Mercedes diesel in American van questions

[Malibusurfer]

Hi all,
Have been pondering the thought of swapping a gas motor out and dropping in a Mercedes Benz 300 turbo diesel motor.... The MB motor has approx. 123 hp and 181 ft. Lbs. of torque...
Does anyone think that might be enough to push a big van down the freeway at 65mph? The van would add about 800lbs than a stock 300d. Anyone know any engine improvements??
I am just looking to improve mileage (20+) and go diesel. This would be in a 2wd van with no electronics. Just a plug and play deal. I know a 4bt or truck Cummins would be a better swap, but MB diesels can be had for under $1500 running and driving, with everything I would need...
Am I smoking something or could this be a decent try????
Thanks

 

[biere]

Run a search for what the 6 cylinder engines put into vans you are considering had for power output.

Ford straight 6 had 220 ft/lbs towards the end of its production cycle.

Losing 40 ft/lbs of torque is a lot when you are playing around with such low numbers to start with.

The van has a lot more frontal area, I would guess about double but I never sat a van besides a mercedes and compared frontal area.

the 800 lbs increase is not all you need to consider. In a stock mercedes vehicle that 800 lbs is equal to a lot of gear or a few people. The van adds 800 lbs and you will still want to add gear and maybe people so weight totals are a big deal.

I forsee a little engine working hard to move the van, and I am sure it would move the van. But making it work hard all the time will kill mileage.

As far as increasing power output, I am sure someone hopped up a mercedes engine here and there but I would be careful because many mods can hurt longevity or reliability. Then again, some mods are just as reliable as the stock engine ever was.

Overall I don't think it would be a good swap especially if you want to merge and be happy at 65mph.

It would be one thing for it to be a backroads vehicle and what not.

But getting merged in traffic and pulling hills would be annoying as heck I bet, I like to have enough engine power to get to speed easily and merge into traffic and if I need to pass I want to be able to pass.

 

[mapper]

Said it once and I'll say it again. Astro Van. 2wd vans are plentiful and will get ~20mpg bone stock, no funny stuff.

I bought my AWD for $1800 running, driving and needing nothing. Emphasis on "needing", of course it could always use things.

I can't leave well enough alone so I invested about $2000, tops, into it. 3 years and over 30k later it runs like a top and is probably still worth as much as I paid.

 

[Herbie]

I'm with mapper. While the Mercedes diesels have a certain cache' of bullet-proofness, the GM "modular" V6 is pretty hard to beat in terms of robustness. There are a few known ancillary gotchas (some people are really not down with the whole "Dexcool" thing), but the basic power plant is very stout.

 

[hoptroll]

Those MBZ diesels were not known for being quick, and the cars themselves were not light. I would got 4bt from what I have read. Super simple, robust commercial motor. They can handle loads of boost and can be easily modded to make more power (again no experience with that motor, just drooled over it a lot). A guy I work with ran a 6bt (same motor, two more cylinders) with literally two wires. His motor had sat for YEARS and he didnt even hook up a cooling system, just fired it up in his shop (no glow plugs because it is a super high compression). That being said I would aim for something turn key, custom always costs way more than you think it will and is never as simple as the brain thinks it to be (just look at my build).

 

[Malibusurfer]

Thanks all of you.. A 4bt sound like the ticket or find a early cummins 6 if I choose to undertake this endevour..
Mapper I just can't do a Astro. Too small for my needs and my body....

 

[haven]

Forum member Joaquin Suave put a 2000s Mercedes 5cylinder diesel in a Jeep Scrambler. Read about the build here
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/1519-Mayahaul-The-Agave-Burro

 

[Herbie]

Forum member Joaquin Suave put a 2000s Mercedes 5cylinder diesel in a Jeep Scrambler. Read about the build here
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/1519-Mayahaul-The-Agave-Burro

Invalid thread specified. (Possible deleted thread not visible to normal folks?)

 

[truck mechanic]

A buddy of mine put on in a wagon master, ( think avalanch only by IH ) heavy truck, basicly a travel all with a small pick up bed. Had good power and got good mpg. Knowing that I would think about putting one in a van.
Just my .02
Paul

 

[polksfinest]

I have been messing with these motors for years! i have put them into jeeps land rover ford rangers and plan on putting them into my e350 ambulance if done right they can be brought up to about 450hp and still be very reliable i have had custom nozzles made and know a few tricks to do to the pumps if you need any nozzles let me know( i had to have 300 built to get them to make them) i plan on using the om603 and if i was going to swap one of these motors i would use a om606 or om603 you would have to put the om603 pump on the om606 to get rid of the electric pump

 

[DEnd]

Chip, thank you for thinking of me and my Jeep Scrambler. However, I deleted that thread and all other threads about the modification of my vehicles because I came to the realization that posting about my "mechanical shenanigans" was an act of boastfulness.

Hopefully some day I can figure out a way to share my projects and not feel that I'm "tooting my own horn". Until then, I'll happily stay in the backround.

No offense Joaquin, but if people do not talk about their successes or their failures then we never learn anything.

 

[wantapinz2]

The om606 is said to be the last of the great diesel motors from Mercedes. Unfortunately they are not that easy to find here in the US. There is a guy on YouTube from Sweden that puts a bigger turbo on them and competes in drift events. If I didn't already have a project I would be looking for a 97 series 80 Landcruiser to drop a 98 or 99 om606 turbo motor into. Should be an easier fit than the cummins 5.9. In California to do a engine swap the motor must be the same year or newer than the vehicle.