Marinizing a Mercedes 240D Engine??

Discussion in 'DIY Marinizing' started by jfreemanTMN, Feb 11, 2018.

  1. jfreemanTMN
    Joined: Feb 2018
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    jfreemanTMN Junior Member

    New Friends,

    I have acquired a VERY low mileage 1981 MB 240D sedan (with less than 50,000 total miles) that was hit hard in the passenger side for "peanuts" & that I would like to install the little 4-cylinder diesel into a large/home-brewed bay-fishing boat.

    I know that a company in BRD used to marinize the 240D engine & wonder if anyone here remembers which marine transmission that Wiseman (and maybe other companies) used for that marine conversion.

    yours, jim
     
  2. Rumars
    Joined: Mar 2013
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    Rumars Senior Member

    You can still buy marinizing kits for that engine, and the engine is still beeing manufactured in India.
    You can use what transmission you like, there are adapter plates.
     
  3. jfreemanTMN
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    jfreemanTMN Junior Member

    Rumars,

    Do you know who is making the marinizing kit & adapter plates for the 240D engine & how to contact the company??

    THANKS for the kind response, Jim
     
  4. Rumars
    Joined: Mar 2013
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    Rumars Senior Member

    Yes. Below are 3 places, one from the Netherlands, and two from Germany for OM616 (that's the motors designation) marinisation kits. They all speak english. Write any of them an email and they will advise how to purchase it.

    Mercedes OM 616 conversion kit - Drinkwaard http://www.drinkwaard.com/en/products/marinisation/conversionkits/mercedes-om-616-conversionkit/

    DMV-Bootsdiesel (English Index) http://www.dmv-bootsdiesel.de/Englisher%20Index/english_index.html

    Marinetechnik Hagen http://www.marinetechnik.net/umruestteile/seite5.html
     
  5. goodwilltoall
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    goodwilltoall Senior Member

    Sounds more like a work boat go keel cooled.
     
  6. jfreemanTMN
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    jfreemanTMN Junior Member

    Rumars,

    THANKS again.
    (YEP. I know what an OM-616 is but most non-MB fans don't.)

    Btw, my DD is a 1986/420SEL.
    (I also own a 300SDL, a 300CD & a 300D in a W123 body.)

    yours, jim
     
  7. jfreemanTMN
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    jfreemanTMN Junior Member

    goodwilltoall,

    YEP. - A "knock off" of a Harry Sucher long/slim workboat flat-bottom design but slightly modernized for plywood/epoxy & quick construction. = About 15" draft.
    (I'm planning a home-brew keel cooler made of 1/2" copper pipe.)

    yours, jim
     
  8. Ike
    Joined: Apr 2006
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    Ike Senior Member

    I owned a 1976 240D. That is one heck of a durable engine (over 300K miles and still going when I donated it to the local High School Auto Shop Class). Good choice. Let us know how it works out.
     
  9. jfreemanTMN
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    jfreemanTMN Junior Member

    Ike,

    My first MB diesel was a maroon 220D with manual transmission, that I bought new from a local taxi company in BRD & drove it over 700,000KM before the body rotted out. ====> I've probably owned at least 3 dozen MB over the last 5 decades & maybe more.
    (I paid almost nothing for it, as it came in in a group of taxis but was delivered in the wrong color. = The twins, that owned the local taxi company, just wanted it GONE.)

    I suspect that the little OM-616 in a fishing boat will outlast me, inasmuch as a MB diesel with 50,000 miles isn't broken in good yet.

    yours, jim
     
  10. Ike
    Joined: Apr 2006
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    Ike Senior Member

    That's why I donated my 240D, The body was rotting out. I put my foot through the floor and I had replaced several quarter panels. It was time to get something else, a MBZ 300TE.
     
  11. Rumars
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    Rumars Senior Member

    If you are using a keel cooler and a dry exhaust it's probably cheaper to just cut an adaptor plate at a local shop. But a copper keel cooler on flat bottom boat? Hope you never hit something submerged.
     
  12. jfreemanTMN
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    jfreemanTMN Junior Member

    Rumars,

    The Harry Sucher "knock off" is NOT completely flat on the bottom, as it has the deadwood for the inboard motor's shaft/prop, including a 2x4 "keel" from stem to stern & 2 "runners" (one on each side) to protect the plywood/epoxy/fiberglass bottom from submerged hazards.

    Fwiw, I've designed several houseboats for friends & a "bait shrimper" (which is powered by a marinized 250CI Chevy & trawls Galveston Bay) over the last decade plus, with a similar homebrew keel coolers & none of them have been damaged so far.
    (Our south TX bays are quite shallow but not shallow enough that a hull that has a 15 inch draft is likely to hit most any object or to run aground anyplace where I'm likely to take her for fishing.)

    Btw, this "knock-off" is the biggest hull that I've built myself, without help. = PRINCESS DREAMS will be 24x7 feet overall.
    (IF this project works out well, I am planning a BIG houseboat fo live upon, that will be 28x62 feet & likely powered by a Cummins 6BT.)

    yours, jim
     
  13. Magnus W
    Joined: Nov 2017
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    Magnus W Senior Member

    Had a 5 cyl turbo in a Range Rover once. I recall the replacement interval for the timing chain is 500.000 km (about 300.000 miles). Most new car won't run that far at all and surely not have a specified maintenance item at that time. A friend drove a 300D taxi with 3.500.000 km on the clock, most I've ever heard of. It was a bit soft but as reliable as new.
     
  14. Rumars
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    Rumars Senior Member

    Then all is well. I was imagining a complete flat bottom.
    You may want to investigate different Mercedes bellhousings, they produced one with a SAE 3 bolting pattern for the OM 617 wich fits the OM 616, and I think also a SAE 1. Even if the transmission is not SAE 1 or 3 (SAE 7 for exmple is common), adapter rings between the different SAE flanges are easy to obtain. This may spare you the hassle of importing from Europe.
    I am not aware of anyone selling a water cooled exhaust mainfold, so you either run a drystack or fabricate you own jacketed exhaust.
     

  15. jfreemanTMN
    Joined: Feb 2018
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    jfreemanTMN Junior Member

    Rumars; Magnus W,

    Fwiw, I was once (20+ years ago) GIVEN a 1982 NON-turbo 300D with the 5-cylinder for parts to fix another W123. a 300CD "that had problems". - The "free MB" ran so well (after the battery was replaced) that I drove it back & forth (14 miles one way) to work for over 2 years.
    (When I finally parted out the W123, it had well over HALF a MILLION miles on it. - After I got the parts that I needed for the W123 coupe, several friends from our local MB club came & "helped themselves to parts" that they needed for their MB cars. After that, I sold everything that nobody wanted for scrap metal.)
    - Needless to say, the "free Mercedes" was a GREAT deal at 10X the price. = CHUCKLE.

    Btw, the planned 28x62 foot houseboat will be "our retirement home", IF/WHEN I can get my lady to actually retire. = She will be named: DARLA'S DAYDREAMS.

    yours, Darla & Jim
     
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