W124 E320 Coupe M104 engine swap help...

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Rusty124

New Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2017
Messages
2
Location
London
Car
E320 Coupe
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.
 
Seeing as the 5 speed box is already playing up (they are good at that), fit the 4 speed box and diff from your old car along with whatever is causing the clonk at the rear. Give it a good valet and away you go.
 
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.
As long as you keep the old wiring, eta, and ecu in place, swapping engines is doable.
The dampness in the boot of the 95 is possibly from the bottom edge of the rear screen and/or the drainage channel at the boot lid top edge, or (actually, and/or) from the rear light clusters' bottom edges. Either possibility will produce rust damage around the openings.
The first pull away from cold start tends to have a delayed up-change: once you know its normal, it doesn't matter any more. Clunks at the rear are often symptomatic of failed bushes in the rear suspension: there are many possibilities, so you may need advice from a good indy (its hard to run a 124 without one), but if its a single fault its unlikely to break the bank.
I would sort the back end problems first, since you'll find it hard to sell in that condition, and the see if you want to keep it as is, or face the quite heavy task of an engine swap.
Steve
 
Thanks guys, appreciate your input.

I think the more sensible and cost effective way is to keep the newer car and sort the issues. I like the idea of swapping the tranny and diff and maybe the whole subframe assembly, that way I know it works, plus i think the older car has the sport line suspension as it sits lower than the new one!

Carat, looks like you're pretty handy with these vehicles, you fancy working on mine or can you recommend someone in London or surrounding areas?
 
Thanks guys, appreciate your input.

I think the more sensible and cost effective way is to keep the newer car and sort the issues. I like the idea of swapping the tranny and diff and maybe the whole subframe assembly, that way I know it works, plus i think the older car has the sport line suspension as it sits lower than the new one!

Carat, looks like you're pretty handy with these vehicles, you fancy working on mine or can you recommend someone in London or surrounding areas?

I'm not too familiar with the workshops in London, but Wayne Gates has a good name. I've got quite a list of cars waiting to go through my workshop at the moment so trying not to take on any extra work for now. But if you need advice about it my email can be found here: carat 3.6 | Retro Rides
 

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