Hey guys I have an 05 E500, I love it's a great car but I was wondering how hard would it be to replace the engine with an E55 motor, I know you'll going to say "Just sell and get an E55" but where I live the E55 is WAY more more than double. Anyways a friend of mine is a wrecker and they just got a smashed E55, it was smashed from the rear so the engines alright. He's giving me a great price on it, I have 8 days to decide. This got me really thinking cos the labor would be done by him he pulls car as a job. I could probably find a buyer for my E500 engine somewhere down the track too so yh. I asked him if I could plug all the electrics into my E500 so in other words would my cluster, ignition, jeys, head unit etc work? Do I have to replace all that because that's where it'll get expensive. What's there to do in terms of electrics. I'm getting this engine for a very good price I will never see again in the near future so what do you guys think. By the way PLEASE PLEASE don't ask me to sell it and get a E55, it's WAY WAY more expensive to do trust me.
W211 E500: E55 Conversion
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Where are you from? What is he selling the engine and transmission to you for?
Just curious
Just curious
Good morning,
Maybe share a bit more info. Which E55 engine? W210, W211? Mileage on the engine? How handy are you with a wrench? Are you able to troubleshoot the electrical? Are you getting the tranny with it?
You may want to complete your profile also. With the prices falling on the AMG's you may seriously consider an E55.
Good luck.
Mike K.
Maybe share a bit more info. Which E55 engine? W210, W211? Mileage on the engine? How handy are you with a wrench? Are you able to troubleshoot the electrical? Are you getting the tranny with it?
You may want to complete your profile also. With the prices falling on the AMG's you may seriously consider an E55.
Good luck.
Mike K.
Well I'm getting the transmission too obviously, the engine has done 37,000 miles but it has full service history from Merc. I won't be doing the swap my friend is, he wrecks cars for a living and has worked on Mercs before. I asked him about the electrics he said he's never done a "swap" to another car with another ecu etc so he wouldn't know for sure. Putting in the engine is solved, its the electrics that have me worried. It's a W211 E55 motor, not the W210. I am not going to wait a couple of years to get the E55, where I live it's too expensive, I got my E500 for a good price and this engine for a good price. This swap is absolutely the cheaper way.
The electrics would be the only real issue since all the rest is simply mechanical. Both the ECU and TCU along with all the CAN bus connections can be a roadblock. Be sure to also grab the all the electronics from both the motor and tranny donor cars. But the ECUs are VIN encoded into the checksum. The ECU is married to its original car.
Chasing the electrics is always unpredictable and can be a PITA. You'll definitely need access to SDS along the way. And you'll end having to get a dealer VIN encode the ECU somewhere along the line.
Chasing the electrics is always unpredictable and can be a PITA. You'll definitely need access to SDS along the way. And you'll end having to get a dealer VIN encode the ECU somewhere along the line.
Well t he ECU and TCU come with the engine of course. You said the ECU is married to the original car, but I'm getting the ECU with the engine so how would the ECU even know it's not in the original car. Sure it's VIN encoded but doesn't that just mean the ECU will have the original car's VINs. I'm not really familiar with the electronics in my car lol, I've never really pulled it apart or anything.
So when I hook the engine and transmission up, what would go wrong after that?
So when I hook the engine and transmission up, what would go wrong after that?
Not that simple, I do have to buy every part I want, now I'm getting the drivetrain but my problem isn't labor, if it was just labor then this is done. Problem is the electrics. What I want to know is if I'm using the ECU and TCU from the donor engine, what will cause the problem?
Seems like you and your buddy have reservations on this project with potential ECU and other computer-related issues, I would trade or sell your E500 for an E55. You may end up opening a can of worms with the swap and end up spending more money to troubleshoot the issues. Are you converting just for the engine/increased HP or are you also going for the full AMG look?
Also, you may have problems selling your car with this "swapped" engine down the road since your current VIN is tied with your E500 engine and specs as opposed to an E55 engine.
Just my thoughts, good luck.
Also, you may have problems selling your car with this "swapped" engine down the road since your current VIN is tied with your E500 engine and specs as opposed to an E55 engine.
Just my thoughts, good luck.
I can't get an E55, it's 3 times the price here, this is without doubt my only chance in the near future, I put the deposit down already anyways as I had little time to decide. What I want to know is so what if the ECU and TCU are tied with the original car, I'm using them in this one so what would not accept the new engine. I'm not really familiar with what computer are in the car, I know about the ECU and TCU but I've never really taken my car apart or modified it so it never made sense to know. Is it the head unit? The ignition systems ie. the key etc. I don't see why it won't work straight away without refusing it. If I were using a different ECU then yes but it's the ECU from the E55 engine.
This doesn't seem that much of a stretch if you have a knowledgeable team! Obviously this is not a common swap BUT what Im thinking of doing is just out right crazy and I know a lot of guys will say is impossible! I have a complete Engine and Trans from 07 S600 W221 wiring harness act.. . basically the whole car! I recently purchased a 92" w124 500E. You guessed it...I want a the V12 in the W124. Yes I know I crazy so I don't need to hear it from someone else...lol.
Has anyone ever heard of something so radical or crazy as this?
Has anyone ever heard of something so radical or crazy as this?
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Use the cars own computers . just reset motor adaptation in DME
It's not as hard as all of that mount it straight to the existing trans ..reset adaptations on trans module. And ride . adjust cylinder mixtures for more power but expect mileage to suffer if you do.
If it's a w211 55 and you have a w211 500 .
It's easy.
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Use the originals car computer and reset engine adaptations.
Those computers are engine management system. Mount it to the existing transmission.
Use same computers same trans .
Adjust cylinder mix for optimum output and ride .
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Ok first off its the key that needs to match the ecu, If the ecu dosent match the chip in your key along with the transponder then the car will turn over but will not turn completely on or stay on. I always wonder the samething u were saying but one day my engine lifters started ticking. So a made a couple phone calls to several mechanic friends and was told my best bid was to replace the engine. So i hopped right on it got a engine installed it didnt change nothing out at all other then engine and stsrted right up and ran perfect.
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I see what your worried about! First off your car starting isnt going to to be your problem bcuz im sure its going to start right up gauranteed. Your worried about if keeping the oringinal ecu with original key will your car run like a e55 with a e55 engine and a e500 ecu or will it run like a e500 bcuz ecu is tuned to run e500 even though u got the e55 engine?
2005 Mercedes CLK320 2008 Mercedes E550 2014 Mercedes E63 AMG
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"I can do anything with enough time and money."
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