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Engine swap - C180 1997

17K views 33 replies 7 participants last post by  elros 
#1 ·
Hello all,

I had a terrible misfortune with my beloved Mercedes-Benz C180 1997 model sedan yesterday. The cam shaft stopped moving, which usually means that the chain (whatever it is called in English) is broken.
Anyway, this means that I must most likely put in a new engine.
Now, the simplest solution is to stick in one that is just like the old one (M111.920) but I figure that it'd be cool with something that is not the smallest engine.
So my question is: is it any more trouble to install any other M111 variant?
I can get a 200 at a fair price, but how about a 230 kompressor for example?
Is there any re-programming that must be done?


Additional information for those interested:
The car has run just over 300.000km and there has been almost no problems until now. I've only changed the two coils (one last December and one just a few months ago). Regular oil change.
There has been some tic-tic type noise from the engine for the past few months, but I thought it was only valve noise. I should have listened to my wife, who said that it could well be the register chain, as we call it here in Norway.

And here is a motivational photography of the car in its former glory:
 
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#11 ·
An update:

Christmas prep has taken up much time and too little time is left for working on the car.
So far I have removed pretty much everything - only things remaining are the bolts connecting the transmission, and the engine mounts themselves. Then I can lift out the engine. This won't happen until next year though.
Here is how it looked last time I had time to work (which is more than a week ago I think).




The details aren't very enlightening, I'm pretty much working according to the Haynes manual.
I have found heaps of dirt around the engine though, so it'll be nice to clean things up before I put the new engine in there.
 
#12 ·
I'm not sure if you have already planned on this or not, but while you have the motor out you should take the opportunity to replace your engine mounts as well as all the coolant hoses - you've got 15 year old rubber everywhere in the car and you wont get another opportunity as good as this to replace this stuff. Your radiator should go too, judging by the photos.

Good luck and keep updating us.
 
#15 ·
Hello again,
Yesterday I took off the bottom of the engine (I don't know what it's called in English), this part:

And it has glue under the original seal. Should I scrape off the glue before fitting on to the new engine (whose bottom is ruptured, alas); and should I also glue the new seal on?
(I don't even know if "seal" is the right word, I mean the thin thing which sits between this part in the photo, and the engine itself)

And anyway here is a photo of the broken timing chain:
 
#19 ·
Looks good
the bottom part is called a sump and I'm guessing that the glue is there to hold the seal (i think it's called a gasket) in place when you are putting it back on
OK.
The sump is mounted now, with a new seal and no glue.

btw, how did the sand get there?
Well, the engine I bought was from a crashed W210, and in the crash he'd managed to crack open the sump and some dirt had got in there.
Also the engine mount on one side had broken, and the bracket for the AC compressor had also broken. I took these parts from my old engine, and hope that nothing else is broken on the new engine. :cool:

Today BTW I got the new seal for the exhaust manifold.
 
#22 ·
Slow progress during the past month obviously. I got some minor things done yesterday though, and came across this issue: there is a hose which might be a return hose for coolant, which has nowhere to go on the new engine.





On the old engine this bit is different:



So, should I take that bit from the old engine and move it over to the new one, or should I leave the hose unconnected?
 
#23 · (Edited)
So, should I take that bit from the old engine and move it over to the new one, or should I leave the hose unconnected?
Find cooling diagram for both engines, understand how they work and then make decision.
Bottom part is called oil pan in USA.
Make sure all sensors are the same. Check diagrams. I am afraid computers for each engine have different programs, but they can be self-learning.
Found half of diagram for 95 C220. I was using it for diagnosing MAF sensor.
Good luck!
 

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#24 ·
I swapped that part over, thanks.
The new engine runs nicely, there are only a few things still to do before the car will be road ready again. I'm very happy now, I feel that having the engine running is a big step in the right direction, it has been something I have worried a bit about during the whole process: will it actually run when I have put everything in place? It did. :)

Only things to do is to fasten the exhaust manifold to the next bit of tubing which goes to the catalytic converter, and I have to swap the wheel which drives the fan belt too as the one on my replacement engine is a bit bent (probably from the crash the original car was involved in).
 
#27 ·
Well, now all is done. And, I am very pleased to say, it all seems to work perfectly. I had the car to the workshop yesterday to have it EU approved (as we call it) so now it is all legal too. Fabulous.
And after driving the car yesterday and today, I find that it is indeed more potent now with the 230 engine. It has been over three months since I drove it with the 180 engine so my memory of it isn't fresh, but it seems to work more leisurely, it needs not to work as hard to achieve the same power. It feels very nice indeed, it isn't more in-your-face sort of angry and intense, it's just stronger when I need it.
So I am very happy!

What's next? Well there is some more maintenance work to do, the steering damper needs to be replaced as it is squeaking a bit; and I really ought to replace the automatic transmission fluid. Other than that, all is well.
 
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