SL280 to SL55 conversion

[fast28]

Germanic cloth option

 

[fast28]

I hope you straighten the numbers first (my pet hate that)

That was just a picture I found on the net, nothing purchased yet. The car was originally purchased with the no badge designation option.

The only non leather bits are the roll bar and the canopy bit that covers the roof. The rest I'm pretty sure is leather on mine. (seats and door inserts)

My 2000 build car came with side airbags in the doors and has the textured leather-look panels with a central seam that bursts open when the airbag goes off.

 

[BTB 500]

Just dug out my 1997 UK price list ... leather seat trim was only standard on the 500/600/SL60 back then. Interesting to see what else was standard on them but a cost option on the 280 & 320:

-Dimming RVM
-Electric steering column adjust
-Seat/door mirror/steering column memory
-Metallic paint
-Rear seats
-Headlamp wash/wipe

 

[fast28]

Just dug out my 1997 UK price list ... leather seat trim was only standard on the 500/600/SL60 back then. Interesting to see what else was standard on them but a cost option on the 280 & 320:

-Dimming RVM
-Electric steering column adjust
-Seat/door mirror/steering column memory
-Metallic paint
-Rear seats
-Headlamp wash/wipe

Have all of those except the Seat/door mirror/steering column memory option. I also have the panoramic roof and xenon headlights, not sure if they were an option from '98.

 

[BTB 500]

I don't think the panoramic top ever became standard although it may have been part of some of the run-out special editions. Not sure about the xenons. ESP was only standard on the 600 in '97 but I'm sure that was added across the whole range ... possibly in the '99 facelift.

Some of the other factory options were:

-AMG multi-piece wheels
-AMG body styling kit
-AMG sports suspension
-Adaptive damping
-'Exclusive' leather
-Cup holders
-Heated seats
-Multi-contour backrests
-Walnut gearshift
-Wood/leather wheel
-Fire extinguisher
-3rd brake light
-Sump shield
-Bose audio
-CD changer

 

[Dee-124CAB]

Subscribed!..... Interesting project that will yield a R129 that should be fun to drive....

Yes, 340(ish) horses.... but the 'near on' 400ft lb torque is the key here i should imagine

 

[fast28]

Had a think about the engine wiring loom; as I am converting the ME2.8 CLK55 engine to run the R129 ME2.0 engine management I will keep the V6 loom, strip out the injector and coil pack wiring and add the injector/coil pack 8 cylinder wiring from the CLK55 loom. Just using the CLK loom would mean too much cutting, soldering and de/re-populating connector pins to adapt it.

Interesting enough there is a whole coil of loom behind the bulkhead spare so extending wires to reach the forward sensors of the V8 engine should be no problem.

One other issue is that the starter motor is on the left of the CLK55 engine whereas it is on the right behind the alternator on the V6 so I may need to extend the wiring to the starter. I may need to extend the alternator wiring too as it's a "cylinder" further forward.

 

[fast28]

Ready to swap over engine and trans, everything is disconnected. Quite handy to be able to stand in the engine bay!

Progress is delayed until I get hold of a w215/w220 M113 left engine bracket, same one as used in the SL500 with the right spacing and mounting hole for the A/C compressor.

Early w220 M113 throttle purchased for the conversion too.

Better camera this time!

 

[Koolvin]

Nice thread, moving to the Projects section as it is very worthy.

 

[fast28]

For some background reference on the transmissions; as I have the CLK55 transmission with touch-shift capability and not a R129 SL500 non-touch shift transmission I have the option of installing the touch-shift selector. I'm not too fussed over this as it adds a further level of complexity. The main differences with interfacing the 722.6 gearbox with touch-shift capability on the R129 is that the ETC control module on these does not have an input for the S16/6 kickdown switch, the W/S program switch, the Reverse/Park lock solenoid and the Park/Neutral signal to the ECM, all other connections are identical. It would appear that using the CLK55 ETC with the CLK55 transmission would be the way forward for compatibility sake.

Reference material:

http://www.mbcluster.com/Media_Diagnostics/ETC.pdf

http://www.transdetail.ru/assets/site/files/722.6.pdf

 

[Dee-124CAB]

Any suspension and brake mods planneed for this to deal with the weight and power of the V8?

