W124 E320 engine into a 280E?

S80

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Hi Guys,

A colleague at work recently had his W124 E320 written off following a rear-end shunt :(

On the face of it, transplanting the engine into my 280E would seem a (relatively) straightforward task. The 320 engine has no head gasket leaks whatsoever ;)

As with most things, of course, there can be snags.....

Can anyone advise just what bits need to be swapped to accomodate the 320 lump? Is the suspension/brakes up to the job?

Cheers
 

Bolide

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Engine, loom, ECU. The gearbox on a 320 estate is bigger than that on a 280 so it'd need the box as well. IIRC E320 estates have four-pot front calipers so why not take those too?

Not sure if the saloons/coupes are exactly the same as the estates in these respects but I expect so

You've got the chassis numbers of both cars so trawl through the Russian parts website or EPC/WIS to check equivalents

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk
 
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S80

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Thanks, Nick.

Sorry - should have mentioned that both cars are saloons. The potential donor car has the 4-speed auto, but whether that's larger than the 4-speed on my car I'll have to find out.

Hmmm - the engine loom :mad: I need to check their condition - if I'm not careful both will fall to bits when disturbed :shock:

Thanks.
 

television

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Yes your car has the 722.369 box and the other the 722.433 box,,but it is just as easy to take the box and engine out all in one lump.


Check the engine ECU for both cars here

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb0.asp?TP=1
 

kth286

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S80

Is your car the 104 HFM engine as well ? What year is your car ?
 

kth286

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The boxes are the same physical lumps.

If it was a 722.5 it would be different.
 
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S80

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Hi Keith,

Yes, both engines are M104 HFM types.

My car is a '93 280E - a pre-facelift W124 (with orange indicators) but with the 2.8 litre M104 engine.

The potential donor is a post-'93 E320 with the star-on-bonnet and clear indicators....
 

kth286

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In that case they are absolutely identical engines.

However it does depend a bit on the spec of the car whether the ECUs are compatible with the CAR.

Both need to be autos, air con on both cars or neither car is also significant, as is any traction control ie. ASD or ASR on one or the other car.

You need enter both VINs and look at the options and see if both cars are alike or not in terms of the major specs.

You would not to find you need a new computer because of the changes (at a new price of approx £1200).

An afterthought, the computer may be able to have a new programme code inputted if the CAR specs are different.
 
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S80

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Hi Keith,

Thanks for that.

Fortunately, the two cars have identical specs as regards aircon (no), cruise control (yes), ASR (no) - which is why I started contemplating the swap :D

I don't think I'd bother if it wasn't for the fact that I think my HG has started weeping oil (but it might be the timing case), and the donor car is bone dry down that side.....

I still need to check the wiring looms, though - I could end up with two useless crumbly harnesses and no driveable car!
 

turbopete

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surely the wiring will be the same? they are, in essence the same engines (different capacities, admittedly) and will have the same sensors etc attached. worst case scenario, id say, would be that there may be differences in plugs for temp. transmitters etc, so id just swap them, if required, from the current engine to your donor engine, rather than try to swap over a 16yr old wiring loom!
 
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S80

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Ah, I was assuming the loom would have to come off prior to pulling the engine - but if that's not the case then it could be a non-problem.

Thanks, TPete
 

turbopete

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the loom will only have to be unplugged from the engine, not taken out with the engine! makes life much easier. and you could always label the plugs as you remove them, with a bit of masking tape or similar, to make it easier for reassembly.
 

Alex Crow

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i would recommend leaving the loom connected to the engine, for the known reasons of brittle wiring insulation. both looms will have the same ecu plug.
 

turbopete

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thats why id leave it in the car. at least the wiring stays in roughly the right position that way
 

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