Merc 300E Turbo rebuild

[NaughtyGT]

Originally Posted by Mad Mat

wow what great knob's u have there

haha I got 2 knobs

[Mad Mat]

Originally Posted by NaughtyGT

haha I got 2 knobs

naughty's merc has... two knobs

[NaughtyGT]

Here's some pics of the rough door speaker cut outs. Tryin to find time to work on this car is really hard bugger it:

[NaughtyGT]

well.....had my money returned from PayPal. 100% return from seller with no fees I know I had to pay CC interest but, can't help that now. Once I have sellers bank details, I can start wire transfers. Never had to do these before but due to his account limit, have to do multiple payments.

As far as I know though, he has begun work on the parts fabrication Once the gear arrives (no idea whatsoever when) I will have some major bolt ons to do & have a go @ wiring the ECU in. Can't do the intercooler piping (not looking forward to that) until I have the header for turbo to sit so that'll have to wait.

Still awaiting twin converters from down here but can maybe use the old one to begin making bracket up.

Have some time today to hopefully sort the car speakers out anyway. What a bugger of a job this is. I need some sort of pods for the front doors but EBay only has angled ones for kicker panels. I want them facing straight out from door. The rears are a real pain due to the LPG tank sitting right underneath rear parcel shell. If it's too much of a hassle I may just use some ready bought enclosures for these? It's just that I would prefer the rears to face a little up toward rear screen & not straight into cabin.

Anyway, progress still...........

[Mad Mat]

i know at places like autobarn and supercheap u can get plastic straight pods in qld.. maybe have a look around some of those places....

[NaughtyGT]

Originally Posted by Mad Mat

i know at places like autobarn and supercheap u can get plastic straight pods in qld.. maybe have a look around some of those places....

yeah thanks Mat. At my location there is squat But I'm heading to Frankston. This is a major suburb about 25 mins from me with Autobarn, JB Hi Fi, & Supercheap all right next door to one another. There is also a large Jaycar store but another 20 mins round trip from the others. Surely one of them will have something. Rather not fark around with damn speaker holes today if I can help it. There is a tilted pod on EBay that I could use for the rears but really need a straight forward position one for the front doors

[NaughtyGT]

Here's some pics of the coaxial installs:

[NaughtyGT]

Hopefully have the custom boot lining fitted out today. If I get all other stuff I need doing outta the way lol.

Now, twin converters have arrived but won't be getting them sent to me until the mixer venturi is enlarged. It currently is a 325 cfm & will be bored out to a 400. Been advised not to go any bigger & if I recall, bigger is not always better with LPG. You have to keep it to a sensible size to flow the LPG efficiently. Jetting can be bigger though I'm pretty sure?

I have sorted the converter bracket out but don't wanna order hoseds etc til' I fit converters & see what joiners I'll use. No hurry really as I wait for the fabricated parts from OS so, really just planning it all @ present.

Sound system is done & so hopefully boot will be completed & I'll wack some pics up then

Slow progress but I can't do anything about it really as I'm @ the mercy of workshop & OS supplier A moment.

Won't be until I have the manifold & stand alone ECU that things can really hot up. Although, once I have the LPG gear here, progress will @ least start to happen on the intake side of things.

I can't really bother with IC & piping until both intake & exhaust sides are fitted out. Obviously due to measurements/accuracy. But I know the IC I will be getting. It'll be have about a 3rd more flow capacity than the one originally on car & sit practically in the same possy I just hope it's a good quality one as it's off EBay but seems OK......

[NaughtyGT]

Well......fark the interior & electrics for now. Too hard as the harnness has been previously modded so, need the new harness coming with stand alone ECU, so I can configure wiring properly. I'd say some wires are either not connected anymore or defunk now anyway? The MSD ignition system uses high voltage & just confuses the issue.

So, I have her up on stands. Wheels off. Not too sure on the suspension & front end parts @ a quick glance. Look old & stuffed. Think I'll change them all now while I'm forced to can the major modding til' my gear arrives from OS & LPG suppliers. Also have some stuff to connect whilst car is up in the air. Really keen to get my hands dirty now oh well.......

Will make a list this arvo of parts. I have a reliable supplier in Canberra. Also, there's EGay for simple front end parts. Even springs & shocks alot cheaper than the maniac Merc prices. I can use gas struts as this model doesn't have the bull**** hydraulic suspension haha.... wouldn't own the later model gay Mercs for quids no way. At least this car is simple & practical. As I've said before, it's just a VC Commodore on steroids. That's all. It's the strength & engineering of metals & materials, not bling that stands it apart. No frills except electric & vacuum operated parts really.

Next, once I drop the car back down, I can try the 235/40/18's on the new 8.5" lightened forged rims I bought way back, prior to me getting them powder-coated black. Need to see what mods I need to do to the guards to make 8.5" wheels fit. Especially the front guards as the rims have about 2mm clearance only to the shocks &, outer face is further out I think so, will be close to guard as well. It's only a medium-sized car, not one of the bigger heavier Merc models. The V8 models had a wider track on the ass end so fitted bigger feet but on these it's limited. Guards have already been rolled & pulled so, bugger knows how much further I can go?I do have a panel guy working from home that charges cheap rates but does great work with proper bays on his property. If needs be, I'll get him to do work later when cars mobile.

