azncarjunkie

Hey guys,

Did a bunch of searching but didn't come up with any helpful answers. I asked in the slk forum, but nobody seems to know over there, and since the E-community is much more savy with some of the hardcore modifications, I thought it best to ask here.

How difficult and what would be needed to swap a 63 motor into an older chassis? In particular, I have a 63 motor that I want to put into an R171 (newer SLK) chassis.

I'm assuming it should physically fit easily since a 55 motor will fit and it's likely the same mounting points.

The biggest 'concern' is trying to figure out the electronics. Would I be able to just swap in the 63 ECU in place of the 55 (or other) ECU? Are the plugs/connectors the same? How would it work with TCU, EIS, etc.?

Also, anyone know of any REALLY GOOD Mercedes wrenchers in the socal (Los Angeles) area that would be able to help on such a project? Shop recommendations are highly appreciated!

itsmeek

Why would you choose the 63 engine over the 55 engine??

Yacht Master

On a 1 to 10 scale ?

1

Sell motor, sell SLK and buy a Clk 63 BS

Even if you can fit it in and get the electronics to work then you still have trans, diff, brakes and Exhaust mods to do and you will have spent more on an SLK than it would ever be worth.

BenzoBoi

+1 MOAR POWA!~!

C43AMG

It doesn't , it won't and if it did, Afalterbach would have.

itsmeek

Ohh, my mistake- he said he already has a 63 engine..

azncarjunkie

Thought about just taking a slk55 and slapping a SC on it, but that didn't seem like that much 'fun' to me.

The original reason to get a 63 instead of a 55 is that I was going to boost it and a 4-cam, 4-valve, closed deck motor seems like a lot more fun to play with than our 2-cam 3-valve motors. That would require a different ECU altogether and I'm not sure how many stock functions I'd lose in the process (traction, ignition, etc.).

So the secondary process which I'm pursuing now would be a higher revving N/A build which I'm hoping I can use the stock electronics from a 63 to control and still get close to 600hp from.

Any really good benzo mechanics should know the differences between the different electronics systems if someone can point me in the right direction.

azncarjunkie

Any REAL insight as to why you'd say this other than "Afalterbach doesn't do it so it can't exist". Have you ever thought why the SLK55 doesn't come supercharged even though it's the same M113 engine as the other SC 55's?

C43AMG

You want the REAL INSIGHT?????The 6.3 motor has 2 fuel pumps and doesn't fit on the current chasis.Unfortunately the SLK will probably never see the 6.3 and will more than likely be the debut car for the 5.5 twin turbo engine.As far as your 2nd question , it was marketing and price points.It was easier to supercharge the models with high price points and higher horsepower.Kind of like why all the 6.3 models have different horsepower ratings.

azncarjunkie

If an SLK shares the same chassis and front sub-frame connector as a C class, which it also shares with the CLK which fits everything up to the 55 AND the 63...then please explain why a 63 motor wouldn't fit into an SLK which shares the same components as the two.

azncarjunkie

You also hit the nail on the head. marketing and price points. Why would they put a 63 motor into an SLK that would blow the doors off of any of their other AMG car that they have out there. the C63 is already detuned compared to the other 63's but still a full 500 lbs heavier than the slk.

The SLK is about 800 lbs lighter than the SL also. How would the iconic SL's marketing department feel about needing over 600hp to keep up with the power/weight ratio of an slk63 ...

No need to be all aggro and weird with using multiple punctuation!!!!!!!!

Ali_E55

i know a garage here that i deal with. installed a 55k engine in the SLK but using the 7-speed gear which is for the NA55.


it is a monster.

of course he installed a pulley and ECU tune also.

a monster @@.

kjlindgr

If I were to undergo a full one-off engine swap in one of these cars and have to deal with the electronics and size differences of making it all work, I'd say fk-it to the Merc motor and put an LSX Chev motor in it. Much broader aftermarket options as well as known and proven performance modifications. Tuning software is off the shelf and guys are making gobs of power. Oh, and let's not forget that parts are cheap as hell compared to a Merc.

Mate it up to a 4L80E trans...stout as hell and still electronically shift-able if you wanted paddles.

You could probably do a full Chev drive train swap, with snails or blower with money left over after selling that 63 motor

azncarjunkie

Certainly american muscle is a the way to go for simple modification and gobs of power. That's probably one of the next projects on the list. This is more of a 'fun' project since it isn't easy to just throw together prefabricated parts.

