Mercedes-Benz S124 200Td: More power and at least a 30% limited-slip differential

Good evening.

My name is Matthis (Matthias), and I'm from the Lower Rhine region (Kamp-Lintfort).
I own a W124 200 TD. With a smooth 565,000 km on the odometer.

I'm planning a project for this year, and I want to modify my favorite station wagon so that I can drive it through sand and mud. And also get a little more power.

Okay, go ahead and throw stones at me, but I want to modify my dark brown van into a vehicle that's more or less capable of off-road driving. There are probably more suitable vehicles, but I love this one so much that I only want to take my Karl-Heinz on a very special trip with it.

I still have a few things to take care of regarding the vehicle, but I'd like to get some information beforehand.

How is it possible to install a limited-slip differential in a W 124 that provides at least a 30 percent locking effect?

As well as upgrading the original engine for more power.

I had read about various modifications before, but they always involved different engines. However, I really want to keep the four-cylinder diesel engine.

It was about a 2-liter turbocharged diesel engine from a Sprinter, and I would like to know if it can easily fit into the engine bay of a W 124.

Perhaps someone here can give me some advice; I'm a trained automotive mechanic myself. "However, in the last five years, I have only built automatic transmissions."

The project should be a low-budget project, firstly because I have so little money. And secondly, because I simply enjoy improving or repairing things with minimal effort or resources.

I own various diagnostic tools, including an older Star diagnostic system, an original VCDS, and a top-of-the-line Launch diagnostic tool. I am offering diagnostic services and the ability to read error codes on a small scale.


Best regards,
Von, possibly soon to be "World Traveler" Matthis.

Hi,

Quote:

There are probably more suitable vehicles, but I love this vehicle so much that I only want to use mine. Karl-Heinz wants to have a very special trip.

For your project, a W124 equipped with 4matic would be a much better starting point, but if it has to be "Karl-Heinz"...

Quote:

I still have a few things to take care of regarding the vehicle, but I would like to get some information beforehand.

Perhaps a Mercedes/W124 or 4x4 forum would be more helpful for your project .


Depending on whether all of this still needs to be approved by the TÜV (German technical inspection authority), there are different approaches.

"I read sentences like "so that I can drive through sand and mud" and "I would like to have the..."
"to modify a dark brown van into a vehicle that is more or less capable of off-road driving."

For me, "off-road capable" also means raising the vehicle's ride height!
If the undercarriage gets stuck somewhere and the wheels are heavily unloaded, even a locking differential won't help!

Quote:

How is it possible to install a differential in a W 124 that includes at least a 30 percent lock.

Limited-slip differentials are available from Drexler, Wavetrac, and others, but at that point, we can no longer talk about a "Lobaguette" project! (I think it should mean "Low-Budget" , damn it). Auto-correction)


Then I would look for tires with a more aggressive tread pattern, from various manufacturers such as... Votech or Fedima might have something on offer.

Quote:

It was about a 2-liter turbocharged diesel engine from a Sprinter, and I would like to know if it can easily fit into the engine bay of a W 124.

That certainly wouldn't be low-budget!

Quote:

"As well as a bit more power"

What is often overlooked in projects like these, with the stated purpose, is sufficient cooling of the engine! If I try to...
"Driving through sand requires a lot of power, and even with engine modifications ("tuning"), the original cooling system can quickly reach its limits due to the lack of airflow."
At the very least, an additional electric fan controlled by a thermostat is required. Engine oil/differential oil cooler.

Best regards, Richard, and good luck!

P.S.

Quote:

I own various diagnostic tools, including an old Star diagnostic system. I also have an original VCDS and a top-of-the-line Launch device. I am offering my services on a small scale. to read out diagnoses or error codes.

I strongly suspect that the operator of this forum finances its website/homepage through the sale of diagnostic equipment and software.
I find it at least questionable when someone offers their services (whether free or not) for diagnosing problems or reading error codes specifically at that location!
Especially since VCDS doesn't seem to originate from here...

But that's just my humble, personal opinion.

Hello, thank you for the detailed answer.

First of all, you are absolutely right! Offering my services here in the forum is quite questionable.

I didn't notice that last night, and I will change or remove that section. If this is still possible...

Yes, I know. Of course, what I've undertaken is quite an adventurous endeavor. But I'm an adventurer at heart. That's precisely what appeals to me.

Of course, I've already given some thought to the cooling system. And I'll see if I can install a larger radiator from the 300 diesel engine.

First, the vehicle is presented for inspection at the TÜV (German technical inspection agency). Then the vehicle will be modified again, and then I will quickly leave German territory.

Today, I'm lifting Karl-Heinz with a jack and inspecting the underside of the car. To develop a structure there that increases the overall significance, while still protecting the lines and hoses that run along the underside.

I've already dealt with the issue regarding the essays. And I will build a detachable bumper that will be equipped with a winch.

Thank you in any case for your suggestion. And your constructive criticism of my plan.


We would be happy to forward this post to the W 124 4x4 forum.

Hi.
I'm not aware of any Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or passenger cars that had a four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine.

The 4-cylinder engines were equipped with CDI (direct fuel injection) and turbocharging, while the 5-cylinder engines also had turbocharging.

Ahoy,

So, there's a 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine. It's from a Vito and it's a 2.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

I'm not sure if this is a good choice. Luckily, it's not a CDI engine.

But I'll see if I can find one of those engines, and maybe I can get it for a reasonable price.