MB V8 – BMW gearbox adapter KIT
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 265
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From: Boston, MA
1999 MB C43 AMG
MB V8 – BMW gearbox adapter KIT
Have you guys ever heard about this company and their products? http://www.abc-clutch.com/products/m...ox-adapter-kit I am in no way affiliated with them but it sounds too good to be true 
From their website:
This is Mercedes-Benz V8 engine series to BMW gearbox adapter flange.
Our kit allows you to run many MB V8 4.3-6.3 liter engines with bullet proof BMW manual gearbox. As there were almost non rwd gearbox with RWD layout offered from Mercedes-Benz. The kit is Plug and play to run the BMW gearbox, you should use the BMW starter motor with this kit, and need some small cutting in bell housing.
Complete LSx to BMW gearbox adapter flange kit includes:
Adapter can be used to adapt these BMW gearboxes:
These boxes are proven to be bullet proof and have been seen on applications up to 1500 nm. These boxes in good condition allow really fast shifting.
Adapter kit PINK is ABC Clutch designed, manufactured and tested. All parts are CNC machined, checked and treated against corrosion. All measurements are taken with CNC dial-up gauge from OEM Toyota/BMW/Tilton parts for proper engine and gear box center collinear alignment fitting.
There are many adapter plates on the market, but ABCs are the only ones with centering pins, to get crankshaft center and gearbox input shaft aligned precisely. This guarantees that the multi disk clutch spline won’t be damaged caused by incorrect alignment. This is the same problem with Cut and Welded bell housings which during the welding will warp causing the misalignment.
From their website:This is Mercedes-Benz V8 engine series to BMW gearbox adapter flange.
Our kit allows you to run many MB V8 4.3-6.3 liter engines with bullet proof BMW manual gearbox. As there were almost non rwd gearbox with RWD layout offered from Mercedes-Benz. The kit is Plug and play to run the BMW gearbox, you should use the BMW starter motor with this kit, and need some small cutting in bell housing.
Complete LSx to BMW gearbox adapter flange kit includes:
- Flywheel (to work with Tilton 7.25” 2-3 disc clutches)
- Adapter flange
- Tilton OT II clutch (2 plate 900nm / 3 plate 1500nm)
- Billet aluminum release bearing to work with OEM BMW fork and slave cylinder
- All necessary bolts EXCEPT crank bolts (ARP crank bolts optional)
- Instruction manual
Adapter can be used to adapt these BMW gearboxes:
- E46 m3 6speed (2000-2006)
- E36 m3 6speed (1995-1999)
- E39 3.0d 5speed (1998-2000)
- E46 3.0d 5 speed (1999-2005)
- E46 2.0d 5 speed (2001-2005)
These boxes are proven to be bullet proof and have been seen on applications up to 1500 nm. These boxes in good condition allow really fast shifting.
Adapter kit PINK is ABC Clutch designed, manufactured and tested. All parts are CNC machined, checked and treated against corrosion. All measurements are taken with CNC dial-up gauge from OEM Toyota/BMW/Tilton parts for proper engine and gear box center collinear alignment fitting.
There are many adapter plates on the market, but ABCs are the only ones with centering pins, to get crankshaft center and gearbox input shaft aligned precisely. This guarantees that the multi disk clutch spline won’t be damaged caused by incorrect alignment. This is the same problem with Cut and Welded bell housings which during the welding will warp causing the misalignment.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 265
Likes: 0
From: Boston, MA
1999 MB C43 AMG
That's a great question, I'm not too sure what the implication for that would be but I was surprised enough to see this option out there calling MB 4.3 V8. Rare enough... Need to do more research on this obviously
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,053
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From: A.D., U.A.E
2000 (W202 C200) & 2000 (W202 C55)
Are these adapter kit controlled Electrically or just Mechanically..?,
they not specific for which exactly those kit work with 6 or 7 or 9 speed..??
i assume they put that advertised to know how many peoples & companies gonna contact them,
of course hide INVESTMENTS....!!
