Placing a w108 280se engine in a 230sl

[richard230sl]

We took my 230sl engine out this weekend; it is time for an engine, gearbox and fip rebuild in the years to come.

In the mean time I would like to fit a 280se engine in the car. I tested this engine whilst it was still in a w108 and it ran great.

I hope if people can help me out by checking if I understood the recipy for placing a sedan engine in a 230sl (after reading the topics on this site)

1. The 280se engine has an automatic gearbox: this will be replaced by a manual sedan gearbox. Will replace the intermediate plate and flywheel with the manual type as well (the one with 3 balance lumps on it)
2. Top lid of the gearbox will be borrowed from the original 230sl manual box.
3. Engine mounts will be borrowed from the original 230sl engine
4. I think i will need a solution for the tacho drive: can I borrow this from my 230 engine? Does it bolt on the 280se engine?
5. I think i will take the exhaust manifold from the 230sl engine since this fits to my downpipes: is that the way to go? Or can I expect troubles fitting it to the 280se engine?
6. I will use my original fan to be fixed to the waterpump. The w108 one looks too bulky.
7. Will check what to do with the alternator and other auxiliaries during the job.

Any comments or tips about recommended plumbing for this swap are more than welcome.
I will have another look on the plumbing needed when I see the 2 engines next to each other. I recall that some of the oil pump related channels differ because of the flow trough the automatic gearbox for example

I suppose I can leave the 280se inlet manifold in place? As well as the alternator, sump and water pump?

Thanks for your help!

[114015]

Yes.... is possible.
But quite some little adaptation necessary here and there....

See also here:

https://www.sl113.org/wiki/Engine/Start#SedanEngines

[richard230sl]

Thanks for your reply.
Yes, that is a great link and I have read it with interest.

I still have to figure out if I can use my 230 sl exhaust manifold (can it restrict the larger 280se gas flow?) together with the 280se inlet manifold.

And the top lid of the gearbox; will that be interchangeable or is that tricky?

Thanks !

[450sl]

Richard,

I have an 230sl exhaust manifold on my 280 , for that  little bit of extra whoompf ... so yes its possible.

mark

[richard230sl]

Thanks for all your replies so far on this topic!

Progress  has been great:
The engine bay has been cleaned and freshened up and the 280 se engine was partly stripped to replace a couple of gaskets just to be sure I will be driving for the years to come instead of having a  failure anywere soon.

cilinders and head look very good for what I have seen untill now.
The only thing I found strange is that the head gasket that came out was different to what I was expecting:

The m130 engine number is:980 10 0279 xxxx . I cannot find the source again but recall that this engine number would mean a late oval type gasket. (Wrote down 980 10 017 and higher : oval in my notes)
The head however turns out to be having the square shape . Which corresponds with my head number (130 016 0001 and the information on this great link:

https://www.sl113.org/wiki/Engine/CylinderHead

Did my first assumption about the engine number go wrong? Or do I have an later block with an earlier head?

Second ; i opened the flywheel that i had in storage and found a 127 number on it and only 1 balance lump on it.
I suppose I will have to go and look for a m130 flywheel for a manual w108 or so: are all these m130 flywheels out there compatible with the gearbox bellhousing and intermediate plate for my sedan manual gearbox? And can i use any pressure group on that? Or do i have to be aware of different pressure groups and throwout bearings (i prefer to find a diafragm group for a 280)

And will the gearbox shaft fit in the standard w108 pilot bearing that i will order to be placed in the crankshaft end?


Thanks for helping out!

[stickandrudderman]

The crank, front damper and flywheel should all be balanced as a single unit.
On more than one occasion I have seen a mismatched flywheel cause severe vibration.

[richard230sl]

Thanks Stickandrudderman,

Just to be sure I understand it correctly:
Do You mean that the flywheel should be balanced as a single unit before it gets mounted to the M130 engine (as opposed to balancing the combination as a whole for the older engines).
I do not have the option of doing them all together since the block stays partially assembled.

And @ the others out there: does anyone have an idea about the early head/later engine number combination of my previous post?

I just checked this forum again and think that I have a matching combination head/block: I read that the newer block has 6 additional water holes. I see the same amount of water holes in the block and in the head, and the gasket matches the head and block (although the gasket blocks a minor part of the water passage since the holes in the head gasket are round and the passages in the block a bit odly shaped))

Thanks!

[mmata]

Hi, can someone tell me about the transmission I have In my 280Sl automatic from 1970, restore d in Kienle.

I have a GA 280SE - 09100F. Transmission

I think it is not the correct but I don’t know.

Do I have a problem or, is a no problem?

Thanks

[FresnoBob]

I completed a very similar transition last year by installing a 250 SE motor in my 230 SL.  I was able to reuse all of the 230 motor mounts, intake and exhaust manifold and most other components.  I had to rebuild the 250 fuel injection pump.  Scope creep included a new power steering pump, triple core radiator and brake / suspension system.  Be sure to change your subframe mounts too.  I'm happy to answer any questions you may have. 

Good luck,

Bob