Engine swaps

[Espresso]

Has anyone done a foreign swap to their MB(or know someone, read somewhere, ect)? Not looking for a why would you want to, or that is stupid to do to a Benz. This IS the performance section & I am talking REAL performance, not bolt ons, CAI's & nitrous oxide systems.

Looking for educated responses/discussion.
Here in the land of "we dont have it so make something fit". Not only are MB parts just about impossible to find they are damn expensive( just the spark plugs & fuel filter cost $310...not installed). Even getting good prices from the states, isnt that great, because of shipping time, wrong parts showing up ect. For someone like me. Dumping cash into a worn out(well 85K miles & strapping on a turbo, is just stupid) 2.8L/Auto just really isnt in the cards(spend over $15K just for a little over 100HP gain..dont think so). To get the performance/dollar I am looking for requires a V8.

I am a V8 freak & have been building them for years. This aspect of the build I have covered because i can get the parts cheap, easy, ect...
But, As far as I know. No one makes swap kits. I talked with JTR, The rod shop ect & have come up empty.

I really do not have specific plans yet(looking for educated input other than my own). But have plenty of thinking time. I am buying my wife an X3 soon, so the 280 can come off the road & I can start tinkering.
I am either going to go with an LS2 or a 4.6L. I am not biased on make or model of V8 as long as it's built right :D.
More than likely will do a tube frame setup, pending fitment of the engine & trans & HP/tq figures. But this will be a REAL street car once complete & driven daily.

So any questions or comments feel free to post. I will awnser to the best of my ability, or if someone else wants to pony up some awnsers/websites for swaps, ect...feel free to. But like I said. Right now, I havent taken measurements, ect.. I just know this engine is going to need ALOT of work soon & I do not feel like spending the cash for lackluster results. This is my main reasoning behind the swap.

TIA

[Proven Guilty]

a 4.6L from a cobra would be such an awesome sleeper in a W202. hahaha

[Espresso]

Originally posted by Proven Guilty
a 4.6L from a cobra would be such an awesome sleeper in a W202. hahaha
Especially when I can have one(the SN 95-2) shipped full ready to go with harness & all(minus trans) for $7500 :D

[Lensolo]

Originally posted by Espresso
Especially when I can have one(the SN 95-2) shipped full ready to go with harness & all(minus trans) for $7500 :D

I'd say both are a very good choice. I know there are some supercars out there that have the LS2 motor in there so that might say something there. Some friends already dropped in their LS2 into a 78 chevy pickup the other day and didn't haven't a single problem starting it up. I'm sure you won't either since you have that amount of experience with V8's. I'd love to see it happen though.

[Proven Guilty]

I've had my fair share of building frankenstein V8s like chevy into an olds, ford into a pontiac etc, but it would be fun to transplant it into a benz.

$7500 seems so high, but maybe i'm out of the loop. my experience is with old school quadra-jet 4barrel carbs, and .010 4-bolt main 350 small blocks :)

[RacerXofFL]

blind is selling his m104, he plans on doing a 1jz, but i say pay up and do the 2jz, I know of quite a few 305/350 setups in 190's

[Denlasoul]

This Thread is very interesting and ambitious. I do know of several different engine (non-MB) swaps, and as you are in a different country (parts availability and such can be difficult) I can see why you would like to do this project.

I'd say really research this typr of conversion and see what you feel works best (budget, ease, etc etc.)

Good luck!

[rollinrealbig]

if I had the tools/skills/knowledge/money and every other thing to help me Id forget the V8 crap adding $hit load of nose weight as w202's are heavy enough and think Rotary.

a 1.3liter 13B twin-turbo would be very nice, gives more room to play under the hood, less weight in the front and a 10,000 RPM Redline.

... maybe, just maybe if you find a 20B . ?? A great sleeper indeed.


Hows C130 sound ? :D

[OCKlasse]

Originally posted by rollinrealbig

Hows C130 sound ? :D

It sounds like no torque...lol...you can have all the hp in the world, but torque is what makes the difference...

