Mercedes OM617 Powered 110 Build Up

I really can't wait to get this OM617 up and running after hearing about a smooth driver (for a diesel at least).


I have been researching the valve adjustment and front and rear main seals. Came across Diesel Giant and like his tutorials:


http://dieselgiant.com/mercedes_diesel_maintenance_tips.htm


I just ordered a thermostat and gasket kit from him and will probably get more pieces from him as I do more jobs on the motor. I am hoping to get the engine cleaned this week and as of right now I am looking to install in the frame and do the procedures. The reason is 2 fold as when I mounted the engine to the stand I used 2 bolts that look to attach to the pan. 2nd I think I will feel more secure doing engine work with it on the frame. (and 3rd - I just want to see it in there!).


Not sure if my motor has them or not but he has an interesting tutorial on upgrading loop glow plugs to pencil style.

Sorry for late responses... really busy the past few days.

don said:

I really can't wait to get this OM617 up and running after hearing about a smooth driver (for a diesel at least).

I have been researching the valve adjustment and front and rear main seals. Came across Diesel Giant and like his tutorials:
http://dieselgiant.com/mercedes_diesel_maintenance_tips.htm


I just ordered a thermostat and gasket kit...


Not sure if my motor has them or not but he has an interesting tutorial on upgrading loop glow plugs to pencil style.

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You probably don't have the loop style glow plugs.
Just put that link you found in my favorites for reference.

I use these guys: https://mercedessource.com/
They have some really good teaching clips on you tube.
You'll need the engine on the stand upside down to put the custom pan on.
Don't forget to leave the long bolts out of the two oil pan ears.

Axel said:

Anyone in the Southeast available to install an OM617 in to a 110?

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Local to me in Virginia Beach is Abacus Racing.
They could do the install.
Another option: you might find a small independent Mercedes repair shop that will take on the install in your immediate area.

Uncle Douglas said:

Are you no longer selling this truck to the university ?

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Yes am selling it...
Head of the Field studies program came by today and gave me a list of final tasks to finish by May 1st.
Slammed with multiple concurrent jobs.

spanto said:

I love the idea of running two tanks. Very interested to see what you come up with.

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Should have the tank mounting kits by the end of the month.
Will post some pictures when the pair are ready to install in our 1983 Swiss X-Feuerwehr (Fire Brigade) 110 5 door.

I posted this pics in my build thread but figured I would put them here as well if people are looking for some visual references.

Couple notes:
- I stripped 2 of the star bolts for the flywheel. They are 12mm heads. I bought a cheap 3/8" spanner, heated it up and hammered it on one of them. Once it cooled I got it off. The last one I ended up cutting part of the head off and used a vice grip which worked.
- from the pelican forums it seems the upper pan needs to be assembled with an anaerobic sealant. Found a Permatex version at Advanced Auto.
- getting the engine on the stand is a little tricky but finally got it. I can take a close up if anyone wants to see. I had to monkey rig part of it and use a clamp.
- I used a gun metal color engine paint to try and make things look good.
- i really can't wait to get some of RD's kit on this thing! I test fit the plate and tranny adapter and it goes together mint!

jakeslouw said:

Hi from South Africa

We unfortunately only got the OM617 in naturally aspirated (NA) format (300D)...
Would you be able to add a turbo, or was the standard engine not up to it? (oil sprayers, crank, con-rods, pistons, etc), not to mention sourcing an IP with boost compensation.

What seems to be coming available is the OM605 inline 5 TDi (C250 TD) and even the OM602 (Sprinter van).

These are expensive over here as the engines are correctly considered to be pretty robust.

Would the OM605 or 602 have a similar bell-housing bolt pattern, or am I barking up the proverbial wrong tree?

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Jakes:
I think the configuration of the OM602 & 605 is completely different from the OM617.
Am no expert and am picking up an OM602 this weekend so will be able to compare and provide specifics. Looking at pictures, it looks like the oil filter housings are on opposite sides of the block and have a different bolt pattern, which would require a different belhousing adapter. The other thing that needs to be overcome (for me) is the electronics. The OM605 is ECU "land" and the OM602 is partially electronic, but have talked to people via email who are using fully mechanical setups of both.

We have an OM617 N/A and the only real difference with it's turbo twin are the pistons and oil squirters underneath the pistons. One of many things on my list is to have a OM617 N/A block drilled for the oil squirters and rebuild it using the turbo pistons. This is not cheap, but would be an experiment worth doing. Then we would all know if the N/A could be converted to a turbo version. I think it will work fine. Also from what I can tell the N/A and turbo IPs could be interchangeable due to the ALDA.

Here in USA, the stock OM617 IPs have an ALDA (altitude compensator) that meters the fuel through the IP plungers which are precisely machined for what I conceptually believe is fuel squirt duration (again am no expert) controlling how long the fuel squirts when the injector pops at a specified pressure. The plungers are one of the modifications the Fins and Swedes use to obtain more power from Mercedes diesels. They modify the IP with larger plungers that provide more fuel and add the extra boost to burn the extra fuel to get loads of power. This "science" requires a certain amount of precision that I currently don't have. The ALDA on the stock OM617 IP meters fuel that eliminates almost all diesel smoke, but renders the performance on the low side with 185 lbft of torque. This makes the stock engines slower off the line. People claim when the ALDA is eliminated on the stock IP the torque comes way up with exhaust smoke that about matches the Rover TDI engines. An OM617 with the ALDA eliminated is much quicker off the line. I am not sure the exact increase and have heard claims of up to 200 and even 220 lbft of torque which is not far fetched for an inline 5, but a dyno would show accurate results. Since HP is a function of torque at given RPM, the HP will jump as well. So this covers what I know about the stock IP.

As soon as a modified M-series IP is available for the OM617 from the guy I am communicating with in Sweden with 7mm or 7.5mm plungers, will order one and swap it out, then use a different turbo to experiment with. This is suppose to easily change to 220 lbft of torque and 165 HP (on the low side of the estimate) with the stock turbo and a waste gate bleed off. Again this is all just unproven theory in my mind. A dyno is needed to substantiate some of this performance talk all over the web including youtube.