OM617 pre-transplant advise
 

Plan is to place an OM617 in a Comanche pickup with an Ax-15.

I've purchased the donor '82 300sd. Odometer shows 240,000 but owner claims engine was replaced at 150,000 due to loss of oil from an oil hose failure. Replacement engine was supposed to have had 20,000 at the time which would be apx 110,000? PO says it uses about 1 quart of oil between changes. Guy came across as honest but you never know.

Bought the donor cheap enough that I can't loose anything but my time. Car had sat for 9 months with a suspect transmission. Dropped in a fresh battery and it started right up and smoothed out fairly well after a minute or 2. Rattles a lot at idle (similar to those I've viewed on utube) but runs smooth at 1500 rpm's and up. Puffs like a little engine who could out of the oil fill cap location with blowby after it ran about 10 minutes. Doesn't smoke out the exhaust pipe.

Anyway, I've got a diesel pressure tester ordered to check out the compression. Assuming the compression checks out, what would you do to the engine before transplanting into its new home? Fresh fluids, filters, and valve adjustment are on my "absolutely" list. I think a new timing chain is called for every 100,000 miles? Do most folks follow that schedule or just inspect the chain when the valve cover is off for the valve adjustments?

BTW, check out Mercedes Diesel Maintenance tips for some excellent MB diesel tutorials with lots and lots of pictures.

Timing chains are good as long as oil is changed every 3,000 miles.I would adjust valves before compression check.Then after that you could have new Monark Nozzles put on injectors.Bosch is no good since move to India.

There are two ways to check comp on this motor, through the glow plug hole and the injector hole. If possible do it through the glow plug, the injector has one time use heat shields if you go that route. My comp tester has both fittings. Sounds like you have a good one, I would change the fluids and run it!

Replace your turbo oil return line gaskets and front main seal, these are easy to do with motor out of the car and a pain to do when installed. Check the vacume pump and oil filter seals too.

OK gentlemen, the OM617 is hanging from the cherry picker. Since I'm using an AX-15, I'm thinking I don't need the black plastic box on top of the valve cover? Also, what's the reccomendation as far as the EGR unit? Does the ALDA get its vaccum from the pump or from the intake manifold?

The black box is for the auto trans so you can ditch that. I just took off the egr and caped off the ends. The alda gets it's boost signal from the fitting on the back of the intake manifold.

How did you cap the pipe end of the EGR?

Made a plate for the intake and cut a tin disc and clamped it with the stock clamp on the exhaust.

Have any pics yet?

BTW,
I replied to your PM on Comanche club since i haven't got enough posts here...

walkenvol, how is oil pan clearance on your comanche? i'm doing om617 into 92 cherokee and wondering if ill have to lift suspension, or use modified oi\l pan...

The OM617 is still on the engine stand so I don't know yet. Moma's got so many spring chores lined up for me that I've not had the free time to make much progress lately.

kmansmooth, I have this motor in my Cherokee(xj) same as your comanche and no mods are necessary for the pan but a 3in lift is required.

I think while it is out you should also replace any gaskets seals. glowplugs injector tips valve adjustment turbo end play do anything you can while it is easily accessible

I'm doing a 88 YJ. I bought an AX-15 and Tcase for the swap. I have a 300sd as the donor. I just finally pulled the engine today and is still hooked to the cherry picker. I plan to pressure wash the engine it had a bad valve cover leak. I think I will paint it too before install.

I was looking at the engine mounts. What do you guys do for the mounts? I know some have fabbed their own and Photo Motor Mounts YJ sells them for $64. Do you reuse the hydraulic (shock), or just the rubber and steel shells.

Also does anybody sell new return lines for the injectors?

this place has lots of parts at good prices I have bought lots from them

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The stock Benz mounts will not hold up to 4x4 dutys, so I used the mounts used on the 4bt bread vans, also came on 70's dodge pu's with a 318.

fte, are you using the mb coil springs? if I understand correctly they will provide a 3 " lift. My donor car is the sd--thicker springs than the 300d? Also, I'm curious if the stock suspension is the same in our cherokees, mine is a 92, yours is 87? I got a little nervous after reading about the steering linkage modifications in your build thread. im hoping to leave the cherokee as stock as possible initially.

The Benz springs (sd) gave 6in of lift before I cut 1 1/2 coils off, I also cut the spring pocket off the Benz car to use on the jeep as the top of the spring is different. The suspension on the 86 is the same as the 92. My jeep had the v6 and the old style radiator, so I needed to use the Benz rad, so in order to use it the steering box was in the way. So I went with the steering box swap to kill two birds with one stone, you could use the 4.o rad and just mod the steering linkage, plenty have gone that route.