[Proven Guilty]

If you're looking for the cheapest bang for the buck, get a stock chevy small block 350, bore it .60 over with a mean cam (not too lumpy, barely able to hold idle is only cool on dragsters imo) and get a set of hypertechtic pistons. they're good for nitrous, and a stock crank can handle it too. even if you can only source a 2 bolt main, you can tap two additional for the main caps.

a rebuild for a classic chevy small block is $150. it is said to be the most common V8 engine block in the world. you can buy a water pump for $34 at any auto zone in the world, and it will be in stock, guaranteed. lol

hell, the last build i did:

-383 chevy 4-bolt main
-edelbrock performer RPM intake
-edlebrock 600cfm carb with huuuuuge upgraded jets
-edlebrock cam (i can look up the lift and duration if you want)
-full rebuild kit
-machined, balanced, blueprinted
-stock heads ported and polished
-acid dipped block with brand new freeze plugs and fresh paint
-flowmaster headers

total project was out the door under $2000 and put down about 375hp at the rear wheels on all stock internals, minus the cams. put a B&M shift kit into a turbo 400 trans, and had a 9" ford rear end that i picked up for $700. of course the driveshaft needed to have the u-joints freshed up, and i went with urethane tranny mounts and welded the new engine mounts to the frame (was planted into my olds cutlass 442)

that hardest part was fitting the linkage, but you could always change out to a rachet shifter since an MBZ has floor shifter already instead of column like the chevys usually do.

[rman]

the sn-95 stang is either a 5.0 pushrod, or a 2v 4.6 modular.

the 96-98 4.6 is a dog, either go with the old school 5.0 or get a 99+ 4.6.

I would say go for the 5.0, maybe stroked out to as big as 347. a fully built n/a 347 stroker can put down close to 400hp/400tq. That would be the easiest swap by far, simple and size-wise.

I am actually researching right now dropping the 302/5.0 into a ford ranger. I figure that would be a kick ass work truck.

[Proven Guilty]

Originally posted by rman
the sn-95 stang is either a 5.0 pushrod, or a 2v 4.6 modular.

the 96-98 4.6 is a dog, either go with the old school 5.0 or get a 99+ 4.6.

I would say go for the 5.0, maybe stroked out to as big as 347. a fully built n/a 347 stroker can put down close to 400hp/400tq. That would be the easiest swap by far, simple and size-wise.

I am actually researching right now dropping the 302/5.0 into a ford ranger. I figure that would be a kick ass work truck.

i want to say the old ranger XTR (something like that) had the motor and trans mounts for a 302/351 and it was just plug and play. I just don't recall the ranger's 3 letter designation to be honest.

[Espresso]

As for the swap. I should have specified. I am going forced Induction & fuel injection.
I too used to build the old 010 blocks..they made nice 383's. But I am going a bit further than that.

As for the SN 95-2. The one I am refering to is the 4.6L in a 2003 Cobra( 390HP...lol).

[Proven Guilty]

word :bandit:

[ryhi]

2jz or rb26. enough said. if you look in tuner magazines in thailand they literally swap a 2jz into any car they want.

im sure you all seen this..
http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/28785

[Espresso]

I said V8..american style. Nothing else.

I do not want anything other than.

[ryhi]

Originally posted by Espresso
I said V8..american style. Nothing else.

I do not want anything other than.

it was just a suggestion on whats been done

[anf6789]

definatily go with the cobra engine, those cars aare so fast. 0-60, 4.6sec, 1/4mile 12.7. on the highway me and my dad went from 70to120 in about 2 secs, did a burnout for one block, i love those cars. put a different pulley on it or a kenny bell supercharger, around 500-600hp:D

[rman]

03-04 cobra engine, 390hp stock? LMAO

that's rated , they have been dyno'd STOCK at over 400hp to the wheels.

there are a few things that can live up to my favorite term: BAD FUCKIN' ASS.

sorry to say, i'd rather have the cobra than a 202 with cobra motor. Future plans are for me to own a lightning =)

[Espresso]

I know the '03 engines can dyno WELL OVER the 390. My friend put out 452HP completely stock. That is why I laughed.
I just do not know if the engine will physically fit into the bay.

