On Sun, 8 Dec 2002 16:23:07 +1300, Andrew Grebneff
<andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ> wrote:

>>    Has anyone tried putting a MB 300TD 5cyl in a vanagon?
>
>Not a marvellous engine (know someone who had a Merc 300D). If it
>needs work it'll cost you both arms & a leg too...

   Well, do you have a better suggestion for a significantly bigger turbo
diesel for my diesel westy? The 1.9TD is very difficult to find in the US,
and  quite expensive, the 1.9TDI even more expensive (out of my reach
entirely at the moment), although in plentiful supply. The MB 300TD however
is plentiful and cheap, I can get all I want for around $800 in good running
shape. And a 3L turbo diesel would power the westy quite well. Some people
are buying VW 2.5TDI engines from Germany and/or SA, but those again are
quite expensive, plus a lot for shipping, while I can get the MB in local
junkyards.
   I got turned on to this idea because someone is making an adaptor for
putting them in Toyota Land Cruisers and soon will have a kit for putting
them in Toy4x4 trucks, which I want to do soonest with my mine.
   Don't know yet about the feasibility of mating the 300TD with the VW
tranny tho.
    Why do you say it will cost "an arm and a leg" if it needs work? They've
certainly been around long enough and widely used for car, truck, and boat
engines, there's a plentitude of after-market parts suppliers.