The evolution of my 32-Valve SEC... - Mercedes

The evolution of my 32-Valve SEC...
For months, the SEC was parked in closed storage in Pasadena, California. I just didn't have the time nor a
solid plan on what to do with the car. The original engine had long since been removed in place of a 6.0L
engine built by Barry Taylor. The subsequent demise of Barry Taylor's engine, transmission, and exhaust
system rendered the car eventually useless. I pulled the entire setup from my car myself and parked the car
in storage.
The delimma...I had several choices open to me. Here's what I had on the table:
1. Just sell/part out the car, be done with it and buy a brand new 2001 Mercedes-Benz CL55
2. Buy a brand new stock engine and transmission and reinstall it back into the car at a tune of nearly
$8000
3. Buy a brand new 6.0L block from RENNtech or MKB at a cost of $15,950 for JUST the engine,
another $2,000 for the transmission, plus $3500 for labor and towing = $21,450 minimum
4. Talk to AMG and get a 6.0L block from them in Germany at the tune of $10,000
5. Sit and twiddle my thumbs and keep driving my other cars....
After much thought and discussion, I decided that no matter what option I went with, I MYSELF would
personally perform all the labor on my car. I didn't care what RENNtech, Brabus, or any of the other tuners
had to say nor what reputation they had, after the long ordeal with my SEC, considering how cosmetically
perfect as it is, NO ONE was going to be allowed to touch this car any more except me, myself, and I with
my own bare hands. Not to mention, I really have as much necessary knowledge about the car as any of
these other clowns. That said, another thought as well, "...how can one acheive good hp, update the car, but
NOT give up the day-to-day reliability and servicability that Mercedes designed into the car to begin
with?" DEFINATELY not by going to any of the tuners as they produce one-off engines that only THEY
can service. After my first ordeal with the 6.0L M117.967 engine, I steered away from this. I also couldn't
justify spending $8,000 on a stock motor and transmission. It was almost cheaper to just buy another
SEC! At least I'd have a whole other car.
I had a conversation with my friend, David Cole regarding the installation of a newer MB motor into the
SEC. The thought of the project seemed complex especially since I didn't know of anyone else personally
that performed such a feat. Also, since the SEC used the Bosch CIS-E fuel injection system, the ONLY
MB with a newer motor that would be most compatible was the M119.960 engine. This engine also used
Bosch CIS-E but was ONLY available from 1990-1992 in the R129 500SL convertible. Also, I needed
EVERYTHING; not just the motor, rather, the intake, sensors, harness, plugs, caps, electronics including
all computers, relays, etc. I started passively looking...slowly....then more concentrated but had little luck...
One day my friend, Bobby Mukkamala pointed out that there was a wrecked 1992 500SL near New York
City. I was able to contact the owner of the wreck and found out that his mechanic was an MB tech who
did work on the side. Well, this MB tech's personal car was a 1985 500SEC. He wanted to implant this
500SL motor into his car. With that in mind, the motor and all electronics, harnesses, computers, exhaust
manifolds, intake, sensors, EVERYTHING was pulled complete and intact from the wrecked
500SL. Afterwards, the tech changed his mind and decided just to sell it all. Enter my good friend, Max
Moussalli. Max, who resides in New York, gratiously offered to examine the engine, ancilliary items, and
speak to the owner regarding what I had in mind. In the meantime, the thought of transplanting an M119
engine into the SEC was REALLY growing on me....
What are the inherent advantages of the M119 5.0L 32-valve V8 vs. the old 5.6L M117.96x V8?