C43AMG

Since you don't accept my answer as fact.Go sign up for the AMG Private Lounge - http://www.mercedes-amg.com/privatelounge/index.php - then tomorrow night at 9pm eastern time there is a "chat session" were you can directly ask the people from AMG why-according to you-the 6.3 motor should "drop in" to the present SLK chasis and should be put into production.

Roupin

4L80 is a truck transmission, and most swaps using that tranny see drivetrain losses of up to 25%. 4L60 is the car version of it, but in the end is just a 4 speed. Maybe the 6L60 at least...although a manual T56 would be a ton more fun.

azncarjunkie

Why should anyone take your answer as fact? You didn't at any point say anything that gives any sort of relevance as to why the motor won't fit. Stop spreading forum stupidity and answer a question with some real data instead of 'what you heard' or 'what you think' unless prefaced as such.

Your answer was "It doesn't. if it did, they would have done it". That's the answer of someone who has never innovated anything....ever. Are you on the show Jersey Shore by any chance?

kjlindgr

Yes, it's a truck motor (stout) with over drive. Prove your 25% drivetrain loss comment now.

citylightva

And yet another thread dissolves into a pissing match. Back to the OP, You would need to talk to someone VERY familiar with MB electronics. Someone did something similar to this, I wish I could remember where I'd seen it, and he said the hardest thing was getting all the computers to link up again. Actually had to reprogram some things with a Star tech. Good luck, if you want to sell your motor let me know haha

C43AMG

Do you see anyone doubting the information I have posted?I did provide you with the reason it won't fit......it has 2 fuel pumps .At no point did I use the phrase "I heard.." or "I think...".I will use this phrase - "I know it won't fit" ,ok?Again, you don't see anyone in this thread doubting the information I posted - except you.

clkwork

On a 1 to 10 scale I rate this idea a 10.

It sounds like a cool project if you could ever get all the kinks worked out, but you'd end up spending a fortune in time and money trying to get there. Probably not a good idea unless you have the tools and talent to do it yourself.

Reminds me of the bimmer knuckleheads that swap M5 V8s into the E30 chassis.

izzyz28

I think there are quite a few people in other online communities who see a difference in the number of fuel pumps required as a minor inconvenience on a project of this scale. A custom fuel system is not exactly an impossible thing to figure out. The whole undertaking sounds like more trouble than it's worth, but saying IT HAS 2 FUEL PUMPS AND WILL NEVER WORK is a stupid argument.

azncarjunkie

Apparently everyone else just ignores you since they actually comment on what the post was originally about. Saying that it can't be done because "it needs 2 fuel pumps" is just plain pathetic.

The question from the original post is what would be needed to get it done. I didn't say anything about it being economically efficient. Nor did I want to pose the question in a manner that would open it up to answers by internet trolls like yourself with tidbits of relevant information that make you think that you know anything when it comes to real engineering.

Sorry to burst your 'internet knowledge bubble' to get your panties in a fritz. But if you want to actually try and add any real value to a thread, try talking about something specific like how the 63 electronics system is different and therefore only the cluster may work and that I'd need to get other 63 eis/tcu, etc modules. I was told the 63 ecu is based on a different bosch system, but unsure of what old components may still work with it.

I don't claim to know which is why I'm asking. I'm just laughing at you since you're jumping in as if you know it all and I shudder to think that people even listen to you.

Marcus Frost

azn,

While I appreciate the enthusiasm for your project the bottom line is that anything is possible with enough money, so to a certain extent your question is somewhat of a paradox. If you do not have financial constraints the truth is you can almost put whatever engine in whatever car you want (within reason, of course). The concern about ECU and factory amenities is all a question of $$$... will you go full standalone (ala MoTeC) with factory ECU controlling auxiliary systems, do you want to tune a factory ECU which is junk anyways and poorly understood, blah blah blah

The 6.3 motor is expensive, poorly understood, and expensive to get big HP out of (minus for nitrous). The 55k engine on the otherhand, is easily available used for considerably less money, built for boost from the factory, and has quite a few more available modifications for it.

Obviously we don't have SLKs with 63 engines running around everywhere so in addition to an overall perspective I don't think asking about 63 engines in an SLK chassis is something a lot of people from the W211 community are going to be able to give tremendous insight into, because it's just not something that crosses a lot of our collective pallets very often, I'm sorry to say.

-m

Esh

Seems to be happening a lot lately, but also seems to happen a lot when someone is trying to do something new and different.

I say good luck to the OP, but also, you kind of asked for it by asking for people's opinions. Prove us your doubters wrong and go out and put a 63 motor in. You'll likely spend a ton of $$$, but good luck. Keep us updated on your progress.