 

[fast28]

Any suspension and brake mods planneed for this to deal with the weight and power of the V8?

The brakes are standard Brembo 4 pot, in fact the same as on my W215 CL500, the R129 actually uses larger diameter discs so plenty of stopping power. I've recently serviced the brakes all around with new discs, pads, checked the rear brake linings, adjusted the handbrake cable and even had to replace the brake pipes under the rear of the car as they had corroded quite badly.

The suspension has been renewed with new Sachs shocks and lowered with aftermarket sports springs by 30mm, although the lowering effect is probably half that. New front control arm bushes and anti-roll bar bushes have also been installed.

 

[Ierton]

I don't think the panoramic top ever became standard although it may have been part of some of the run-out special editions.

Only ever standard on the SL600.

 

[fast28]

For some background reference on the transmissions; as I have the CLK55 transmission with touch-shift capability and not a R129 SL500 non-touch shift transmission I have the option of installing the touch-shift selector. I'm not too fussed over this as it adds a further level of complexity. The main differences with interfacing the 722.6 gearbox with touch-shift capability on the R129 is that the ETC control module on these does not have an input for the S16/6 kickdown switch, the W/S program switch, the Reverse/Park lock solenoid and the Park/Neutral signal to the ECM, all other connections are identical. It would appear that using the CLK55 ETC with the CLK55 transmission would be the way forward for compatibility sake.

Well the more I study this, it appears that the CLK55 TCU can only be used in combination with the touch-shift selector as this takes the inputs from the kickdown switch etc and puts them across the CANBUS to the TCU so it looks like I will be using the SL500 TCU I have.

I will also be using a SL500 prop shaft with the larger flanges to mate with the differential flange. I will replace the 4 finger flange on the CLK55 transmission with a 3 finger one, there's no chance of obtaining a mating 4 finger flange propshaft for the SL to mate to the transmission. The first 500SLs had a 4 finger flange propshaft but these will only bolt up to the 722.3 4 speed transmissions and 126 differentials which also had a 4 finger flange.

 

[bencolem]

Liking this!

 

[fast28]

A milestone has been reached, the first piece of uprated drivetrain has been installed :bannana: the modified CL500 1:2.82 rear differential is now bolted in place. The diff consists of the W220 larger housing with the 2.82 ratio gear assembly from a CL500, W210 320CDi axle flanges and a rear cover plate with the correct mountings from a late 2002 R129 SL500.

Hopefully the engine swap happens next weekend.

 

[Druk]

Great thread...but.....

 

[Sp!ke]

What he says... We need pictures

 

[fast28]

What he says... We need pictures

From last week, new rear diff going up!

All bolted in now.


So today was one mammoth session, remove one 2.8 M112 V6 ...

Loads of room in there...

A quick clean and degrease and then back to work . . .

5.5 113 V8 going in...

Now in its new home

Lots more work to do connecting everything up plus the wiring.

While the exhaust is off the car I may get an exhaust shop to remove the secondary cats and middle resonator box. The manifolds on the CLK55 are a little shorter where the downpipes bolt up to than those on the 112 engine so I may get the primary cats removed, the length of the downpipes altered and then replace the primaries with some free-flowing cats.

I will be sending my SL500 ME2.0 ECM off to ECU Decode Ltd to "reset to new" so that it will learn and "marry" to my DAS immobiliser, it will also need to be coded to the UK as it's from the US and runs all the extra stuff like secondary air injection and post cat O2 sensors. After reading lots of the Mercedes training and technical documents on the net it looks as though I need a transmission ECU that has the 2.82 drive ratio set within its programming parameters and also compatible with the non-tiptronic shifters. Candidates seem to be narrowed down to just the W210 E430.

 

[Druk]

If you can code your engine ECU to work without the gearbox canbus input you could use one of these to control the box. Works with flappy paddles too.

722.6 controller test in automatic - YouTube

I can put you in touch with Olefejer (in Denmark) or PM him through the STD forum.

STD

Keep the pics coming


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