Hi All,
Need a little help, advice and/or suggestions for a possible like for like engine swap on on of my w124 coupes.
So I had been running an old '93 E320 (4sp) coupe for about a year and loved it until I had to stick it through an MOT, unfortunately it failed for a small leaky exhaust which I patched up then retested and passed, but not without a very, very long list of advisories, mostly minor things because the MOT tester was a jobsworth, but a couple of welding jobs which could prove costly.
Around about the same time I was offered a '95 E320 (5sp) Coupe, same colour with a few extra options, better body work and the engine was pretty sweet. So I bought it and my initial plan was to swap the good bits from the old car to the newer car and then sell the old one, but after the running the newer car for a couple months I've realised that it's a bit of a smelly dog, literally. There is a pungent smell coming from somewhere, most likely the boot. I've tried to trace the drainage channels from the roof down but they all seem fine. But the inside of the boot is very sticky (not the lining, the metal), not wet or damp, just sticky. No idea what it is but the stench I can no longer bare. Also after a couple weeks of driving the dog, the rear offside wheel feels like it wants to fall off! When accelerating or turning a corner there's an intermittent unnerving clunking noise, which I suspect is maybe a differential issue or axle, drive shaft thingymajig? Think that's the technical term! Also, when pulling away on cold start it stays in one gear for ages and have to accelerate hard before it changes gears! Sooo annoying.
Anyway, so as I said, the engine is pretty sweet on the newer, couple of drips of oil once in a while but its way better than my old car which I suspect has a head gasket, oil leak and cooling issue. So, my questions are: Can I do a straight swap of the engines (both M104) without having to swap the ECU or anything else? Will I experience any issues with the transmission given the old has a 4sp and the newer has a 5sp?
Does anyone want to take on this task for me or know of an experienced person/garage who can do it?
Hope someone can help, I love driving these old 124's but I now have two old bastard banger's both as haggered as each other! Wife is nagging me to sell them both and buy a Prius! A bloody Prius! Please someone help before this happens..
Thanks for listening.
Need a little help, advice and/or suggestions for a possible like for like engine swap on on of my w124 coupes.
So I had been running an old '93 E320 (4sp) coupe for about a year and loved it until I had to stick it through an MOT, unfortunately it failed for a small leaky exhaust which I patched up then retested and passed, but not without a very, very long list of advisories, mostly minor things because the MOT tester was a jobsworth, but a couple of welding jobs which could prove costly.
Around about the same time I was offered a '95 E320 (5sp) Coupe, same colour with a few extra options, better body work and the engine was pretty sweet. So I bought it and my initial plan was to swap the good bits from the old car to the newer car and then sell the old one, but after the running the newer car for a couple months I've realised that it's a bit of a smelly dog, literally. There is a pungent smell coming from somewhere, most likely the boot. I've tried to trace the drainage channels from the roof down but they all seem fine. But the inside of the boot is very sticky (not the lining, the metal), not wet or damp, just sticky. No idea what it is but the stench I can no longer bare. Also after a couple weeks of driving the dog, the rear offside wheel feels like it wants to fall off! When accelerating or turning a corner there's an intermittent unnerving clunking noise, which I suspect is maybe a differential issue or axle, drive shaft thingymajig? Think that's the technical term! Also, when pulling away on cold start it stays in one gear for ages and have to accelerate hard before it changes gears! Sooo annoying.
Anyway, so as I said, the engine is pretty sweet on the newer, couple of drips of oil once in a while but its way better than my old car which I suspect has a head gasket, oil leak and cooling issue. So, my questions are: Can I do a straight swap of the engines (both M104) without having to swap the ECU or anything else? Will I experience any issues with the transmission given the old has a 4sp and the newer has a 5sp?
Does anyone want to take on this task for me or know of an experienced person/garage who can do it?
Hope someone can help, I love driving these old 124's but I now have two old bastard banger's both as haggered as each other! Wife is nagging me to sell them both and buy a Prius! A bloody Prius! Please someone help before this happens..
Thanks for listening.