1987 300TDT Project - Goal = 275HP Daily Driver (Pics!!)
1987 300TDT Project - Goal = 275HP Daily Driver (Pics!!)
1987 300TDT - White with Palomino Interior. I am the 3rd owner. The previous owners are friends and bought it in the early 1990s at an estate sale. Mercedes replaced the trap ox and turbo under recall at some point. First thing I did when I got the car was make sure the coolant system was functioning as it should. New water pump, fan resistor, radiator, fan clutch, and thermostat. Vehicle is completely rust free but some suspension components still need to be replaced. Mostly rubber bushings and such.
As of 8/10/2010 I am getting CLK Wheels and new tires, and purchasing an HY35 nearby. Pump is currently stock (with a leak from lower gasket). Vehicle is running Mobil 1 0w40 Synthetic. Transmission is not perfect. My plans are:
- Install Euro W140 Exhaust Manifold with Holset HX35 Turbo w/4" downpipe.
- Install new 3" straight pipe with removable rear section for daily driving.
- Get some reasonable numbers on the difference these 2 things made and report.
Later:
- Send IP to DervTuning for install of Floyd 7.5 Elements and tune.
- Rebuild or have rebuilt my transmission with tougher internals and different first gear from later W124 transmission.
Pics:
Poor thing has a black eye...Euros are on the list as well!
Leaky bottom seal on injection pump...I think some 7.5mm elements and some work by DervTuning will clear this right up
Excuse the 15" AMG Wheels, they do not fit. I will have my new 16" CLK wheels on it once I get tires. Also...brake dust is NOT from my car, I had the wheels on another.
Need Pictures!
Sounds like our goals are similar. I would like to get 275-300hp at the crank from my 603, without much loss of low-end power, no increase in lag, and without spinning the engine past the factory ~5400rpm redline. I also have the W140 manifold and turbo, and I was planning to run the factory Euro downpipe. I'm trying to do this in two stages, first with a pump with 6.0mm elements (should be good for 200hp, maybe a bit more) and later on switch to the 7.5mm Floyd elements, which will supply enough fuel for 275-300hp.
Remember that if you don't increase fueling on your stock pump, you'll get little to zero power gain with the change in manifold, turbo, and exhaust plumbing. The backpressures and/or EGT may decrease but there won't be any more power until you feed it more fuel. Of course you could max out the stock pump in the meantime.
A couple other things to add to your plans... limited-slip diff, and brake upgrades. You'll need both with ~275hp on tap.
Looks good!
It is funny, I just threw the wheels on because they had better tires...they are 205/60/15, but they should be 205/65/15. I have gotten mostly negative comments regarding them! I will probably sell them soon. I have 5 total, I even have a spare!
Nice looking MB
That picture of ip, where is your ALDA?
And if you use hy35 you dont need 4" DP. 2.5-3" is big enough.
I am now using an HX35...just as you suggested. With that should I do a 4" downpipe to mate to the 3" straight pipe?
Alda has been removed because it is not working properly. I need to fix it or make my own. A custom Alda would be nice but I am not sure how to do that! What is on your ip where you used a wastegate actuator on the stop lever. Does that replace the Alda?
Here are is a new pics with the CLK wheels I just got:
And a dyno run done with Dynolicious for iPhone. This is one of my better runs, the best 0-60 I have had was 10 flat. This is on a flat road and started by holding brake and releasing. 3rd gear is where you really notice the acceleration decrease. Other than ALDA being removed, the car is stock.
Wagon
1987 Mercedes 300TDT
Aug 31, 2010 11:17 PM
Acceleration
0-10 MPH: 0.87 sec
0-20 MPH: 1.86 sec
0-30 MPH: 3.25 sec
0-40 MPH: 5.00 sec
0-50 MPH: 7.35 sec
0-60 MPH: 10.48 sec
0-70 MPH: 14.42 sec
Elapsed Time
60': 2.67 sec @ 24.6 MPH
330': 7.29 sec @ 48.4 MPH
1/8 mi: 11.26 sec @ 61.5 MPH
1000': 14.73 sec @ 71.3 MPH
1/4 mi: 17.66 sec @ 76.7 MPH
Miscellaneous
Max Speed: 77.7 MPH
Max Acceleration: 0.55 G's
Peak Horsepower: 147 HP
Generated by Dynolicious
So...is this missing brackets necessary for mounting to my car? I have never removed or installed a bumper...so I am looking into what to expect when I go to install this bumper. Are there brackets that come off of my old bumper and attach to the new one?