I like the mustang body, but getting one here is virtually impossible. Plus I love the 202 style SOOO much better.

I am not looking to go into much modification on the engine side. Just going to keep it stock, but with some minor bolt ons & a stand alone.

[anf6789]

oh i know thats what they have been rated to, companies always do that!!, i was just hopin mercedes did that on my 94 C280 194hp, it has to be more!! mercedes 4.3 v8 fits, ford 4.6 almost the same size, thats just my thoughts, have no idea about engine swaps:D

[Proven Guilty]

I would love the '03 cobra drop in swap in a W202. the simple fact remains, you cannot beat the sound of a mustang with a high end exhaust.

I think i would rather have it in a W202 just for the shock value over the stang, but I'm looking at used cobras right now while I'm considering buying another W202.

Then again, once Ray finishes his car, he'll probably be sick of it and sell it to me. Muahahaha

You've REALLY got me thinking now about a V8 swap. I'm picking up a '95 C280 imperial red that is all beat to shit, but has a VERY fresh engine (100% rebuild less than 2k miles ago at the expense of the shop due to poor work done during head gasket replacement).

I could sell that entire drivetrain, straighten the entire body out, put ryhi's lorinser kit on it with my schatz spoiler, hook up the old show sound system and drop in a sick SVT built V8 with an H-pipe exhaust. I can just register it to Michigan so it'll be smog exempt since my family still lives in detroit


oh god, I'm not going to sleep tonight now. the mad scientist is back at work!

[Proven Guilty]

anyone know the bolt pattern from a cobra rear end? :D

[rman]

Originally posted by Proven Guilty
anyone know the bolt pattern from a cobra rear end? :D

lug pattern? i think it's 5x4.5 but don't quote me boy, cuz i ain't said shit. It should be a 8.8 3.73.

The 281/4.6 mod motor is quite large, it's actually taller and wider than the old 302/5.0 motor. So judging an engine's size by displacement is not an accurate guage. Although there is plenty of room under the hood of a 202.

[Lordkoo]

Originally posted by Espresso
Has anyone done a foreign swap to their MB(or know someone, read somewhere, ect)? Not looking for a why would you want to, or that is stupid to do to a Benz. This IS the performance section & I am talking REAL performance, not bolt ons, CAI's & nitrous oxide systems.

TIA

How about I locate and sell you a running salvaged E55? This way you can know you can take EVERY single piece components you need from the donator to your receiver.

[Espresso]

As much as I would like to do the E55 swap. It would be MORE expensive than an american V8 swap. Plus I still have the problem/cost with getting parts for it.

[NoRemedy]

You know, I realize that this thread is kinda old, but I'd like to comment further as I have thought about stuffing a v8 into a 202. First off, I'm not sure who recommended it, but the rotory is a bad decision. Not to sound like a broken record, but an LS1 would be perfect...compared to a 13B twin turbo rotary, the LS1 weighs about the same, maybe a few pounds more (something like 50 lbs more because it's all aluminum) gets way better fuel economy (28 mpg Highway) and makes a lot more power in stock form. Plus, ever hear of an Apex Seal? Yeah, with motors that use cylinders, this is not never a problem. A V8 would be perfect. To the guy who recommended the e55 engine, you're on the right track. An e55 engine is very pricey plus might be a lot togher to sourse than a power plant from a cobra or corvette. Now what about an M119? Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't this engine come from an S500 of similar age of the 202? They use the same engine and fuel management as the 202 right? (seriously I don't know) This could have potential. Wouldn't it be easier to stuff one of these in a 202 rather than american iron?