that for the price the Mercedes 5-Cylinder Turbo
diesel is the most attractive due to its availability here in the U.S.
Unfortunate, it does not bolt up to any Jeep transmissions so we are
left with the only option of building an adapter plate. I have built
plates before for diesel conversions but as some of you may know
conversions vary widly in there complexity. I have a little knowledge
of the Mercedes 5-Cylinder but would in no way say that I am an expert
on the engine. So my question is this. Can anyone give us some info on
what we will need to look out for? I have gotten a little bit of
feedback from here and there, but it has all been subjective stuff like
my buddy said this and that. I have heard that the torque converter
balances the engine? Is this true? How can it be overcome if we are
bolting it up to a Manual jeep tranny? I have heard that we may have to
fab a custom flywheel but it was not real clear as to why. If anyone
can give me some specifics of things to be on the lookout for I would
greatly appreciate it.
Karl - 15 Jun 2005 15:32 GMT
I looked into this awhile back. But..... because of the front sump and oil pump, there was no
clearance between the oil pan and front diff.
The engine is 29 1/2" tall from the bttom of the pan to the top of the valve cover.
The only 4x4 body that afforded the front diff clearance was the old style Nissan Patrol. But the
frame rails are very narrow......
> Hello all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> can give me some specifics of things to be on the lookout for I would
> greatly appreciate it.
ksmeltzer@gmail.com - 15 Jun 2005 16:36 GMT
Is it just that the sump is to large or are there engine components in
the sump that would not allow the fabrication of a custom sump that
fits around the front differential. I can fab almost anything as long
as there are not parts in the way. Also can it be negated by a lift
kit?
Karl - 16 Jun 2005 03:01 GMT
No, you cannot fab the pan differently. The oil pump is right there!
Not sure a lift kit will do much good.
> Is it just that the sump is to large or are there engine components in
> the sump that would not allow the fabrication of a custom sump that
> fits around the front differential. I can fab almost anything as long
> as there are not parts in the way. Also can it be negated by a lift
> kit?
ksmeltzer@gmail.com - 16 Jun 2005 15:32 GMT
Does the pump extend to the bottom of the sump could it at least be
shortened. Or could the pump be relocated somehow via creative fab work?
T.G. Lambach - 15 Jun 2005 19:46 GMT
Suggest you investigate whether the 300D Turbo was sold new in Europe
with a manual transmission. Then it may be possible to find the piece(s)
you need from a salvage yard in Germany or the UK etc.
kris plasun - 16 Jun 2005 04:54 GMT
>Unfortunate, it does not bolt up to any Jeep transmissions so we are
>left with the only option of building an adapter plate.
Keep the benz auto transmission. My father once put in a 300D and its auto transmission into a Ford Econoline camper. had to prefab
some stuff to mount the engine but other than that no problem.
cp
ksmeltzer@gmail.com - 16 Jun 2005 15:30 GMT
The problem with keeping the auto is that we don't want to use a
divorced transfer case behind it as it will extent the front drive
shaft quite a bit. We would like to avoid this if at all possible. I
have worked out allot of the problems with the swap but am now
concerned about the sump.
charles blassberg - 16 Jun 2005 22:55 GMT
> A friend and I are contemplating a diesel swap in a J series jeep truck...
You guys appear to contemplate ripping up the rule books and making
whatever you want out of a motor.
Fair play!
But maybe that could rather be harnessed by asking the forum what we
want from a car and then going into production??
Let's make the people's Benz!
Dori A Schmetterling - 17 Jun 2005 17:28 GMT
A Volksbenz!
DAS
For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
---
[...]
> Let's make the people's Benz!
Martin Joseph - 17 Jun 2005 18:32 GMT
> A Volksbenz!
I think Homer already did that and it was craptacular.
Marty
Dori A Schmetterling - 17 Jun 2005 19:43 GMT
I thought I would feed the term to Prof Google and I found an amusing link
high up
http://shortnews.stern.de/shownews.cfm?id=521716
The story is about a (64-yr-old) woman who reported her A-Class stolen but
which was then found by the police a few meters from her house...
In the following discussion thread the first suggestion is that she has
Alzheimer's and that she might confuse the brake with the accelerator pedal
etc etc, but a couple of people spring to her defence.. Anyway, one guy
points out that you can get other cars for similar money and that the only
reason buy them (A-Class) is because of the star on the key fob...the A
being a Volksbenz...
DAS
For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
---
>> A Volksbenz!
>
> I think Homer already did that and it was craptacular.
>
> Marty