old air box from M117 (left) vs. nice, modern air box from M119 (right)
Technical Modifications and Innovations from Engine M117.967/968
Engine Block
! Newly-developed gaskets are made of an asbestos-free material
! Helicoil threaded inserts, M12x30, are used for the cylinder head bolts. The right and left outer
threads have an inclination of 5"
! Holes are drilled in the crankshaft main bearing webs to prevent oil foaming
! Lateral oil return bores for larger volume of return oil are installed. There is a connector with an
opening to the cylinder head for air injection. The cylinder head bolt pattern has been modified
Cylinder Heads
! Heater supply pipe from the left cylinder head through the intake manifold flange. The
lengthwise oil gallery in the cylinder head is closed in the rear with a threaded plug. Core holes are
covered with sheet metal plates. Valve cover gaskets in the semicircular slots have an overlap to the
outside
! 4-valve, aluminum cylinder head with 2 overhead camshafts
Inlet valve: 14° inclination
Exhaust valve: 23° inclination
! Roof-shaped combustion chamber each with 2 intake and 2 exhaust valves
! Valve seat bores:
Intake: 39.10 mm
Exhaust: 34.10 mm
! Valve tappet bores (35mm diameter) with oil pockets for the hydraulic lifters
! Spark plugs located in the center of the combustion chamber
! Flat ring sealed spark plugs, thread: M14 x 1.25
! Spark plug bores without lower water drain holes are sealed from above
! A lengthwise air injection duct with branching passages to the exhaust valves
! The threads for the exhaust manifold screws are surrounded with engine coolant through a
system of drilled holes. These holes are sealed from the outside with steel balls
Connecting Rods
! Forged connecting rods with a lengthwise bore (4mm diameter) for oil spray cooling of the
pistons
Pistons
! Cast aluminum pistons with iron-coated running surfaces
! Flat piston crown with 4 identical valve recesses
! Piston cooling by oil spray through the connecting rod bore
! All piston rings are chrome-plated
Vibration Damper
! Newly adapted harmonic frequency
! 45° before TDC mark is stamped on the circumference as an assembly mark. When the no. 1
piston is at 45° before TDC, each camshaft can be turned by hand without any valves colliding with
pistons. Therefore, in this position, heads can be installed without valves touching pistons
! In place of the steel pin for the TDC transmitter, a recessed dove tail key is inserted at 25°
BTDC
Ring Gear
! 2 magnets are now installed on two segments of the ring gear. This allows the position sensor to
distinguish the two cylinder banks (1 to 4 and 5 to 8)
Oil Pan
! The aluminum oil pan with bolted on sheet metal lower pan is sealed to the crankcase with a
gasket as before. The bolted-on oil baffles prevent foaming of the engine oil returning through the return
passages
Camshafts
! Two camshaft timing adjusters hydraulically/mechanically rotate the intake camshafts relative to
the driving camshaft sprocket by 20° of crankshaft angle in the advanced position and back to the retarded
position. The adjustment is controlled electromagnetically through the CIS-E control unit
! The adjustment time of 1 second is dependent on the engine oil pressure at the camshaft
adjusters and the temperature and viscosity of the oil
! The camshaft position indicator on the camshaft sprocket sends the camshaft rpm signal from
the camshaft position sensor as an input parameter for the ignition control unit. The angle of rotation for
the camshaft advancement is limited by circumferential stops between the camshaft sprocket and the
flanged hub. A spiral cone spring prevents gear play from causing noise during cranking
! Adjustment points are as follows:
0 to between 1000-2000rpm
retarded
improved idle, improved cylinder
scavenging, reduced valve overlap
Between 1000-2000rpm to 4700rpm
advanced
increased torque, reduced waste of
Intake charge
Above 4700rpm
retarded
intake valves open and close later,
Improved volumetric efficiency
Engine shut-off
retarded
-
There are several more advantages:
1. The EZL ignition control unit now has knock sensors on either side of the engine block. The ignition
unit has FULL control of the ignition system on the engine. Also, with all the talk of superchargers, turbos,
etc., this engine is a MUCH better choice to supercharge vs. the old M117 aluminum block. The reference
resister is now built right into the EZL unit as well.
2. The super beefy 722.370 4-speed automatic transmission found in W140 S-Class sedans with V8 and
V12 engines (i.e. S500/S600) was considered. Of course, it would be modified with extra clutches, a tuned
valve body and ultra-precise spacing tolerances between the packs for perfect shift. The unit was built to
handle 450+ hp. Also, this unit comes with 5 friction discs as standard right from Mercedes-Benz.
