Just starting this thread for my Blazer build, searching for a suitable and cheap enough shell canidate for a while and came across one today and got a clean 2000 blazer for $550, that the drive line was basically toast, motors got low compression and tranny has no reverse.. 4x4 works.. drove it 150 miles home and drove pretty nice, needs shocks and new rotors up front.. and has a rock hit int he windshield other wise totally loaded except leather, and in good shape in and out.. even a newer set of tires on it. Now for the swap...

I have a low mileage Mercedies Benz OM617 turbo diesel (one of the most bullet proof motors on the planet) that will be going in it.. should be a interesting project..

Goals of this project are to use the Benz motor as its just collecting dust now.. And for starters first goal, get the motor in and make it drivable. After that the next goal would be to get the extras working, like factory gauges and other things that just arn't compatable between a 1984 tot aly not computerized Benz and a 2000 fully computerized Chevy.

Should start the tear down on the blazer soon.

 

Sounds like a really cool build


but a rule of thumb here: no picture, no one believes that you did it

 

Yeah I know that rule, universal Internet forum rule it seems, here are a couple picture of the blazer.. like i said just got it tonight..

 

I'll be following this build, that's for sure. Would LOVE to get a diesel in my Blazer!

 

i've always dreamed about finding some way to squeeze a 6.6 duramax into my jimmy

 

I bet you could do it if you removed the inner wheel wells.. The Benz motor is a inline 5 .. 3 liter.. my challenge is the engine length.. and that it has a front oil sump, not a rear one like the 4.3 or a v8.

 

what kind of numbers does the benz engine put out?

 

Stock OM617 spec:
(123 hp/92 kW) @ 4350 (181 lb·ft) @ 2400

Compared to the 4.3 vortec, it's got less power, however as the blazer sits now I bet that 4.3 is putting out about 100hp, its really tired.. The benz motor should also make a blazer that gets over 25mpg.. and I can also run biodiesel or straight up veggie oil. I've done 2 veggie oil conversions already.. so yes that will happen on this build.

if you want you can turn up the pump and the boost if you want more.. It's not a really crazy powerful engine. however the OM617 is known for its longevity, most always go 300,000 before a rebuild, many hit 500,000 before a rebuild.

If you want loads of power in a diesel put a duramax in. Then replace all the drive train too.. because there is no way anything stock would hold the power a diramax could put down.. this build is my way to using a great motor in a newer car, the old benz cant be driven any more, its body is shot, seats rusted through the floor ect..

This build should be cheap too.. the blazer cost $550, the ben's ive had for a while.. so free.. The swap will have many odd bits and pieces for it but thats to be expected, I'd like to keep it 4x4 but if a divorced transfer case is going to be hard to find or really expensive, I'll just make the blazer a 2wd low rider and pull the front drive train.. this is a project to use the motor and nothing more.. the only reason for choosing the blazer was to find the cleanest shell I could that was either a 4 door SUV, extended cab pickup or a Astro van, ( we have a child to carry around) the blaser fit the bill better than other solutions as it weighs only a few pounds more than the Mercedes, a truck or Astro van would have been quite a bit heavier.. and most of all, do it all for next to nothing cost wise..

I got the blazer so cheap if the build fails for some odd reason, I could ebay parts from the blazer and get my money out of it. so it's a low risk capital investment.

Also my father and I are going to work on it, he's getting up there in age so it's a great way to spend some time and build something, we built up my Big Block Chevy Vega before I moved out of the house as a teenager, it will bring back some good memories and we can laugh about taking out the Vegas windshield with the tranny while we have a few beers

It's a project , nothing more, nothing less.. Plus once its done, won't it be cool to have a turbo diesel blazer that runs on vegetable oil

 

Hopefully, GM hasn't totally scrapped the baby D-max 4.8L. Word on the the street is it will swap in the same as a SBC. Bit higher numbers than your Benz engine, too.

 

Drove both the Blazer and the benz to the folks place today.. here is a photo of the benz. I tried to honor the benz as best as possible, and take a phot of its good side..