Quote:
Originally Posted by daves-ti  Sounds like I need someone to take my car, fix it, and give it back to me with an invoice and full tank of gas. ha..!
I'm definitely not a mechanic (I'm a photographer) - I have NO clue what all those letters and codes and rings and transmitters and whatever else are that you guys are talking about..! haha..!
I'm a pretty handy and capable guy, but I know I can't pull an engine out of a car and re-install another one. I approached my mechanic today and he said "whoa, that's a big job, there's a lot that goes into swapping an engine like that. The cost will probably be double what you expect it to be after it's all over. ". Sounds like he's not interested, he now wants to sell me his '98 CLK430 with 140K. Don't think I'm going to go that route though considering a headlight bulb is $130 for that car.
Do any of you guys know a mechanic in the Boston / CT area who can do something like this..? |
It's not as difficult as it seems. People get all freaked out about EWS and there's only 3 small components that have to be swapped. The first is the DME. This is also known as the ECU(engine control unit) and it's located in a compartment on the firewall behind the battery. You need to swap the DME anyway because it manages the engine. The DME had a code in it that has to match the two other components. The second component is called an EWS module. The EWS module is a small plastic box located behind the glove compartment. It unplugs easily and fits in the palm of your hand. And the last component is called a transponder chip. This is a small nugget about half the size of a dime located inside of the key. Take a utility knife or razor blade and pry the key open. It just unsnaps and you'll see the transponder chip held in place with a rubbery adhesive. Pop the transponder chip out and stick it in your original key. That's it! Those three things are coded together from the factory and must all three come from the same vehicle. Don't worry about those other two things. Forget about them. LEAVE THE ANTENNA RING AND EWS TRANSMITTER ALONE! Your old ones will work just fine. It's not confusing at all, but people always seem to make it out to be.
BTW, I think you might have missed my previous post as you were probably typing when I posted it. If so, go back and read it as it will help you identify which engine you're getting.