RBYCC

Vehicle has been ready for pickup since March 12.
Finally FedEx / Passport Transport had a truck in the area.
Loaded this afternoon and should arrive in Chicago at Willow Automotive on Friday or Saturday.
Install should begin next week.
My next post should be the base line dyno of the engine prior to the install.

mgw_300e

bjay51d

x2 ...im officially jealous

Saijin_Naib

Duuuude, you rock! Enjoy, take pictures, I love you, etc etc etc

dragonfli_VF

so... ummm, where did you find out about the turbo? Is your engine the same as a 89 300E? maybe I can do one too?

RBYCC

Was looking to turbo for some time.

Only kit that I knew was available was Mosselman which was priced around $6500.00 !!!
Mosselman decided to not manufacture the M103 and M104 kits late last year.

Just started doing Google searches which led me to several forums.
One poster in the UK indicated that he received an M103 kit for Christmas and the cost was 1000 pounds sterling ( about $1950.00 )
Another Australian poster bought the same kit for his M104.
Found out that some kits were available from a UK MB dealer, Hughes of Beaconsfield.

Hughes had the kits made in the late eighties by TurboTechnics for dealer install on new M103 and M104 W124's.
Installed price in the nineties was 7285 pounds sterling ( about $14205.00 !! )
They did over twenty five cars for UK delivery and most are still on the road.
Martin Traynor's W124 sedan has over 175000 miles and was featured in the September 2006 UK Mercedes Enthusiast magazine.

Modified cars outperformed 500E's with 0-60MPh in the mid five second range.

I'm currently communicating with the Australian kit purchaser, comparing notes as he has just begun his install.

Not sure how many kits, if any, are still available.
Price is an extreme bargain at around $2700.00 delivered to the USA.
Includes a complete large bore stainless steel exhaust.

dragonfli_VF

what comes with the kit, the 103 benz motor was well known for it's low compression... would you have to lower it any more? did you have to do any prep work to get it FI worthy? I'm in process to finally do something with my beater, but I'm leaking a little bit of all fluids

2700 for a FULL KIT?! and any ecu tuning required?

Parshman

If I could afford to keep my car I would do it.

RBYCC

The MB dealer that the kits were made for was modifying the con rods to reduce compression to 9.1:1. I believe this may have been the comment for the M104 as the M103 already is at 9.2:1.

It's a straight bolt on and comes with a piggy back ECU for the fuel enrichment and all associated sensors.
There is a throttle body adapter plate that has two additional injectors installed which accomplish the enrichment.
I believe the turbos are set at 7PSI boost.
Kit complete with turbos, cast exhaust manifolds, intercooler, cast intake air box, cast plenum box, large bore stainless steel exhaust system less cat. (high flow twin 2" in / twin 2" out cat available for under $200 in USA).
All hoses, wiring, electronics, hardware, etc. included.

1000 lbs sterling if still available.
Purchased a authorized MB dealer "Hughes of Beaconsfield" in the U.K.
Parts department contact is John Pearson. Tel # 011-44-1494-672-141.

When they are gone, there will be no more.
Problem with the M103 is that no current engine/fuel management system will work with the semi-electronic Bosch KE-Jetronic III injection.

The M103 is a very durable engine that with the twin turbo will put out 325HP and a like amount of torque and give long term reliability nd durability.

BenzBro

It seems to good to be true! I'm so tempted, my parents would probably not like the idea of me spending that much on my car since i'm still in college...with them paying most of it. Twin turbo tho.... haha

bluecoupe

Mine is on it's way - thanks for finding these kits & posting progress reports. The only task that concerns me is the conn rod shortening... Is your guy @ willow doing this?

dragonfli_VF

someone take a pic and inventory list so that when no more are available, some of us cheap basterds can still attempt this by piecing our own together...

RBYCC

Don't know where you are located, but after much research, I found that Brian Murphy at Willow Automotive in Chicago knows the M103/M104 turbo installs by heart !!!!

