Hello all you fellow enthusiasts and experts,

I am looking to replace my 420's engine soon with a lower-mileage unit, and while I am at it I would like to install a new turbocharger from Borg Warner. Does anyone experienced here know what type of things I will need to do to the vehicle to prep it for this tremendous boost in power? What other components are required on a car once you have added a turbo?

My plan is to ship the engine to my mechanic, and then follow suit with the Turbocharger (I'm looking at the Borg Warner EFR 8374), a new suspension system (I've heard a lot about the stock Sportline), new high-performance brakes, and possibly a tranny rebuild (manual w/ Paddle shifters).

I will of course document my progress and upload oodles of pictures and videos here once I get started.

So! Can anyone assist me with getting together this parts list? <3 in Advance.

Cheers!
Blake

'94 Mercedes Benz e420 (235 hp)(soon to be 570+ hp)

About this Post: I hail from BenzWorld where you will find the same thread. Below are some answers to the questions members there had for me:

I own a '67 Firebird w/blower and about 800 hp (the dyno cut off), and yes, I've always been a do it yourself kind of gent. I work on all of my cars, and have experience extensively with autos. I've personally felt my way in and out of the engine bay on my 420 and know her inside and out like a glove. I do not, however, have experience installing turbos, and I do not know the necessary upgrades required to install before hand.

As I have mentioned, I will be rebuilding either a used M119 w/ ~60k miles, or I will purchase a new engine (somewhere in the 10k dollar range).

Yes. I would like to keep the cost in the $15-20k dollar range; but someday I hope to have more invested.

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Important links gathered thus far:

Selected Turbo Information

300CE Turbo Project - Sleeper Car

 

I suggest you share your thread on

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...mance-paddock/

Many turbo W124 owners over there.


Answering your question, it will be hard project, many parts arent available off the shelf and you will have to custom make. Exhaust manifold, exhaust piping, intercooler fitting and piping and you will also have to mess with the fueling system to add more fuel for the extra air you will be getting from the turbo.

Mercedes fueling system is not the easiest to deal with, so maybe you will need to use additional injectors.

I have no experience with the M119 4.2 so i cant really tell if the engine bottom end and the pistons/connecting rods will be able to cope with the extra hp.

 

The M119s can handle up to 1000 hp with 2 turbos (ala Sauber in the 80s)...not sure how long after racing them did the engines need re-building but I read that most of the stock MB internals handled all the power pretty well. Finding room in the engine bay of the V8 W124s is the problem ; with even just 1 turbo.

You 'could' just buy an Audi Rs6 for that 15-20 grand investment! Twin turbo V8 with the padddle shift tranny....to do that to an old E420 will cost as much as a used RS6 with a Stage 1 ECU mod....which is just around 500 hp and 500lbs of twist. BTDT !! And with the AWD, there's almost always traction. Biased much? (yep)

But seriously now...where are you going to find traction with all that power in a RWD ride ?! My brother's 396 71' Chevelle has no traction and it's not nearly the hp of your 67' built Firebird....which I have to guess has zero traction at WOT also.

 

Hahaha, EXPENSIVE TIRES I suppose will have to do. I'll be sure to spin them a few times before I drive to melt the rubber to the road xD.

Okay, so, so far it looks as if I will need to fabricate all of the exhaust manifold/piping/fittings and potentially modify the stock fuel system to inject enough juice for the extra air. If this will not work, then I suppose I shall look into adding additional injectors, lol.

I am very glad that you have heard the stock MB internals handled the power decently, as this makes things slightly less complex. (This project is already incredibly complicated, yet far from impossible).

As for that Audi Rs6, Jim, you can call me biased but I simply can't shelf the idea of one day soon having a custom 420 with 600+ HP, hahaha, I love Mercedes-Benz autos and I'll always be willing to throw my money at them.

Also, does anyone here know if I should still pursue rebuilding a used engine with 50-60k miles? Or would it be safer to purchase a new M119?

Thanks again all,
Blake

 

Hi Blake, Just curious, with your budget, you could be turbocharging a 500e, which starts off beefier in many regards, so why start with a 420? Looking forward to your project!

 

Hi RHW,

I chose the 420 because this car has served me loyally since the day I first drove it home. I fell in love with the pristine leather interior, the black on black exterior, and the raw power waiting at the depression of a foot- I and many of my friends and family have so many joyous memories in this car; it has cruised Pacific Coast Highway from San Diego to LA, created dust storms in rural church parking lots, carried me down Lovers lane, and drifted completely side-ways @80mph around, and then about 6 feet in front of, an ^**-hole who slammed on his breaks while we were changing lanes on the 405 Freeway...

This car has out-raced Bugati's, BMW's, and other patrons of the streets surrounding the cities in which I live off of the line. It has faithfully transported me everywhere in style, and has never ceased to bring me that cheerful joy we all feel inside when we drive to work in a German-engineered cockpit, w/ the most careful attention to detail and elegance. Nearly everyone has complimented the car at some point or another.

The seats are comfortable, the hood ornament twinkles in the sun, and the leather is always kept treated by a healthy layer of green, an aroma comparable to the like of the candied air of a fresh forest, full of life at every brim.

I can't wait to drive the streets one day soon behind the wheel of my new unleashed ball of German fury. Precision at it's finest... Incomprehensible joy and pleasure.

 

Just the kind of answer I suspected!

RBYCC has turned such a project into an art, has converted his stock m103 coupe into a kind of a replica / Tribute car and probably captured his investment back in value...for a car that, like yours, won't be sold.

How long are you planning to take to getrr done?

 

True, a 5.0 liter 500E would be easier to wring out the hp if you can figure out where to stuff a turbo...tho 600 hp on one turbo is very optimistic IMO.

With a 500E, you can throw on some seriously fat rubber on the rears too...which you'll need !

Your avatar is a 500E !

 

Indeed it is, and one of my favorite photos at that.
(It makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside seeing as the driver looks kind of like myself from afar.)

There is no denying that the 500e is brilliant, but there are even body kits that will bring the same look to the 420 that are relatively inexpensive for the quality of the work. Beyond this, the car is certainly a collectible. I mind you this is the 333 hp/205 kW at 5700 rpm V-8 variant. I can't tell you how many people mention the model number as well, especially when we are vacuum sealed in it in a cloud of smoke..

Someone offered me ten thousand for it, but as I listed above this car and I have far too many memories to ever look at any of this as a for profit affair. Cars are simply one of my passions, and this car is the Jewel of my eye at the moment. As I said it already turns heads and mass-spawns compliments, it's one of the most comfortable rides you will ever partake in, and it will be better by ten fold when I install a new suspension system and acquire some better tires. It may be one of the only 420's to have ever received such attention, money, and care one day for all I know, but this project has a green light, and very soon I will have amassed 875 hp to scoop under my hood and thrust through my German turbo, and I may even have a bottle NO2 to boot, ^^.

As I have said, this is going to be one Epic thread.

I plan to begin as soon as the last of my investments have trickled back to me, and as soon as I have a full detailed plan of what I am going to do and how I am going to accomplish this project. So hopefully, this means very soon

 

lets make this happen..

I would first set it up with your current motor get it dialed in then build a new motor..
1. for experiment purposes
2. you don't want to mess up your new motor trying to dial in a fuel curve or anything else. something will go wrong!!!
3. find the limits of a stock M119

Are you willing to go to a stand alone electronics.. you could keep the Benz ECM but I see issue with the air meter and where its placed. it will have boost running through it which can have a certain effect on air fuel trims and reliability of the air meter..

are you thinking 2 small turbo? one big one?

I would feel the motor should last under 6-8lbs of boost..