I finally got around to ordering some euros...I went with Depo brand based on reading nothing but good things about them. I will post pics of them installed once I get my Euro wiring bits in the mail.
I would love to have this car. I want another wagon but I don't really care for the 123 body style.
i need euros... us spec headlights are so ugly
Even fuglier when they get faded and brittle and break!! Once my low beams quit I decided I'd hold out for the euros that I've been holding out for. Ha
truth lol. mine are getting pretty rough. not worth my time to try and restore them. ill get the clear euros. but looks will be after i get it back to around 10sec 0-60
I only prefer the early euros, the others look dumb
(09-13-2011, 09:39 PM)Captain America I only prefer the early euros, the others look dumb
(09-13-2011, 09:39 PM)Captain America I only prefer the early euros, the others look dumb
Whats a w124? lol
which ones are you talking about captain? i think the ones johnbob and i have are hideous. i need the ones that are all one piece.
No real updates right now but I am getting in desperate need of pulling my trans and replacing front main seal because I am leaving a 8-10" spot overnight. That said I got a quote from Jonathan at Blue Ridge Mercedes in GA on getting my current transmission reinforced for handling the extra power. I am hoping to do it sometime after Christmas.
Some other thoughts I have are getting something done with the torque converter...what can be done with it and should I bother?
The 1987 300D/TD torque converter is quite loose in stock form... I was actually considering swapping out for the later one, which is tighter. The '87 converter doesn't want to lock up until nearly 3k now that the power is in the ~180hp range. Even the dyno graph doesn't have a good curve until 3250rpm, due to the sloppy converter. But it makes for a killer launch, at the dragstrip it's almost equal to my 500E's if I bring boost up to ~5psi before letting off the brake!
Well, now that my brake caliper is not dragging me down I am getting 26 mpg mostly in town and car is much more spry. Now if I can get around to yanking the transmission and fixing the leak...it is VERY bad these days.
Anyhow, here is a dynolicios run I just did. It is about 65 degrees outside and I was from a stop light from idle, no brake acceleration. Oh, and I had a full load of cargo in every seat and the rear!
I have a VDO boost gauge and a VDO EGT gauge in the mail! Hopefully I will be putting it in the ash tray location very cleanly.
god i wish i could get mine back to a ~12 sec 0-60
Update:
While I have not made many gains in the past year, I am still working on it. I have since acquired a #22 which is not yet installed. And I just tracked down a set of 500E springs for her! I have been on the prowl for both of these for a while now, waiting on a good deal.
I believe mine are depos too, I had some fitting issues myself and they do not point perfectly but they work. I have not kept up with all of the Benz events but I will plan to go to that one. I just looked it up and it is certainly doable!
This project is alive again! DPUK 6mm Pump installed along with Holset HX32 (super rare turbo apparently). Should get me right where I need to be!
Intercooler will happen in time but I am hoping I can keep power low and for a bit and run without. I began with compression test using Harbor Freight $30 kit. Had to test through Glow Plugs. Numbers were great so I felt confident in moving forward. Stock IP was leaking oil and needed removal and re-seal. I found a pump locally here in CO from a guy who blew up a bad 603 and no longer has a use for the pump. It is a 6mm from Diesel Pump UK. 130CC.
Oil consumption was pretty high and boost was not great so I believe stock turbo was not doing so well, though upon disassembly, I found nothing clearly wrong...though I did not get turbines out so it is inconclusive. I was blowing oil from exhaust quite a bit and fuel economy lessened.
Since originally posting this, the car now has #17 head with angled injectors. It also has a 5-Speed 717.411 Transmission which was yielding 30-35 mpg prior to the suspected turbo issue.
Things I had to do:
- Modify Wastegate Bracket
- Find coolant hardline from 606 engine to replace stock pipe, otherwise Euro Manifold would not fit.
- Modify/heat and bend hard coolant lines on fender to allow room for turbo (still have to make sure I did not restrict flow with bends)
- Removed air filter housing and old EGR stuff along with insulating wall to make room for turbo. There was no good way to use stock box without spending a bunch of money so for now I will use a filter that goes directly onto turbo. Ideally I will use stock box later which utilizes actual cold air intake via fender.
Here are a few photos:
Cool car! So close on that turbo outlet to intake alignment! You should probably invest in an EGT sensor if you have not already.
Turbo cleared just fine but I did need to work on the Wastegate bracket to allow it to fit!