[NaughtyGT]

Thought I'd make one last effort to see if I could 'liquid inject' the LPG & piss the GR mixer set up off.............what put me off before was I was told you had to have EFI. What they failed to grasp was that I have a custom management system coming from OS

I can but too expensive for my liking but.................

I can vapour inject, without petrol (dual fuel) yes, STRAIGHT GAS I have a the Aussie warehouse & recommended installer getting back to me to discuss the details of running my fancy stand alone with the Merc harness & what's what with injectors.

New ground but just imagine the performance/economy/reliability this means compared to the GR mixer??????

[NaughtyGT]

looky looky fellas......

front & rear LCA bushes in poly last set available @ reasonable price too.......

[NaughtyGT]

looking into some gear OS @ moment. Freight is the killer though.......

top-to-bottom FMIC; H & R springs; Bilstein shocks & the poly bushes. May have to inject poly resin into my new engine & trans mounts the wanks @ shop never fitted (fitted some others???)

[NaughtyGT]

Doesn't look like I can simply order the springs & shocks from OS. May need to arrange with a club member OS to re-send them down here?

Just in the process of making a decision on the poly bushes.

Although I can save a bundle with some of them by getting them from UK, they don't have all I want. Another supplier has offered me just about the entire bushing sets, including a set of front camber plates & a set of rear adjustable camber arms @ a considerably higher cost but, this would be for the most part all I need to modify this slouch suspension for the power increase it will get! As well, it includes poly engine mounts & sub-frame mounts to tighten up the power train out of sight.....

So, how it stands is, I can either get the most part of the suspension bushings for alot cheaper or, suck up the extra cost to allow for the other poly parts & the extra stuff mentioned above?

Never an easy decision with this mercbuildaburger

[NaughtyGT]

Well......been putting the inevitable off for too long.........out to the garage to rip out whats left of the butchered engine harness including the makeshift ECU harness that's there.

The pics won't be pretty.........either will the language...........

[NaughtyGT]

er.....leaving the engine harness butchering for now hehe........would have to say plumbing a custom IC in for this car is the biggest challenge yet. I don't want the run of the mill IC with both inlet & outlet coming off the bottom down below. An easy fix but very inefficient (need to research why? Hint, 'flow'; 'pressure drop'; 'volume').

To allow for a top to bottom IC which I would prefer I will have to move the radiator over 3" & forward about 2" toward engine in order to clear the intake side piping, also making it difficult for thermo fan install later as this needs to be fitted on the engine side of rad, hard up against it. Also means I need to make custom rad hoses somehow (great).

Also, you need to take care not to have any sharp bends ie: 90 degree or definitely 180 degree bends are a no no! Need to allow for gentle bends so this means careful placement in engine bay. Length of piping is NOT as important as bends & joiner dimensions ie: need to have step down diameter changes rather than abrupt downsizing. All this amounts to more efficient cooling.

I've even thought of putting a top mount IC (yes, it has been done believe me) & turning the turbo comp snout around to suit but this is a little radical @ this stage. Bit hard to hide mods with a huge bonnet scoop haha.

So, buggered if I know after hours of planning.........

[Mad Mat]

stupid question... but have you ever considered running the rad infront of the intercooler. makes for short runs and easy placement. may not be the best for cooling but if u stick both the rad and intercooler together and have the thermo fans on the back side of the intercooler it migh work space wise...

from this:


to this:

[Mad Mat]

my mate has this setup on his s13 and it goes quite well water temps are better and the air temps arent to bad. little bit hotter but nothing to much to worries about

[NaughtyGT]

Originally Posted by Mad Mat

stupid question... but have you ever considered running the rad infront of the intercooler

Mat, where is the rad on the 2nd pic? I must be missing something? Does it sit fairly low as I can see rad hoses behind IC???

cooling would be a big issue I would think......

This is prolly the most difficult thing I will be sorting due to custom work & noone I can find has done what I want. I'm sure there out there but it's sifting through the threads that is exhausting man You really need one end pipe on top & the other on the bottom to allow for better flow. IC's get so over looked as most just want to stick the biggest wherever it wil go without considering "how" they really work?

Thanks heaps for pics Mat You never know what I'll come up with eventually.

I have a guy sketched up a top to bottom IC already but again, it's the placement & piping that stops me going ahead & getting it done.........

P.S. that 2nd pic is what I'm talking about with bends. Pipework from IC tank ends are angled carefully not 90 degree

[Mad Mat]

yer mate its not the exact picture i wa looking for but it give u an idea..

this is what it looks like

[NaughtyGT]

Thanks Mat! I thought rad was behind the intercooler, not in front haha. This was similar to what I was considering except not so tight together. I still have to move rad sidways 3" to let inlet piping through........

Decisions decisions..........