W124 3.0l 12v Engine Did It Ever Have A Full ECU???

[ADY1983]

Hello, could someone tell me if the 12Valve engine ever had a full ECU and injection system? The reason i ask is some of you would have seen my thread on me broken engine and I have priced up the new parts, and a replacment head.
But it seems just as cheap to buy a whole engine off ebay i have seen this one.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4621653859&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

But he sais it comes with ECU and loom and from looking at the pic that does look like a big loom compared with what mine has.
Mechanical injection only part ECU I think. So if this is the case what work is invoved in putting the ECU in my car its a 1988 CE.

Cheers Adrian

 

[Ian B Walker]

Adrian, putting the engine in will not be difficult. However I am not sure about the matching up of the gearbox. The electrical side could be difficult. Yes you will need a full ECU for the engine to run correctly. The problem there as I see it is that the ECU you will need has 2 plugs on it. ( I have a picture somewhere, will edit this after to include it). I am not sure if the one you have in your car has the same plug configuration. Changing the loom may cause problems but is doo able.

 

[ADY1983]

Cheers Ian, well if it is doo able i will have a go but i only really need the head so if i have to buy the whole engine then thats what i will do, it seems cheaper. Is the full ECU better, any ideas when they changed it??

 

[Ian B Walker]

Not sure when they changed it but I think it was somewhere around 1986. Could be earlier. Grober will know.

 

[grober]

Head Swop

As far as I know the early injection system bosch K-jetronic has no ECU as such and the EZL ignition control unit which Ian has pictured deals with ignition separately. I am guessing your 88 coupe will be K-Jetronic with a separate ignition unit. Later KE- jetronic units identified by an electro- hydraulic pressure regulator on the side of the fuel distributor (there is electric cable connected to it) do have an ECU UNIT normally mounted behind the battery covered by a black shield, but again the ignition remains separate. Change over from K to KE dont know exactly when sorry . Trouble is we dont know the vintage of the ebay engine since its not in the original car (190 transplant). Changing a complete engine is a lot of heavy work. If your own engine bottom end is OK and the injection and ignition systems were OK I would be inclined to remove the head from the ebay engine compare it with your old one and rebuild your own engine with the best choice of bits. Retain your old injection and ignition system. thats the simplest option IMHO Even if you decided to replace the entire engine I would still keep the original injection and ignition since its much simpler than mixing ignition/injection/ wiring/relays systems of different vintages. Only slight problem would be with leaded/unleaded fuel ignition timing but adjustment should be easy if necessary.
edit I just thought of another snag if just swopping heads. you might run into the single/double timing chain issues so best to check what your car has and the ebay engine. You may be able to swop a single timing chain for a duplex one I dont know. If the seller can tell you the engine serial no you should be able to work out roughly how old the ebay engine is with respect to yours. Ask them if it has a duplex timing chain to compare with yours. As I recall you can feel the timing chain via the oil filler cap (with the engine off obviously). You will feel one or two chains on the sprocket at the front end of the cam. Dont put too much faith on this engine being OK since it may have lain around for some time. Its almost impossible to assess a non runner I'm afraid. Have you tried contacting a good local engine rebuilder to repair your own one as Dieselman suggested.

 

[ADY1983]

Have you tried contacting a good local engine rebuilder to repair your own one as Dieselman suggested.

No there isn't really anyone local, and breakers all charge around £220 just for a new head, but i dont need the whole head (the bottom end is fine) so i thought i just as well buy a whole engine for the same sort of money and use it as a doner, there isn't a huge rush as i am doing some bits of body work too.
So i can wait for another on ebay. I didn't know if the KE would be better. There is another on ebay that might be better but it is a bit further for me to go and get it, and i think it will go for quite alot.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4621182094&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

 

[Ian B Walker]

Doesnt look like a W124 gearbox to me, more like one from an SEC. Look at an SEC gearbox in my V8 thread.

 

[grober]

How about these guys

How about these guys http://www.ajreynolds.co.uk/ address
Unit 18
Vallis Mills trading Estate
Frome
Somerset
BA11 3DT
United Kingdom
dont know anything about them but if they cant weld up your broken cam bearers they will probably know aman who can. Or you could try giving Crewe engines a bell. http://www.creweengines.co.uk/index.asp

 

[ADY1983]

Fitting replacment Engine

Hi guys, i have won this Engine and will be picking it up on Friday, My question now is do i replace the bits in my head or should I just drop the Engine and box in. Is it a straight forward job to change the Engine??? Well as straight forward as engine swaps go
It was a Bargain IMO


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...MEWA:IT&rd=1

 

[Ian B Walker]

I would drop the engine and box in. No messing about with new gaskets etc.

 

[ADY1983]

Thats good enough for me, any ideas how much the Engine and box weigh???

Also do I have to split the gearbox to get it out or can i take the Engine and box out togeather???
I was looking at Ians V8 thread, looks like i have to take them out seperate.

 

[Ian B Walker]

On a W124 you will be hard pushed to split the box from the engine as the clearance between the engine and bulkhead is very tight. So removing the bell housing bolts provides a challenge. It is do able but even Haynes say take them out together. Total weight is round about a ton give or take. If you would like me to talk you through it drop me a pm and I will let you in on the tricks that I have learnt.

 

[grober]

Before you commit to this major bit of work let me play devil's advocate here. Are you sure that this new engine and gear box are ok. It would be a terrible shame to put in the new engine and gearbox to find either one wasnt working! what did the seller say? and how long did it sit around after it was removed from the donor car? You have probably got plenty bits to repair your previous engine for the money so the deal was OK whatever. Anyway you could at least turn it over to check compression with the starter assuming its still got oil in it.

 

[ADY1983]

Hi, thanks for the concern, the seller has said it was running well and changed gear with no problems, it was taken from the car about 2 months ago, not sure why i will quiz him when i pick it up. Obviously he could just be saying that for the sale, but as you said i will have plenty of bits to repair if i need to. I was planning to do a compresion test anyway. I will know Friday, i will keep you posted cheers.