This M100 6.9-liter gasoline V8 engine was ordered from Mercedes-Benz of Germany and shipped via crate to the United States in the late ‘70s and is now offered by the current seller out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Included is the invoice of purchase which is believed to be circa December of 1978 and shipped from Germany to New York. The current seller is clearing out their uncle’s estate of whom had about nine 450SELs in his collection along with this crate M100 from Mercedes-Benz. Included in the sale is the block, heads, valve covers, fuel distributor, spark plugs, wires, intake and exhaust manifolds, and the wooden crate from Germany. 

This M100 is the 6.9-liter variant which would've come in a 450SEL 6.9 from the W116 chassis S-Class. The engine number reads 100-985-12-002356 and is mostly complete, only missing the fan assembly and hydraulic suspension pump. These engines produced 249 horsepower and 360 foot-pounds of torque in North American trim when new. The invoice says the cast iron powerplant weighs 337 kilograms (746 pounds) dry. 

This 6.9-liter M100 seems to be a North American engine as it has a smog pump and EGR system attached. There is strong hatching visible on the cylinder walls and the valves appear to be shiny and clean showing low mileage. The camshafts and the top of the head appear in excellent condition, free from any bronzing from use or varnish. 

The duplex timing chain and cam sprockets are attached with photos in the gallery showing the timing chain guides behind the timing cover. The plastic timing chain guides are white instead of the dark orange they turn with use and miles. The metal oiler tubes above the cams appear to be in good condition. The pulleys to the smog pump, auxiliary transmission coolant pump, R6 factory GM air conditioning compressor, water pump, and power steering pump all spin freely. The hydraulic suspension pump usually located near the ignition distributor is missing from the engine. 

The intake manifold is said to have been left outside of the crate hence the corrosion. Eight German made Beru spark plugs were left in the engine and come with the sale of the powerplant. The seller has photos of the oil pan off showing the condition of the bottom end and video of the motor turning over by hand. These motors generally came with a red paint on the inside of the crankcase. With this car being cream, it’s suspected that this motor was rebuilt by Mercedes-Benz at some point which also lends to the plastic timing chain guides pictured. 

The 6.9-liter M100 engine is a dry sump unit which is why there is no oil fill cap on the crinkle black original valve covers. Mercedes-Benz used this system to make the massive M100 powerplant fit under the hood of the W116 chassis with added benefits of longer oil maintenance service intervals, allowed the car to travel at top speed for hours on end, and let these cars to make high speed cornering viable without oil frothing or starvation. 

This 6.9-liter W116 North American M100 engine is now offered by the seller complete with intake manifold, heads, block, most auxiliary items, remains of the original invoice from Mercedes-Benz, and wooden box that the engine was shipped with in 1978 out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

A video below shows the engine being turned by hand and all pulleys turning freely.