Daydreaming of an OM606 swap

My mind is going places again.  Not sure if they're good places.

I always loved the OM606 diesel.  I had one in a 99 E300TD and I miss it.  Bulletproof internals, fantastic power potential, 32mpg, and I really want my Fordzda Branger to be diesel.  The 606 came with 174hp, but an HX35, exhaust, and pump work makes an easy 300hp.  Problem is, I don't want to give up my three-pedal foot dance, and it's 4x4... so I have to find a way to stuff a manual trans in there that will take the torque (light towing duties up to maybe 4000 lbs) and can adapt both to the OM606 and the transfer case.  I suppose the easy button is to just make a bellhousing adapter to keep the M5OD, but I think I'll already be space-limited going from a V6 to an I6.

Unless you all can think of another transmission that might be better suited and then I can adapt the transfer case to it instead.

I don't mind custom driveshafts, just playing in my brain with ideas.  So if you had a Ranger/B-truck with an 8.8 rear, a D35 front, and an OM606 under the hood, what would you put in between them that keeps the manual and the 4x4?

6 speed manual from w203 c230?  Otherwise I would say a Jeep NAG1 with the 722.6 bellhousing would be my choice because for an automatic they are really pretty good.

Will a 6speed from a c-class take the GCW of the truck and a 4000 lb trailer?  I can't imagine even mercedes over-engineering that much.

Come to think of it... what manual went behind the CRD in Jeeps?  Oh... nevermind.  It's an NSG370.  Input torque rated to 270 lbft.

Not fun, or light...

SM465, NP420/435

But....they are short, and should handle the torque, gcwr, and were used in 4wd. 

I’d look for something else that had OD, but these could be a last resort. 

I know there's a few TDI swaps out there using Tacoma transmissions with an adapter plate in small trucks.  I forget the exact designation for that trans... W56, W59?

A GM NV1500 or NV3500 might be a good choice given the depth of the GM parts bin and the NV3500 comes behind torquey V8s.

Are there maybe any MB offerings (for simplicity) with the MB bellhousing that will fit?  I had high hopes for the Jeep Liberty idea, but I think a modded OM606 would make short work of it.  My thought process here is that if I end up adapting something, I might as well adapt to the M5OD already in there... just use the existing BW transfer case and transmission... if it will allow the engine to fit behind the radiator.

May have found my huckleberry.  716.xxx in an SG-S510 trim.  510 Nm capacity which (if I did my math right, that's about 375 lb-ft?)

Internet is pretty dark on these.  Anyone have better knowledge of MB 716.xxx transmissions?

What about the trans from the sprinter vans?

The internet suggested that the SG400 and SG510 versions were, in fact, the sprinter transmissions.  Oddly low torque capacities for a high-gvw vehicle, but then again they were never equipped with overly powerful engines.

THIS LINK suggests that the 716.xxx makes its appearance in the Jeeps as the NSG370, so apparently, the NSG is just the SG-S370 renamed.

THIS LINK discusses the nomenclature.
SG = manual transmission (stands for the german words for "switching gear")
S = longitudinal layout
510 = torque capacity in Nm.

Oh man, guy I work with is all about high hp om606 builds.  I'll see if I can get him to join so he can chime in

fiesta54 said:

Oh man, guy I work with is all about high hp om606 builds.  I'll see if I can get him to join so he can chime in

Thanks!