3. Since the 500SL had a 2.65 rear end, the 3.07 on the car right now would be a much better match for the
torque characteristics of this engine than the M117.
4. The transmission has a high-pressure switch in it. Under hard throttle, when engine speeds hit the
redline, the transmission sends a signal to the EZL ignition control unit signalling the unit to retard ignition
for 400 milliseconds to provide a lightening fast shift. Way cool!
5. Oil spray cooling of each individual piston is awesome. This is similar to what MB does on their diesel
engines for cooler operating temperatures and much longer life.
6. More modern serpintine poly-V belt drive is much nicer and more reliable than the old single V-belt
design of the M117.
7. Boy is the M117 engine ugly compared to this one...The 4-cam, 32-Valve heads with dual distributors
mounted on the front of each head really was a mass improvement over prior.
8. The valvetrain was much improved with hardened valve seats and stronger valves. The old valve guide
problems of the M117 was reduced immesely.
9. And MOST important of all, this engine, without cat (on the 500SL), the M119 made 333hp, 339ft. lbs.
of torque with 10:1 compression, 91 octane fuel AND gets 18mpg city/23mpg hwy. BONE STOCK. No
changes, no maintenance headaches, no fuel problems, anyone can service it, ALL factory Mercedes-Benz
parts. Why reinvent the wheel?!
Now, I considered a few more issues.... this engine is very similar to the 500E/E500 motor. That car did 060 in the mid 5's to 6.0 second range. The 500SL was rated around 6.1-6.2 second range as well. Keep in
mind that the SL weighs nearly 200lbs. MORE than the W126 SEC, has cats, 2nd gear start, and a 2.65
gear ratio. My car has NO cats, large bore exhaust, a beefy transmission, 1st gear start, AND a 3.07
limited-slip differential. When coupled with the large 275/35ZR18, there was simply no reason to not
expect the SEC to be in the mid-5 second range for the 0-60 figure. Once again, all with a BONE STOCK
ENGINE! But how hard is such a conversion? WILL IT FIT?! Time for some massive homework....
The Donor - 1992 500SL
The 1992 500SL which was totaled had a completely intact engine bay. As a matter of
fact, the engine was pulled with the mounts still on the engine support arms. Even the
ASR traction control actuator, electronic accelerator, and wiring harnesses were
intact. Some items were missing. The alternator, starter, power steering pump, radiator
fan, smog pump, and A/C compressor. Also, the plastic intake hoses, passenger side
distributor cap, rotor, and cover were removed. However, the remainder of the items
were in excellent condition and all intact. I got the VIN number of the car from the
owner as well as the engine number from the block. A check on CarFAX assured me that
this wasn't a stolen vehicle. Also, the VIN number was given to my friend at MercedesBenz Service and a complete VMI (vehicle master inquiry) was printed and faxed back to
me. The car had a pretty normal lifespan. Just some warranty claims on the power
windows, a squeeky driver's door panel, a faulty cruise control actuator, and recalibration
of the roll bar. No engine faults or complaints. The car had been regularly
serviced. Close inspection of the engine revealed nothing surprising. The head gaskets
were intact with absolutely no signs of leakage. The ball bearing was still in place where
one adjusts the air/fuel mixture so that was never tampered with. Also CarFAX revealed
that all smog/emissions checks were passed with no problems. So far so good...
The Donor Engine - M119.960
There's no doubt that a 1992 M119 would be the best target donor engine. After all, the
engine was introduced in fall of 1989 and by 1992, any minor adjustments or
improvements would have been made. Not to mention that 1992 would be the last year
of the KE-Jetronic version of the M119 5.0L 32-Valver. The donor engine had most
items intact. It was missing the distributor drive on the right side, the cap, rotor, and all
the drivebelt accessories. Oh well, what was the chance that one finds an M119 with CIS
from a 1992 SL this complete? The engine even had oil in the crankcase and it was only
1/2 quart low! Considering the situation the motor was in (moved everywhere, pulled
from an engine bay, etc., this was a good sign...
Notice that the right front distributor cap, rotor, and cover were missing...
manifolds, air filter assembly, etc. All harnesses intact...
