MERCEDES-BENZ 272.978 — 3.5L Engine
3.5L · 258 hp
Engine overview
Vehicles with this engine
Factory specifications
Values from the manufacturer documentation for this engine.
Engine (general)
| Engine code | 272.978 |
| Capacity | 3498 cc |
| Normal | 12.0 - 16.0 bar |
| Minimum | 10.0 bar |
| Differential limit between cylinders | < 1.5 bar |
| Oil pressure | > 0.7 / 700 > 3.0 / 3000 bar/rpm |
Engine (petrol)
| Fuel system (make and type) | ME-SFI Motronic 9.7 |
| Number of cylinders | 6 |
| Firing order | 1-4-3-6-2-5 |
| Injection pressure/system pressure | 3.8 bar |
Cooling system
| Cap pressure | 1.4 ± 0.1 bar |
| Thermostat opens at | 65 °C |
| Thermostat fully open at | 100 °C |
Brakes
| Disc thickness, front | 28.0 mm |
| Disc thickness, front, min. | 25.0 mm |
| Disc thickness, rear | 10.0 mm |
| Disc thickness, rear, min. | 8.0 mm |
| Brake pad thickness, front, min. | 3.5 mm |
Steering and wheel alignment
| Toe-in, front | A ° |
| Camber, front | C ° |
| Castor, front | B1, B2 ° |
| Toe-out, rear | D1, D2 ° |
| Camber, rear | E ° |
Wheels and tyres
| Tyre size | 205/65 R16C 103T/101T/99H |
| Front tyre pressure | 2.7 - 3.0 bar |
| Rear tyre pressure | 2.7 - 3.5 bar |
| Spare tyre pressure | 2.7 - 3.5 bar |
| Optional | 205/60 R16C 101H/99H |
| Front tyre pressure | 2.7 - 3.3 bar |
| Optional | 205/60 R16Rf 102H |
| Optional | 225/55 R17Rf 101H |
| Front tyre pressure | 2.3 - 2.6 bar |
| Rear tyre pressure | 2.3 - 3.0 bar |
| Spare tyre pressure | 2.3 - 3.0 bar |
| Optional | 225/55 R17Rf 101V |
| Front tyre pressure | 2.5 - 2.9 bar |
| Rear tyre pressure | 2.5 - 3.3 bar |
| Spare tyre pressure | 2.5 - 3.3 bar |
Capacities
| Engine sump, incl. filter | 10.0 l |
| Manual transmission | 716.637 |
| Gearbox refill | 1.2 l |
| Manual transmission | 716.652 |
| Gearbox refill | 1.5 l |
| Automatic transmission | 722.680/682/683/685 |
| Initial filling | 7.8 l |
| Differential (automatic transmission only) | 1.3 |
| Differential, rear | 1.5 l |
| Air-conditioner refrigerant | 550 g |
| Air-conditioner refrigerant | 840 g |
| Air-conditioner refrigerant | 870 g |
| Air-conditioner compressor oil | 190 ml |
Torque settings
| Cylinder head (M11 bolts) — Stage 1 | 20 Nm |
| Cylinder head (M11 bolts) — Stage 2 | 40 Nm |
| Cylinder head (M11 bolts) — Stage 3 | 40 Nm |
| Cylinder head (M11 bolts) — Stage 4 | 90 ° |
| Cylinder head (M11 bolts) — Stage 5 | 90 ° |
| Cylinder head (M8 bolts) — Stage 1 | 25 Nm |
| Spark plugs | 23 Nm |
| Oxygen sensor | 50 Nm |
| Main bearing cap — Stage 1 | 20 Nm |
| Main bearing cap — Stage 2 | 90 ° |
| Side bolt of main bearing cap | 30 Nm |
| Main bearing cap — Stage 1 | 5 Nm |
| Main bearing cap — Stage 2 | 30 Nm |
| Main bearing cap — Stage 3 | 90 ° |
| Big-end bearing cap — Stage 1 | 5 Nm |
| Big-end bearing cap — Stage 2 | 20 Nm |
| Big-end bearing cap — Stage 3 | 90 ° |
| Oil plug | 30 Nm |
| Manual transmission drain plug | 35 Nm |
| Manual transmission filler plug | 35 Nm |
| Rear hub — Stage 1 | 165 Nm |
| Rear hub — Stage 2 | 60 ° |
| Wheel bolts | 180 Nm |
| Wheel bolts | 150 Nm |
| Wheel bolts | 200 Nm |
Workshop procedures for this engine
Step-by-step procedures from the workshop database.
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TorqFix was built by a mechanic — after a 2,700 km drive with five roadside repairs that no diagnostic tool could explain.
The figures on this page come from manufacturer workshop documentation and are shown as they are. The page is assembled automatically from that data — it is not written by an AI. The AI works in the chat, where it answers for your specific car. It writes nothing here.
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The story behind TorqFix →Workshop data on this page last updated 22 Aug 2026.