Brabus re build

[Ian B Walker]

Just thought that I would throw this up for interest sake. This is the sort of engineering you pay for when you purchase a Brabus. This particular engine is a single cam 103 engine bored out from 3Ltrs to 3.6Ltrs. There will be further pictures as work progresses as we are going to ring the head and fit a copper gasket. There lies another tale of woe.

A few minor parts removed before engine lift.

Few more bits.

Engine and gearbox sat on floor.

The strip most of the way though (I have to slow these people down enough to take photos )

This is the crank. Notice how the conrod end caps have been polished. Also notice the crank webs. Beautiful piece of engineering.

So many parts, so much memory needed

 

[Martyn_n]

Given that the engineering is so special, why does it need a re-build? Polishing a crank is all well and good and looks pretty when you strip the engine, but do you really need to remove all those stress raisers on a road car? Surely this was a complete waste of effort on the part of the original engine builders.

 

[jaymanek]

These are fantastic engines but the lack of availability of parts is a major head ache...
I had to let a brabus W124 estate pass me by a couple of years back for that reason.

Unlike AMG, period Brabus parts are not available through the MB network.

Whats involved in fabricating the head gasket?

 

[Borys]

Given that the engineering is so special, why does it need a re-build? Polishing a crank is all well and good and looks pretty when you strip the engine, but do you really need to remove all those stress raisers on a road car? Surely this was a complete waste of effort on the part of the original engine builders.

You polish it for better performance-this Is German engineering I wouldn't question their work-UK where are we on those things....will never get there LOL

 

[dsolds]

You polish it for better performance-this Is German engineering I wouldn't question their work-UK where are we on those things....will never get there LOL

You mean besides Cosworth then I assume.

EDIT. And of course, LOTUS.

 

[Borys]

You mean besides Cosworth then I assume.

EDIT. And of course, LOTUS.

Yep....not any more right? Old good days are gone

 

[Martyn_n]

You polish it for better performance-this Is German engineering I wouldn't question their work-UK where are we on those things....will never get there LOL

By "better performance" I take it you mean higher output. Exactly how does that happen? It is my understanding that polishing bottom end parts is done to remove stress raisers on the surface of the components and thereby reducing risk of failure at higher engine speeds (stresses on these components is speed not necessarily load related). My point is that unless the rev limit of this engine is significantly higher than standard (and if it is I stand corrected) there is no benefit to having them polished. And if the rev limit was a lot higher then this would be a compromise compared to a steel bottom end, not state of the art engineering at all.

They do look nice though!

 

[jaymanek]

Well this car is a brabus so the engine will be worked a lot more than a standard 300E. So of course its beneficial to reduce wear.

 

[nick mercedes]

Yep....not any more right? Old good days are gone

The world comes to the UK for high performance engines, eg:

Grainger & Worrall Ltd

 

[Rob77]

Nice one Ian. Is that from the W201 you worked on before or a W124 this time?

 

[Borys]

The world comes to the UK for high performance engines, eg:

Grainger & Worrall Ltd

Their mistake

 

[dsolds]

Yep....not any more right? Old good days are gone

Last time I checked both Cosworth and Lotus were doing just fine, still producing some rather good engines. Still possible to get parts for the 190 Cosworth Merc too.

 

[Ian B Walker]

Nice one Ian. Is that from the W201 you worked on before or a W124 this time?

Its a 124 this time Rob.

A little history as to why we are doing this strip down. Some time ago the car came to us with a blown head gasket on Cyl No 5. The head had been butchered in an attempt to seal the head (pics when I get home). Also the head has been skimmed more than it should resulting in a deficit of 0.4mm. We fitted a new gasket and repaired the head. It lasted 2000 miles. Ok so this time we are going to fit a copper gasket from Faraday Engineering. To do this we have to have the block skimmed so that it is exactly flat. The head then has to be machined to accept the steel sealing rings, copper gasket and spacer plate.

 

[Borys]

Awsome,bring the beast back to life

 

[jaymanek]

Blimey, well hope that saves the engine from the scrapper...

If it were my car I would have stuck a V8 in it by now..

 

[Borys]

Blimey, well hope that saves the engine from the scrapper...

If it were my car I would have stuck a V8 in it by now..