Complete exhaust
Another closeup of the right distributor drive. Manifolds intact...
was even oil in the motor only 1/2 quart low!
There
The Electronic Components
Of course, there was simply no way one could just plug this engine into the existing KEJetronic setup. I needed the entire wiring harness, CIS-E computer, MAS unit (the M119
integrates the A/C compressor control unit, fuel pump relay, smog pump switching, and
idle speed control unit all into a single solitary control unit). I also needed the EZL/AKR
ignition control unit, X11/4 dianostic terminal as well as the engine harness which is part
of the engine itself and plugs into the main computer harness. Well lucky enough, this
package included ALL of the above items. Even the spark plug wires and both ignition
coils were included (the M119 runs on dual ignition coils; one to drive each distributor
bank). The engine was missing the distributor cap, rotor, and cover on the right side so
this would need to be rectified. Also, the wiring harness that goes from the battery to the
starter, alternator, and oil pressure gauge and light was missing.
Here are the complete computer control setup all taken out as a unit. The box above is
the MAS unit and next to it is the EZL igntion control unit. On the EZL, the 3-pole plug
on the lower right hand corner is for the dual knock sensors that the M119 engine
has. Also, notice that the reference resister is mounted right onto the unit rather than in a
separate location on the wiring harness like the M117 setup has...
Here's a shot of my old CIS computer used in the M117. On the right is the new CIS-E unit found on the
M119. Notice the number of pins...the original M117 unit has 22 pins vs. 55 pins in the new unit. No
doubt, the CIS-E unit on the M119 has many more functions...
...Going to California
With all the items looking good, it was time for some MASSIVE homework on the scope
of this project. Fitment, feasability, exhaust issues, transmission, driveshaft issues,
electronics integration, etc. I wanted an end result that looked completely factory MB,
using as many factory MB parts as possible. Nothing exotic and crazy. I bought the
factory service manuals for the 500SL (thank you EBay!!). I got lucky here as these
manuals for the newer cars are no longer printed by Mercedes and are NOT offered on
CD-ROM either!
After nearly 1 month of careful research and reasoning, I decided to start the project. I
flew to New York where the donor SL was. Thanks goes to Michael Green who
gratiously picked me up from LaGuardia and took me out to lunch. Later that evening, I
returned to Manhatten and stayed there with some friends of mine. The next morning,
Max Moussalli met me in his glimmering 500SEC Euro. We both went over to the SL
(about 45 minutes away). I was armed with parts manuals and Max with his digital
camera. After personally inspecting the parts, we loaded everything up into a 1982
300TD wagon (yep the M119 engine and everything else fit right in the wagon!). It was
very nice of the seller to offer to take the engine over to the shippers.
When we arrived at Yellow Freight shipping, we packed up the motor on a wooden
crate. Luck rang once again as the guy operating the fork lift went out of his way to strap
down the motor with metal straps, give me a good shipping rate to California, and plastic
wrap the whole thing. Off the engine went to Pasadena, California and off I went back to
Manhatten for some sleep and a return flight back to Michigan.
...Time to wake up the SEC
Once many of the items had arrived in Pasadena. I made my flight arrangements and
vacation plans to visit my friend Frank Soldo whose place the car would be at while I
worked on it. After arriving in Pasadena, we went over to the storage garage where the
SEC was locked away for so long and lo and behold, there it was in its pathetic
state. Note the height of the front end with no powerplant and driveline in the car. Still,
it was a happy site to see...
The SEC in storage and finally getting flatbedded back to Frank's place closeby. Note the high front end...
After careful examination of the M119 motor, I found only a leaky cam seal on the passenger side
distributor. I cleaned it all up, replaced the missing cap and rotor and installed a new cam seal. Otherwise,
the engine looked perfect. Even the original wax covering was still on the block! No leaks, all gaskets
looked intact and dry. Oil was still full after shipping cross country! We also went out and rented the
engine hoist from a local rental yard.
