Mer-Chevy Project: Biofuel 40mpg Pickup

[Big Dave]

There are a limited number of 240Ds around with 4-speed manuals.

Check out MercedesShop - Mercedes Benz Parts and Technical Information

There are a couple of ecomodders who hang out there.

They have a diesel car forum and I believe there is a guy in there putting a M-B diesel in a Chevy pickup.

They have sources for M-B manual transmissions and parts.

I'm thinking hard about picking up a 84-85 300 CD (W123) and converting it to a more modern five speed. I may have to order the manual flywheel from Germany. Not sure yet. M-B automatics do not have locking torque converters. They last like the engine but feel slushy and kill FE. Mating the M-B four-banger to an American transmission will require custom machining.

Air bags are a necessity if you intend to put heavy loads in the truck. Air bag kits for S-10s are an off-the-shelf item.

Chevy axles can be had with ratios from 2.73 to 4.10.

[roflwaffle]

IIRC 61-65, maybe even earlier, Mercedes diesels came with manual transmissions that'll bolt right up, at least according to shopforum (you would probably want to do more research if you pursued that), and most of those earlier cars were manual as opposed to automatic. You should be able to find a rusted out pre-66 manual Merc for ~$500 or so sooner or later.

[Funny]

mmmm....another delicious Epic Thread....

I wish I had the capital to drop in the European 2.0L diesel into my Corolla, direct bolt up, that would be sweet. I look forward to the development of this thread.

Please make sure to take lots of pictures, or like your Ev-metro thread, lots of videos...

[almightybmw]

I was doing some reading on MB diesels....I rather like the 2.7L I5 that gets stuffed in Sprinters. Has very nearly the same power as my 4.3, but in a crappy monster van gets the same mileage. It even weighs the same, so the stock suspension could handle it. And it's not too big to fit, so minimal mods to install. I'd bet it could break 27mpg in my truck. Now to find one that isn't $5000....and doesn't come with the van.

[my first gmc]

If you want one of those i5's look for the earlier model years. The later one's Chrysler did something to it to make them crappy. I forget what it was, but i heard the third year versions of those engines weren't that great. Could be just some randomness I heard though.

[Big Dave]

Here's a conversion somebody did on a similar pickup. An I-5 in a Ranger.

Ford Ranger Mercedes Turbo Diesel Powered

An S-10 is lighter than a Ranger and has a bigger engine compartment. Should be a piece of cake.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by almightybmw

I was doing some reading on MB diesels....I rather like the 2.7L I5 that gets stuffed in Sprinters. Has very nearly the same power as my 4.3, but in a crappy monster van gets the same mileage. It even weighs the same, so the stock suspension could handle it. And it's not too big to fit, so minimal mods to install. I'd bet it could break 27mpg in my truck. Now to find one that isn't $5000....and doesn't come with the van.

Or, find one that _is_ $5000, and _does_ come w/ the van... take what you need, then part out/sell the van... or use it for a mobile storage shed... better yet, use it's body as a starting point for some serious aero modding... imagine the streamlined monster you could build from a 20" box van?

In all honesty, I can't blame you for not doing those things that I just said... I wouldn't either, but it's a nice thought. Actually, for the right price, I'd probably do it, but the right price for me doesn't usually include a dollar sign, if you know what I mean.

[almightybmw]

If one were to assume that 1997 Merc Ranger was a base model, it weighed in at about 3000lbs. From the same website I get about 3000lbs for the same year and style S10. What Ben has clocks in just under 2900lbs. Be glad you have a light chassis to start with, my ZR2 is around 3800lbs. I still want to swap a diesel though. For the offroad torque, not the mileage

[my first gmc]

Ben, did you loose interest in this? BUMP!

[Frank Lee]

Yes, we need closure on whether the hubcap conundrum has been resolved or not