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My Happy St. Patrick's Day Car

Started by JasonP, 17 March 2012, 06:43 PM

JasonP



Well, delivered to me this very morning, for all of $500. Siezed engine, sloppy trans, but otherwise a not-bad car!




She's as green as the day is long ....




Along with it came the two W116 Chassis manuals that I have been coveting so long, and a pristine-condition, published in 1982, Engine OM617.95 Turbo Diesel Service Manual! (along with maintenance log, pristine Owner's Manual, a listing of diesel gas stations in the U.S. in 1979, ... the works!)




I don't have any Irish in me, but St. Patrick sure smiled on me today. Now the question is: Which car do I restore? I bought this Green Machine for the parts, but there is almost no rust on it, and my Little Yellow Friend is falling apart at the seams. I haven't the slightest idea on how, nor the money and equipment to, swap engine and tranny into the green car. But it just might be the smartest thing to do.

I think I'll drink on it.
1979 300SD
Color: 623H "Light Ivory"
1979 300SD
Color: 861H "Silver Green Metallic"
1977 280 E
Color: 606G "Maple Yellow"
-------------------------------------------

JasonP

#1
Oh, I forgot to add:

The green car is 2,729 cars younger than my other 300SD, judging by the VIN.




1979 300SD
Color: 623H "Light Ivory"
1979 300SD
Color: 861H "Silver Green Metallic"
1977 280 E
Color: 606G "Maple Yellow"
-------------------------------------------

Squiggle Dog

That looks much too nice to be a parts car. It's a lot easier and less expensive to swap out an engine and transmission than it is to repair rust. Of course, neither is easy--it took many hours of pain and suffering just to swap out the transmission in my 300SD--although pulling an engine out with the transmission still attached and swapping them as a unit into another car is probably easier than replacing an engine with the transmission in place.
Stop paying for animal cruelty and slaughter. Go vegan! [url="https://challenge22.com/"]https://challenge22.com/[/url]

1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Heated Seats, 350,000+

JasonP



Quotealthough pulling an engine out with the transmission still attached and swapping them as a unit into another car is probably easier than replacing an engine with the transmission in place

Really? I can't picture that in my mind, it doesn't seem to geometrically fit.

I have grown emotionally attached to my Little Yellow Friend. I would feel horrible taking it's engine and transmission and putting it in another car. Would it understand?

1979 300SD
Color: 623H "Light Ivory"
1979 300SD
Color: 861H "Silver Green Metallic"
1977 280 E
Color: 606G "Maple Yellow"
-------------------------------------------

Squiggle Dog

The factory service manuals state that when the transmission is removed, the engine needs to be removed with it as an assembly. A load leveler between the hoist and engine allows the assembly to be tilted for clearance upon removal. Mercedes even went to great lengths to make it nearly impossible to remove the transmission with the engine still in the car (recessed bolt heads, etc.). It can be done, but it's difficult and it would have probably been easier for me to pull the engine when I replaced my transmission.

Either way, it seems one car will have to suffer for the other unless you decide to fix up both of them. The best parts cars are ones that are rusted beyond saving but have good mechanicals and interiors. That's great that you finally got a set of service manuals.
Stop paying for animal cruelty and slaughter. Go vegan! [url="https://challenge22.com/"]https://challenge22.com/[/url]

1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Heated Seats, 350,000+

Big_Richard

#5
.

TJ 450

Yes I concur, it's much easier to remove the engine and trans as a unit... It is very easy to damage the transmission removing it in-situ, and you have access to clean everything while it is out. I have done it both ways and would never remove the trans in-situ again.

It looks like a reasonable car from what I can see, nice interior too.

Tim
1976 450SEL 6.9 1432
1969 300SEL 6.3 1394
2003 ML500

Type17

Given your descriptions, I'd put the good engine/trans into the green body - when you're halfway through the horrific welding job on the other one, you'll realise that it's the best solution, so save yourself the trouble and start out with an engine crane, rather than a welder.


The yellow car will live on, giving up its best bits so other 116's can survive - it will be happy that it could help  ;)


PS: Happy St Patrick's day from Ireland, my Green 116 is going out on a St Patrick's Day run tomorrow morning with the local Mercedes Club, and says hi  ;D
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

JasonP

#8
Thanks everybody, I feel better now about the choices ahead. Indeed, my Little Yellow Friend will become an organ donor. And this kind of fits in with my long-term plans: to completely restore the body of it: strip it down, weld it, polish it, and put a new coat on it.

The interior of the yellow car (bamboo/brown) is my favorite, so the green will be an adjustment.

Yes, Squiggle Dog, the manuals were a complete surprise, and well appreciated. I had even spent three hours the other night downloading pdfs of this very engine manual I just received in paper! Now I have a spare engine and tranny to work on for my own amusement and education. Still looking for that transmission manual.

It's good news that these engines and trannies can come out together as a pair. I like that. How long do you think it will take to swap? Do you think it is possible to do it in one day?

Alas, the ACC is dead on the green car as well. In fact, half the servo is missing! So there goes the "take it apart and learn how it works" project I was hoping for.

That's a nice car you got there, Type17!

1979 300SD
Color: 623H "Light Ivory"
1979 300SD
Color: 861H "Silver Green Metallic"
1977 280 E
Color: 606G "Maple Yellow"
-------------------------------------------

Type17

Quote from: JasonP on 18 March 2012, 03:08 PMThat's a nice car you got there, Type17!



Well, that's why liked the color of your new car  ;)  (although the head also says that it's the way to go).
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

ponton

It can certainly be done in a day, but as a first timer it would definitely be a long day.  I would set aside a weekend with a helper and have a backup plan for when you don't get it done in time.  It really isn't all that bad, but its a bit unnerving seeing a hole in your thinking to yourself, "gee am i ever going to get this back together."

Ian