As far as the con rod mod to lower compression, I'm not doing it, as the M103 is already 9.2:1.
If you have the higher compression M104, Brian suggested using a thicker head gasket to achieve the increase of combustion area and lower compression.

The Garrett turbos are set around 7psi boost and the electronics that come with the kit will control spark advance.
Depends how you want to drive it.
Don't think there will be a problem with daily driving and occasional wide open burst of power.

Brian did some Mosselmans and was written up in Auto Week on his first install in the late eighties/early nineties.

It was worth a $2K round trip transport to get it done correctly.
His shop has a dyno, which in my mind is imperative to get not only max power, but reliability. Can't have it lean out on you !!!!

What I like about it is that the install will have "provenance", which is important to the value of the car. It's not like a DIY install. The kit will come with nameplates, serial numbers, etc from Hughes.
The Hughes TurboTechnics are extremely desirable in the UK as they were the homegown challenge that outperformed tuner AMG in that era

RBYCC

You couldn't replicate the kit for what they are selling for !!!
You would have to fabricate out of tubing the exhaust manifolds that mount the turbos.
The kit comes with cast manifolds and transition sections.
You could probably use a BMW air filter assembly which is what Mosselman uses.
The kit has cast air filter and plenum boxes.
The real problem is in the engine/fuel management that is compatible with the KE-Jetronic.
Nothing commercially available today for this simplistic style of injection.
You would have to convert to a full electronic system to use today's controllers.
The kit is a straight bolt on that will give a factory appearance

MiKeSSw203

Nice Project!

dragonfli_VF

yeah, agreed... but if the funds are not available now, and the kit will not be avilable in the future, then what can you do?

I have friends who know how to weld... piping can be bought can create a conversion to a single big turbo exhaust manifold

turbo basic set up... turbo manifold to turbo to downpipe and exhaust.
intake to turbo to throttle body... aftermarket injectors coupled with map sensor.

stand alone fuel engine management... completely customizeable to fit every need for every individual..
do the w124 have a MAF?

2500+ USD? it's a very good deal!

how much are they charging for installation?

RBYCC

M103 is a basic engine with a simplistic semi mechanical fuel injection system.
You or anyone else can build their own system if you have the ability to fabricate the necessary parts.

The biggest problem is with the engine management as the M103 has few sensors to input an electronic control unit.
M103 is more suitable for a piggy back system.
The stock ECU remains intact and fully functional.

Not as simple as you think as it requires dyno tuning/adjustment to assure the correct amount of fuel enrichment under boost and load.

My interest in the kit was because it has history, and is well known as a period install similar to what AMG was doing.
The finished product will have more value as the TurboTechnic installs have been widely documented by the motoring press and period publications.

Install around $4K which includes base line dyno, after install dyno and of course the fitting of a complete 2" x 2 Pipe large bore exhaust

P.S. Kit delivered to my door was exactly $2628.53 all inclusive of cost, airfreight, insurance, customs clearance and import duty

bluecoupe

I have the M104, so I'll need to shorten the rods. The thicker head gasket idea sounds plausable, though I would be concerned about blowing gaskets at full boost. I also understand that I'll need to have the pistons & throttle body machined too - I should probably give your guy a call.

Luckily I live in Detroit, so not too far from Chicago if ultimately necessary....

My conversion will be performed at Motorwerks as my car is alrady there having an all metal 500e wide body with AMG front end fabricated for it.

I'll look forward to comparing notes along the way.

Chappy

I'm glad some folks here are starting to build some 124-coupe monsters!

RBYCC

I should start accumulating "notes" by next week and will keep you informed.
Curious as to what the base line dyno will show !!!

Ortolan

I would think a used 3.0L M103 in fairly good condition would make ~140hp at the wheels.
I'm ditching the stock computer in favour of an Autronic and going for 300kW/400bhp at the flywheel with my E320 Turbo Technics install.
0-60 in 5 seconds.

RBYCC

I was estimating 140-150 at the wheels.
Hoping to almost double the HP with the install.
Let me know how the Autronic works as I'm staying with the piggy back system supplied with the kit.
You're probably not that far off in your 0-60 expected times.