The Transmission
Parts, parts, parts.... They were EVERYWHERE. Good thing Frank had nearly every
tool imaginable. Would you believe that the ONLY tool I had to buy was a special
30mm, 12-point, deep well socket from Mercedes? This was a special socket used to
remove the tailshaft from the transmission. The transmission to be used was a brand new
722.370 tranny found in the E500 sedan. It was slightly modified with increased clutches
and a modified valve body for more torque and faster shifts. I had to swap the rear cover
with one for a W126 car as well as the rear output yoke for a 560 one. This is where this
socket came in handy. The transmission was built to handle 400hp+ for good marginal
safety...
(above left) the 722.370 has a different rear cover than the W126's 722.350 tranny. Note the lack of a hole
for the trans mount on the cover. Therefore, I swapped the rear cover for one for a W126. A direct bolt-on
with no modifications. On on left, the Euro Standard/Economy mode switch. While I was at it, I pulled the
center console apart and installed the dual-mode switch for the 1st gear module.
The Project
The first thing to do was to simply hang the M119 engine from the engine hoist and see
what changes needed to be done to the car...With Frank and Chris nearby, we hoisted the
motor into the car and boy did we need to make several changes! Right off the bat, the
secondary firewall had to be remade and the battery tray and washer bottle were directly
interfering with the heads. While we lowered the engine into the bay, Frank and I guided
the block on each side and starting noting all the interfering items.
The help of the laptop computers, internet, cell phones, and wiring diagrams sure made the job much
easier. With the engine back out of the car (above right), I proceeded to start making the needed
modifications for it to fit in properly.
The Old Engine Bay and Firewall
It was obvious that the secondary firewall had to be modified. Here are many of the
before pictures of the original engine bay...
Here you can see the empty bay of the stock setup. Notice the hanging power steering pump and A/C
compressor. The A/C system was still charged with the original factory R12 installed way back in
Germany when the car was built!
I started dismantling the old secondary firewall and all the components around it. The photo on the above
left is where the battery normally sits. The photo on the right is the powersteering box and left side of the
engine bay.
Here's the original firewall when intact. Note the position of the ABS computer. There's not much
room. The picture on the right shows the original battery tray from the car. This definately had to be
modified for a group 34 battery size. This was fine as I was using an Optima battery anyhow.
The New Engine Bay and Firewall
I bought some 22-gauge aluminum and engine foam as well as some heat shield
material. After making a template, I used a band saw, bench grinder, drill press, and
plenty of patience to make a new secondary firewall. The side pieces were stil retained
but just slightly bent to size. The center section had to be remade from scratch for it to
look right.
The center section with all the appropriate holes drilled and ground smooth. I rounded off the edges with a
bench grinder and wire brush.
I temporarily installed the left firewall piece after some slight modification to its contour. Note that the fuel
lines now exit through the area where the A/C hose passes through. A MUCH cleaner design that MB
should have done with the W126. I pulled off the factory fuel lines and Frank bent them to pass through
that area instead of directly into the engine bay near the exhaust manifold.
The right side firewall. Note the sharp 90 degree bend made to clear the M119's heads. Above show the 2
firewalls with the center section missing. The electronic unit shown is the ABS computer. The large black
bar mounted 3 inches below the computer is the front sway bar.
Wiring the electronics...
One of the biggest challenges would be to correctly integrate all the electronics into the
car for the new engine. I wanted all the new components to be in the same locations as
they were before for servicability reasons. Also, EVERYTHING had to be present. All
diagnostic connectors, wire straps, etc. were to follow factory wiring routes. I wanted
this to seem as though Mercedes built this car as a "1992 500SEC 32V W126 coupe".
I first started off by labeling all the M119 wire ends. Also, I tested each one for continuity to make certain
there were no damaged leads. The photo on the above right shows the M117 harness after I disected back
all the insulation. I also took apart the fuse box. All the fuse designations were kept consistant for a
factory design. The fuel lines and fuel cooler were eventually replaced with new custom fuel lines and a
fuel cooler from the SL.
The picture on the left is the area where the battery and windshield washer bottle normally mount. The
photo on the right is the completed shot after all the wire ends were configured, the wires properly wrapped
with electric tape, 2 layers of alternating direction heat friction tape, and bundled in the factory wiring
looms with MB straps. Note the grommet where the wires enter into the passenger footwell where the CISE computer is located. I wanted all components in their factory locations.
