Calf. to Fed. Emissions Conversion
on the 1985 W126 300SD
by vwbuge
3/27/04
Only one person requested it but I thought I would share anyway.
This is the first part of the exhaust as it leaves the turbo. Note the one on the bottom is from the CA car as the "neck" is a bit longer.
These are the two manifolds. The one on the bottom is from the CA car. Note how the port on the intake is higher than on the federal. Also note the exhaust manifold ports. The top is the federal and is vented directly to the turbo. The CA manifold on the bottom vents to the rear directly to the catalyst as you will see on the next pic.
This is my old CA manifold. I am holding the catalyst in about the same position as it bolts to the manifold. I have a 2x4 bolted to it because in the initial stages I was thinking of making a jig to have a friend weld a pipe to substitute for the catalyst.
Next are the two turbos. Notice the position of the inlet on the CA turbo on the bottom.
These are the turbo to intake manifold housings spearated from the main turbo unit. The one on the right is from the CA car. I was wandering what the thing was on the CA housing? It has a vacuum line attached to it. I guess I will just reposition the CA housing to line up with the federal manifold.
More to come later when I get all my gaskets. The only thing left to show is the new routes for the turbo oil lines.
I guess I should have shown what it looked like before I started.
Notice how the neck of the exhaust comes up higher to meet the rear of the turbo. The large can like thing below the setup is the catalyst. In this setup the air filter is much larger and is behind the passenger headlight because the turbo sits higher. After the swap it will look like everyone else's.
Apparently my turbo wasn't hurt by the trap ox before the replacement. I called in the VIN and they didn't tell me it was replaced. I am going to use the CA turbo. I took the few bolts to loosen the housings in the photos. Those housings can be rotated in any position.
The '81 donor car had an EGR setup. The tube on my car was broke so I capped it off. I plan on getting rid of all EGR stuff. I was just wandering if anything will happen when I plug those 2 vac lines going to the electro-vac sensor thingy.
Got all my gaskets the other day. Decided to start on it tonight. i figured it would take a few more days as I can't work on it for very long in one stretch.
Everything was pretty straightforward on the re-assembly. I swapped the federal housing to my turbo but had no luck. You can turn the housing in any direction but when I went to put it all back on the oil drain tubes did not align. I took everything back off and looked at the two turbos and there is a slight difference where the oil drain galleys are. I didn't want to but I had to use the federal turbo.
I couldn't manipulate the new oil feed line whilst under the car so I need to wait for someone to help. From here it is just a matter of small stuff. Don't know what I'm going to do about the air cleaner though. If I use the federal air cleaner housing and plumbing I'll have to file 13 the oil separator.
I MIGHT run a straight tube and a K & N.
I'M FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was done a week or so ago but decided to do the front rotors. I had to wait a while for the parts.
Anyway, took it on the maiden voyage today.
WOW!!!!!!! Totally different beast. The turbo spools up unbelieveably fast. I turned down the boost controller a little and took it out on the highway. It was pulling 15 psi so I decided to back it down a pube. I now pull around 13.5 psi max. The car pulls like a train uphill. Before you had to wait a little for the turbo to spool up. Now it comes on like NOW. I am running a K&N style filter and it isn't loud at all. A slight whistle if you listen hard enough. I used some plumbing from the old air filter and it all worked out. Here is the finished product.
I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!
I can't understand it. I replaced all that stuff on my car and I thought for sure I'd get better mileage. After about 70% highway and 30% city=22mpg!!!!!!!
I was doing about 75-80 the entire highway haul. Around the city I couldn't keep my foot out of it though. It runs absolutely fantastic! Mileage still SUCKS!
- vwbuge
CategoryDiy
