Howdy y'all. I know this is a third gen forum, but the Mercedes folks generally don't take kindly or offer..any..help in the way of hotrodding Mercedes.
What I'm starting with is a 97 e420, bought it when I was 17, its my first "real" car, has loads of sentimental value, despite being a great contender for the 24 hours of lemons. So, what better to do than LS swap it?!
The stock motor is pretty decent, near 300 horse and 300 ft lbs of torque. Not bad. Problem with Benzes is..they don't take too kindly to mods, and the aftermarket tuning is nearly non existent. Even a simple rear gear swap from the same year and body car, but different ratio, will cost $$$$ in getting the computer to play nice, IF it even will. Re-tune the ECU? Forget about it. Cams? Lol, good luck.
The motor still runs, but at 210k miles, I lost an oil ring and she drinks more oil than gas..

The current plan is to drop in an LS based motor, probably a 5.3, undecided on if I want carb or EFI, but leaning carb. Tranny, its still in the air if I want to go t56 or auto. These things were available in stock over the pond, so I can get hold of a clutch pedal assembly just fine.
Rear end wise, still not sure. It's currently IRS, and handles quite nice with koni yellows and eibach springs, but not sure it can hold the torque of an LS, not to mention it's like a 2.48 gear..yuck. Thinking possibly a 8.8 from a t-bird, or maybe a Toyota or Nissan rear?
An LS weighs less than the factory motor, so I don't think I'll have to beef the front end up at all.
The stock 4.2 is..pretty wide, its a quad overhead cam, so I think an LS would tuck in pretty nice.
This build will likely be a year-year and a half build.

Anyway, tonight I started with the funnest part of any build; removing the wires and vacuum lines. Yay..

 

You have my attention, haha.


To save this thread from being locked I'd like to take a moment to tell all thirdgen owners about the amazing benefits your thirdgen will get from routine washes. Protect that factory paint on your 3-mile 1LE Z28 R7U B4C C3PO from road grime with Rain-X wash n wax: http://www.walmart.com/ip/16889002?w...629168&veh=sem


Back to the Benz now - this could be very interesting. I would think you'd almost have to go carb (or convert it to a GM/Benz computer hybrid somehow), unless you have a crazy background in reprogramming onboard computers.


I'd look into an IRS system from a similar ere vette or something, maybe?

 

Hah, thanks!
The original plan (which still isn't thrown out..) Was to yank the 4.2 m119 out, rebuild it, then hook up megasquirt type system to control the motor. Transmission side..would still have to go Chevy, which is the issue. Currently, I don't see how one would mate to this motor. Anything is possible, of course, but I don't have $6738393.99 to throw at it lol.

IF something changes with that - someone develops a bell to adapt Benz -> Chevy, then I think that idea will get brought back to the drawing board. I mean, this motor is very similar to an LS..
Very similar intake design and head flow, roughly the same power and torque curve, direct port ignition and Injection..

However the lack of being able to make a transmission play nice is what killed the idea of using the m119.

Computer wise..yeah, haven't figured out that one yet. Obviously the computers for the motor, trans, shifter and gauges are bye bye, but these things are so linked together that it might loose the factory HVAC too..

These are factory rack and pinion (which mine likes to promptly leak all the fluid out within two days), that should help with clearance of the 5.3; I've seen other swaps on older benz' where the builder had issues with the block and steering system not playing nice.
I only had two hours wrench on time before hitting the hay, I figured it'd be more of a P.I.t.a, but hell, only thing left is PS pump, trans/tq converter and exhaust (which isntrue dual straight pipes, so wicked easy haha) and..walla, she's free!

The vette rear might not be a bad idea either, right now I'm compiling lists of vehicles that came with IRS that aren't difficult to obtain or non existent aftermarket.
The only things on that list as of now is;
Sn95 Mustangs? Maybe?
90s Thunderturd
I think some/all Toyota taco's
Vettes
BMWs?
Subaru wrx's
240sx/300zx/35oz/30oz

I dub this "project Igor"

 

I've got a 81 500SE I'm putting a V12 in. You are correct that getting transmissions to play with the stock Mercedes engines is a real nightmare.

 

Off topic, but how intricate/complex is that uni wiper system?

 

I honestly have never taken it apart to look in the 5 years I've had this thing, but I presume just as complex as any other car. Just instead of linkages connecting a second wiper, it only powers one. However, as I said, I'm just speculating since I've never had it apart.

 

I believe the motor is right underneath. Whether it's Direct drive or on a cam, I can't say. The electrical side is about the same as most other cars.

 

Thanks, i've always wondered how difficult it would be to put that in my car.Yet to find, but always look for one at the junkyard.

Good luck with your LS swap.Should be nice to hear that benz with an American rumble.Maybe **** off some diehard benz owners.

 

If you're looking for one, there's a yard here in my town that only does bmw, Benz, Bentley, Saab and other non-japanese imports, I know they had a w210 and 211 or 2 a few months ago, I could scoop one up for ya.

 

I swapped a Nissan r200v center section into a 190e rear subframe a recently. Can be done relatively easily but requires some fabrication skills. This was behind a supercharged Toyota V8.

 

That certainly looks like it'd be a good option, I think the w210 rear subframe similar to the 190s. That's what welders and plasma cutters are for lol, but if it can hold to a supered Toyota, it should hold a near stock LS just fine.
Aside from brackets, what else did you have to fab up, and what axles did you use/did you use different front hubs to match whatever axles you used?

Update, worked on it a few hours after work and got her out. Not as bad as I thought it'd be, and my engine bay is much bigger than it looks like, that m119 is just huge. An LS will tuck in really nice.
Separating the bellhousing from the motor was about as fun as a hammer to the kneecap. Not only does it have guide pins, but 2 out of 8 of the connecting bolts are actually studs that go through the tranny Bell. So, effectively, its 4 guide dowels stuck together like super glue in leg hair.
That was a good half hour with a 3 ft pry bar and a sledge..

 

Appreciate Dixie, but I want to see it in the car so I can get an idea if it has any chance of working.If it looks like too much work, then ill forget about it.
Thanks for the offer though.

 

Gotchya. If you'd like any pics of the assembly with all the plastic removed, the motor..etc..lemmie know, I'll do the best I can. Now that the motor is out, she's gonna sit for a little anyway till I can get a good 5.3 built

 

If you end needing to remove any of it for some reason.Pics would be nice, but don't undo any of it on my account.Much appreciated.

 

This is going to be a goood thread to watch.
I like Benz ( had a couple w126 and have a w111) and I like 3rd gens.