bnz1jz

Hi all,
I have a 1995 c180 with a toyota turbo conversion. I have the standard diff that I am worried will not handle the power for too long. I have been told that the amg c43 might work for me bu are very rare.

Would the c43 diff be an easy bolt on?
Is there any way to upgrade my standard diff?
What power could the c43 diff withstand?
I need the diff to be able to withstand aprox 450-500hp

Any contacts would be appreciated.
thanks

Z06EATER

the C43 diff won't bolt up, it's way bigger..in size..

bnz1jz

Can it be made to fit without spending thousands?

SeeKlasse

there are some very knowledgeable people here who will chime in soon with a solution

AMGC

c36 diff as far as i know handled the twin turboed 560 hp fine

Z06EATER

would it be able to fit tho?

bnz1jz

Can anyone tell me what the diff ratio is on the c43? Is the diff the same on the c36?

MarcusF

Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the 1995 C36 had a 2.87. The later C36 had a 3.07, as did the C43. I don’t know whether the 3.07 ring and pinion will fit whatever pumpkin came with the C180, but if the mount points are the same (and having seen a five link rear on a bench, they should be) swapping the entire diff shouldn’t be an issue. Of course, having never personally tried, there may be “issues”. If you've got a running 1JZ in a W202, swapping the diff won't be a problem.

As an aside, what’s the factory ratio on a C180? It may be shorter than a 3.07. Then you’ll only need axles . . . . . . till something else breaks. And with a 1JZ, you may not have to wait very long. Which transmission are you running? Does it still have the factory duals or are you at 500 HP now? What about those strange JDM fans? Those go for BIG money out here in So Cal. Who did your wiring harness, or are you running a stand alone?

bnz1jz

Marcus, thanks for your info. Im running the toyota Trans. Its still got the twin turbos but before I do the single turbo modification I want to sort out the diff. At the moment it has a standard toyota ecu but I have a Power Fc that is plug and play. Also have a seperate "ecu" for the trans to control it and allows manual gear changes.
The motor is too big and too close to the radiator to fit a water pump fan so It has two thermos between the radiator and Grill. Im not sure if these are factory 180 but I think they are. I also have a rebuilt trans to handle the extra power of the single turbo. After the single turbo mod, I will then get some mild cams for it.

I have two options with the diff. Either look for a similar merc diff and hopefully get rid of the toothpics and use thicker axles (hopefully bolt in) Otherwise a complete different Diff and new axles (big $$)
Iv got a few Merc wrecker\dealers trying to find a diff that will fit as I have found the C36\C43 mercs\diff are as rare as hens teeth.

I also need to upgrade my brakes as they are still standard. Rotors are aprox 270mm d. I have been told the brakes from a 129 series merc will bolt on and are aprox 300mm d but they are not vented\cross drilled. Fitting the rotors is cool as im rolling on 19's.

Do you know of any other mercedes diff that may be similar, such as an e series etc?
Cheers

MarcusF

The C43 diff housing is part number 2023509714. The same part was used on the 2002/2003 SLK32. Unfortunately they’re probably both a little pricey. The C180 diff housing is a 124 part – 1243502214. I thought the CLK part might be a direct swap (the rear track on a C43 is 58.4 inches and a CLK55 is 58.6), but the V8 CLK diff housings have 208 part numbers. You might want to see if a CLK430 diff fits. The CLK430 diff should be less expensive than the CLK55 part.

On the upside, in the US, used ceramic CT12A turbos sell quickly and for top dollar. I don’t think very many people can rebuild them.

bnz1jz

Thanks marcus for that great info! Would the diff you spoke about be strong enough to handle the power?
I had my mechanic check out the standard diff for me yesterday and I just wanted to tell you the ratio. Does this seem normal
When the car was in the air, he had to turn the tailshaft 1 \23 time to get 1 wheel revolution. That makes the standard c180 ratio at aprox 1.66:1 No wonder I dont get wheelspin

Im thinking a ratio around the mid 3s would be good for my application.

What year is the CLK430 that you think may fit? Any idea of the ratio on that?

Thanks in advance

ProjectC55

Great info Marcus,and I believe Mbenzman mentioned to me that the diff on the C280 and the C43 had the same part #'s as well. When I wanted to try and install a quaife diff in my car Rich(Mbenzman) was cross referencing all the part #'s and if memory serves me right the C280 diff was the same.

ProjectC55

I believe 2.82 0r 87 as well.

MarcusF

Right on the money. A CLK430 has a 2.87 and a CLK55 has a 2.82.

Limotec

Hi Marcus
I have a CLK 230 how the hell do you get the diff out of the casing ?? I've been looking at it all day, now I'm ready to quit.

I've tried to find there information on this but with no luck if you or any of the guys out there could help.

CLK230 1998 Automatic

Regards Paul

mercedes211995

i know this is an old thread but what diff did you end up using, cuz i am swapping my w202 engine to an ls3

brad_c43

diff isn't that rare there are w210s that have the diff too.

Sulaco

this has been done and documented:

Some hero is putting an LS3 and a tremec 6 speed manual in a 95 C280 - MBWorld.org Forums

1995 mercedes c280 ls3/tr6060 combo - LS1TECH - Camaro and Firebird Forum Discussion

mercedes211995

i have seen it, but used a GM diff, and in australia it is very difficult to get axles custom made, so i am hoping to get a mercedes that i can swap out avoiding that.

Sulaco

The stock diff in any 202 should be the same. Unless you're building a high horsepower LS motor, you can just weld a stock diff for more traction. I would think if you're going 400hp or more, you have no choice but to get creative with a different diff entirely.