ZAYED,,
they not specific for which exactly those kit work with 6 or 7 or 9 speed..??
i assume they put that advertised to know how many peoples & companies gonna contact them,
of course hide INVESTMENTS....!!
ZAYED,,
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 265
Likes: 0
From: Boston, MA
1999 MB C43 AMG
Too many questions for me buddy 
But I'm sure they could answer this... Looks like they're located in Latvia though so hopefully they have english-speaking folks and a product ready to be used... not just a design. 
People have been waiting for this long enough that I guess they should see some follow-up on this. Plus if it's true it applies to most MB V8 engines, so you can be sure they'll receive a few calls
But I'm sure they could answer this... Looks like they're located in Latvia though so hopefully they have english-speaking folks and a product ready to be used... not just a design. People have been waiting for this long enough that I guess they should see some follow-up on this. Plus if it's true it applies to most MB V8 engines, so you can be sure they'll receive a few calls
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,418
Likes: 194
From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
Yeah if it were that easy it'd be a relatively common mod. The fact that literally only the C36 has ever been sometimes carefully modified to manual is a big hint. Don't you think people like Turbobandit, Kleemann, brabus, etc would have long since done it and sold kits or finished cars like this?
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 636
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From: MN, USA
C43 5.4, ML320CDI, Fords
there is ALOT more to a swap like this than just physically bolting the trans to the engine. that is the tiny piece of the puzzle.
Bottom line is the car was not made for it and it would never be a good swap, and would cost a ton of money and fabrication.
I don't ever understand why some people obsess about having a manual transmission in a Mercedes. I think you're missing the point of a Mercedes. Mercedes could put a manual in any car they want, they don't for a reason, they're not that kind of car. If you want to shift your gears do it in a junk bmw. The 722.6 is one of the best transmissions ever made.
While you're at it you might as well replace the engine also with a junky bmw or domestic engine then also. What's the point? Grass isn't always greener on the other side. Coworker put a manual in his 1995 c280, it was nothing special and quite stupid in the end.
Also I've witnessed comparisons between the c230k cars in the w203 chassis and also the slk350 cars in 171 chassis. in head to head comparisons, the 722.6/9 car is always a little faster the whole way through.
Bottom line is the car was not made for it and it would never be a good swap, and would cost a ton of money and fabrication.
I don't ever understand why some people obsess about having a manual transmission in a Mercedes. I think you're missing the point of a Mercedes. Mercedes could put a manual in any car they want, they don't for a reason, they're not that kind of car. If you want to shift your gears do it in a junk bmw. The 722.6 is one of the best transmissions ever made.
While you're at it you might as well replace the engine also with a junky bmw or domestic engine then also. What's the point? Grass isn't always greener on the other side. Coworker put a manual in his 1995 c280, it was nothing special and quite stupid in the end.
Also I've witnessed comparisons between the c230k cars in the w203 chassis and also the slk350 cars in 171 chassis. in head to head comparisons, the 722.6/9 car is always a little faster the whole way through.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,418
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From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
But a friend of mine has had an E46 325i since new and has babied it religiously. Extremely meticulous service intervals and records. But at 150k the dealer told him he needed $2k lifter job!! I assumed it was typical stealership lies, but I googled it and discovered a truly shocking truth that damn near every BMW 6 cylinder engine will ultimately need lifters and/or a COMPLETELY NEW HEAD at 150k+ miles. That is absolutely unacceptable and has chased me away from BMW forever. I'm dumbfounded that people put up with that kind of thing.
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Bay Area, CA
98 C43, 15 Alfa 4C LE, 18 Tesla Model 3 DM Perf, 08 Duc S1000, 02 Duc 998, 98 Duc 748, 01 Miata
A number of AMG's prior to the buyout by Daimler had manual transmissions. There was one in the show room of the MB dealer here in Charlotte a year or two ago, but I haven't been able to track the picture I took down yet. I'll hunt for it. I prefer to row my own gears. My attraction to AMG is the "more power fixes everything" approach, not the auto tranny for sure.
This is an interesting find for sure. Still not sure how the electronics would work out.
This is an interesting find for sure. Still not sure how the electronics would work out.