The photo on the left is the center section of the firewall with all the wires exposed. The picture on the
right is the completed job after I attached all the wires, wrapped them, bundled them, tied them and put
everything back in its stock location. The large bar across the middle of the photo is the front sway bar.
This is the underside of the fuse panel. I integrated all the circuits to their corresponding fuses so as to
follow the W126 fuse card. Since fuse number 16 is unused in the 1989 560, this fuseholder now holds a
25amp blue fuse for the dual electric radiator fans that cool the radiator.
The ignition system
The M119 uses dual ignition coils to control 2 distributors; one for each cylinder
bank. Each distributor is driven by a cam gear extension from the intake camshaft. Also,
the ignition control unit (EZL) now incorporates dual knock sensors; each mounted in a
recess within the engine carrier on each side of the engine block. No more knocking due
to poor gas, etc. Also, the transmission communicates with the EZL. Under hard throttle
near the redline, a signal is sent from the transmission pressure switch to the EZL to
retard ignition timing for 400 milliseconds to allow a lightening fast shift point. In
addition, the A/C compressor has its own rpm sensor to detect pulley speed and belt
slippage. When under hard throttle over 4000rpm, the MAS disengages the clutch for
more horsepower and response. Cool...
To power all the heavy electronics plus the car audio system, a heavy-duty 150A internal fan Bosch
alternator from a 2000 SL600 was used as was the starter motor. Thank you serpentine beltdrive...
the dual ignition coils mounted on the left front fender. Note all the wiring on this side is complete. Also,
a new A/C suction line from an SL as well as the fuel cooler is in place shown at the extreme left. The
M119's X11/4 diagnostic connector is mounted in the stock W126 location. The transmission high pressure
switch shown above on the right.
The M119 ignition/anti-knock control unit mounted in the stock W126 location. 150A Bosch internal fan
alternator shown above right
The vacuum, electronic, and cooling
systems...
Since my stock W126 radiator was in excellent condition and actually had a larger capacity than the R129
SL, I decided to use a radiator hose to attach the M119 motor's coolant outlet to the W126 radiator. Rather
than using a belt-driven radiator fan, I installed two 12" electric fans. These units move 2500 cfm of air
through the radiator. They're quiet, efficient, increase hp, look nice, and are capable of cooling down the
transmission cooler and radiator after the car is shut off (ala Audi, Porsche, and BMW). They have their
own control unit with a temperature probe designed to turn on the fans at 90 degrees Celsius.
Dual electric fans on the left. I even machined the mounting brackets to match the contour of the
radiator. These are protected by fuse 16 in the W126 fuse panel by a 25 amp blue fuse. The serpentine belt
drive is a nice touch and more efficient. Note the cam covers are now back in place and the engine covers
are installed.
I took off the stock battery tray and modified it. I cut the edges to contour to the new secondary firewall,
grinded the edges on a bench grinder for a smooth finish, and painted the tray for protection. The new
Optima orange top fit perfectly in the tray. Also, the stereo distribution block and zero gauge wiring are
now all located behind the secondary firewall. Note the location of the M119 engine systems control unit
(right behind the large red power wire). The photo on the right shows all the vacuum switchover valves for
the S/E program switch, EGR valve, and smog pump switching circuit. This location is where the
windshield washer bottle used to be on W126 cars.
The exhaust and custom hoses...
I was very fortunate to have gotten the exhaust manifolds in excellent condition with the M119
engine. Since the exhaust ports on this engine are in the shape of a figure 8 PER PORT, No one makes and
aftermarket manifold for this motor. Nor is there a need...the 119 manifold is a short stubby funnel with
nearly no restriction in it whatsoever. What I was able to use were my brand new stainless-steel backpipes
and rear muffler and have them integrated with an O2 port to the M119 manifold. The project was nearing
a close and all that was left were some custom hoses to attach the self-leveling/power steering pump to the
car, a throttle cable that would be custom built from an SL cable, and to flatbed the car to a local exhaust
shop to have the short 2 ft. pipes made to integrate with my existing stainless system.
