Mods
Engine Swap: Went from a 1993 12V 2.5L Inline 5 Cyl. Mercedes Mechanical Injection Pump Diesel (OM602) to a 1998 24V 3.0L Inline 6 Cyl. Mercedes Electronic Injection Pump Diesel (OM606). Also changed from the stock turbo to a (Knockoff) hy35 cummins turbo, and made a custom exhaust manifold adapter.
Transmission Swap: Went from a 4 speed vacuum controlled 722.4 automatic to a 5 speed electronically controlled 722.6 (NAG 1) automatic (at first I had the weaker 722.608 but I later swapped it to the stronger 722.633)
Differential Swap: Went from the small (185mm) 2.65:1 to the large (210mm) 3.27:1
Suspension Swap: Swapped the sway bars, springs (PO cut the original springs to lower it) and steering box to upgraded Sportline Items (Factory Mercedes Sport Package from the time; made the car handle better, got bolstered seats and dropped around 1 inch from stock height)
Interior Swap: Swapped the MB Tex (Vinyl) seats and door panels to the leather bolstered Sportline seats and door panels, also added memory to the drivers seat and a power adjustable steering column. Almost got the drivers seat heated, the seats came unheated and there is one heating element I have not been able to find in order to finish it (the seats themselves are hard to find and even harder to find someone "parting" one out). Also removed the headliner and some interior trim pieces and had them recovered.
Fan: Went from the stock mechanical fan to a 2009 Mercedes e320 electric fan and moved the engine back towards the firewall to make room, modifying the engine and transmission mounts. Also modified the fan shroud to fit by cutting off and rebuilding one side and making custom mounts to mount it in the original fan shroud mounting points on the radiator. All in the name of cold A/C and low engine coolant temps when idling with the A/C on.
Wheels
Euro headlights
Intercooler and Oil Cooler: Made custom mounts and hoses for them and notched the crash bar to fit the intercooler so I could retain the A/C condenser.
Shifter: The shifter is from a 2004 Mercedes CLK and fits in the original surround, I had to cut out the transmission tunnel to make room for it but, with the wood on it looks factory. I had to get a different shifter for the new transmission anyways but this one had the benefit of having Tiptronic manual shifting.
Driveshaft: Custom length driveshaft with bigger yokes than stock added on.
Gauges: All the original gauges and lights still work with the new drivetrain and there was some mild tinkering to get that done.
It still has the stock 6mm electronic injection pump but I had to build a wiring harness for the custom ECU that is made for this engine. I also modified the transmission wiring harness for my application, it comes as a pre-made harness and I stripped it down and redid a good portion of it to make it fit nicely in my car.
Transmission Swap: Went from a 4 speed vacuum controlled 722.4 automatic to a 5 speed electronically controlled 722.6 (NAG 1) automatic (at first I had the weaker 722.608 but I later swapped it to the stronger 722.633)
Differential Swap: Went from the small (185mm) 2.65:1 to the large (210mm) 3.27:1
Suspension Swap: Swapped the sway bars, springs (PO cut the original springs to lower it) and steering box to upgraded Sportline Items (Factory Mercedes Sport Package from the time; made the car handle better, got bolstered seats and dropped around 1 inch from stock height)
Interior Swap: Swapped the MB Tex (Vinyl) seats and door panels to the leather bolstered Sportline seats and door panels, also added memory to the drivers seat and a power adjustable steering column. Almost got the drivers seat heated, the seats came unheated and there is one heating element I have not been able to find in order to finish it (the seats themselves are hard to find and even harder to find someone "parting" one out). Also removed the headliner and some interior trim pieces and had them recovered.
Fan: Went from the stock mechanical fan to a 2009 Mercedes e320 electric fan and moved the engine back towards the firewall to make room, modifying the engine and transmission mounts. Also modified the fan shroud to fit by cutting off and rebuilding one side and making custom mounts to mount it in the original fan shroud mounting points on the radiator. All in the name of cold A/C and low engine coolant temps when idling with the A/C on.
Wheels
Euro headlights
Intercooler and Oil Cooler: Made custom mounts and hoses for them and notched the crash bar to fit the intercooler so I could retain the A/C condenser.
Shifter: The shifter is from a 2004 Mercedes CLK and fits in the original surround, I had to cut out the transmission tunnel to make room for it but, with the wood on it looks factory. I had to get a different shifter for the new transmission anyways but this one had the benefit of having Tiptronic manual shifting.
Driveshaft: Custom length driveshaft with bigger yokes than stock added on.
Gauges: All the original gauges and lights still work with the new drivetrain and there was some mild tinkering to get that done.
It still has the stock 6mm electronic injection pump but I had to build a wiring harness for the custom ECU that is made for this engine. I also modified the transmission wiring harness for my application, it comes as a pre-made harness and I stripped it down and redid a good portion of it to make it fit nicely in my car.
Build story
Im 19 now and I have had the car since I was 15. I have done 95% of the work myself with some help from my dad, and I have paid for 99% of everything I have done to the car. My dad had a 1985 Mercedes 190D (C class diesel) and I always liked that car, he sold it and we looked for cars similar and found this one for $1,000. He went and picked it up without me knowing and surprised me with it. I bought the car with 413,000 miles and it has 434,000 now. The original engine never ran right so my dad and I replaced the injectors and timing chain and it still did not fix it (come to find out it was a bad injection pump). I got tired of messing with it and saw videos from Europe of people with souped up Mercedes diesels with the OM606, so I decided I would do the swap. I found a donor car for the engine 5 hours away, the car was a parts car and had been sitting in the woods. My grandpa rode with me and I borrowed his truck, we drove down, picked the car up and came back. I pulled the old engine out and started putting this one in after doing a lot of research. There is information out there on some of what is needed for the swap but you have to go looking for it. After 3 months and a hodgepodge of parts from the two cars, I got it in, wired up, and running. Since then I have put a bigger turbo on it, rebuilt almost the entire suspension and swapped in the Sportline parts which came from another donor car that I gutted. I have also rebuilt the wiring harness because I was not happy with the level of craftsmanship in the first one that I made when I was 16 and not as good at wiring. I put a 50,000 mile stronger transmission in it, a bigger differential and countless other, mostly maintenance, things.