The SEC gets unloaded from the flatbed right onto the hoist at Advance Muffler in Pasadena. Notice the
funnel-like design and figure 8 outlet port shapes on the M119 manifold. I reversed the clamps on the left
of the manifold and ground the clamp smooth on a bench grinder for better clearance in the car. This way,
the bolts would be on the inside of the manifold rather than protruding to the outside as on the right.
Stainless pipes with symmetrically welded components are mandrel bent and follow the underbody contour
perfectly. The stainless pipes are long lasting, lightweight, and are exactly what are used on ALL luxury
new cars today; especially all MBs since 1996. A genuine AMG rear muffler with polished tips completes
the rear treatment.
On the left is the tandem pump which is used on SLs with Adaptive Dampening Suspension (ADS). It is a
dual-purpose self-leveling/power steering pump. Notice all the custom lines coming off the pump as well
as underneath the car (right photo).
Throttle linkage and firewall reassembly...
The SL had ASR traction control. I had to special order the linkage rods and brackets for the M119 motor
WITHOUT traction control as I didn't wish to have this system on the car. Also, the SL uses a throttle
cable vs. a link rod as in the W126. Problem was that the cable wasn't long enough to work in the W126. I
bought a new SL throttle cable and had it lengthened with a custom end on the firewall side. I then
integrated it to the bracket which attaches to the W126 foot pedal. Worked like a champ... Notice how the
cable exits the firewall in a stock cutout which worked perfectly for this purpose.
Final Details...
Washer bottle from 500E. Of course, all factory MB clamps, hoses, etc. Illuminated stainless sill plates
shown above with MB script
Brand new full stainless factory exhaust from a 2002 SLK32 with 354hp supercharged AMG
engine. Complete cat-back exhaust was custom-fitted to my car. It sounds great, fit is nice, and finish is
beautiful. Even the resonator was included from AMG. It's never sounded better. Notice the aluminum
heat shields added to the rear bumper cut out by Autometric. This helps dissipate heat better.
Notice S/E switch for selecting 1st gear or 2nd gear takeoffs. Also, lock/unlock switch and alarm LED
taken from a 2001 SL600.
Here, the engine is complete with all intake snorkels, washer bottle all hooked up and all remaining stickers
added. Even the discontinued and impossible to get emissions sticker for the R129 '92 SL's engine was
found and added to the front cowl (below)
12V power jack fitted inside the center storage box for cell phone charging, etc.
The grand finale!!!
So here she is!!! All done, it fired up and idled smooth. I had to change the O2 sensor and have the airconditioning recharged with 2.9 lbs of R12. I had the expansion valve changed and installed a new
receiver-dryer, pressure switches and compressor oil for R12. The thing blows cold arctic air through the
vents. Many complain of MBs climate controls but this car's A/C worked really well.
With over 33,000 miles on the engine now, there's been no problems whatsoever. No leaks, no smoke, no
nothing. I haven't lost even a drop of oil and am getting great gas mileage compared to before. What a
fantastic trip it was driving back through the Rocky Mountains and back to Michigan!!! FAST FAST
FAST!!! All the merits of a 6.0L without the maintenance headaches and reliability issues associated with
them; and unlike the 6.0L, this engine's powerband is smooth, linear, and revs strong throughout the RPM
range. Also, fuel economy is nicer. Finally, the problems of valve guides and headgasket leaks in the
M117 were resolved with this motor.
The most satisfying thing of this whole project was four-fold: First, there's no other SEC in the world like
this one I'm sure. Secondly, I did all the work myself. No other clown had their Mickey Mouse hands in
my engine bay. Third, this engine is gorgeous to look at...the M117 engine is ugly as hell in
comparison. Finally, reliability is not an issue...I put my faith in Mercedes-Benz engineers. Most of all,
this project was made MUCH easier all thanks to Frank for his kind motivation and hospitality as well as
Chris who provided great company during those days of living in my engine bay.
A rest stop in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. The car is perfect!!!