Compact and light with high torque:

New V6 engine continues the great diesel

tradition of the Mercedes-Benz brand
• Successor to the previous in-line engines with five and six cylinders
• Output increased by up to 38 percent with exemplary fuel economy
• Best torque characteristics in this displacement class
• Third-generation common-rail injection with piezo injectors

When the world’s first car diesel engine was successfully tested exactly 70 years
ago, in November 1934 at the Gaggenau plant of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft
and when the Mercedes-Benz 260 D celebrated its world premiere in February
1936, only very few can have imagined the importance this drive technology
would also achieve for passenger cars.

The diesel pioneer Mercedes-Benz resolutely continued to refine and improve

diesel technology. Highlights in this process include the first car turbodiesel
engine in the Mercedes-Benz 300 SD (1977), the first diesel saloon with
particulate filter in the US state of California (1985), the world premiere of four-
valve technology (1997), common-rail direct injection (1997), the most powerful
car diesel engine in the S 400 CDI (2000) and the maintenance-free diesel
particulate filter (2003), which is now available in 20 Mercedes models.

Mercedes-Benz is continuing this tradition-laden success story in spring 2005:

after a development and testing period of approx. 40 months a new CDI six-
cylinder unit is entering series production, combining all the current and
trailblazing technologies in diesel engine development -- from the mechanical
system and thermal/flow dynamics to the electronic engine management and
emissions control. This guarantees outstanding results in terms of output and
torque characteristics, economy, exhaust emissions and refinement.
As a further special feature, the new V6 CDI is the first and only diesel power unit Page 2
to be available in combination with a seven-speed automatic transmission – an
advantage which heralds further benefits with respect to agility and fuel
consumption.
The most important features of the new Mercedes diesel engine in brief:

• Six cylinders in a V-arrangement

• Aluminium crankcase with cast-in grey iron cylinder liners
• Third-generation common-rail injection with piezo injectors
• Four-valve technology with two camshafts per cylinder bank
• Turbocharger with electrically adjustable turbine
• Peak combustion pressure of up to 180 bar
• Exhaust gas recirculation with electrically controlled valve
• Electrically controlled intake air throttling
• Swirl control by electrically controlled intake port shut-off
• Quick-start glow system

The key data of the V6 engine at a glance:

Cylinder arrangement V6

Cylinder angle 72°

Valves per cylinder 4

Displacement 2987 cc

Bore/stroke 83/92 mm

Dist. between cylinders 106 mm

Compression ratio 18 : 1

Output 165 kW/224 hp

at 3800 rpm

Max. torque 510 Nm at

1600-2800 rpm*

*In conjunction with 7G-TRONIC

A new dimension in diesel driving pleasure Page 3

From March 2005 the new V6 will replace the current five and six-cylinder in-line
engines. This means a considerable increase in output, comfort and driving
pleasure. With an output of 165 kW/224 hp the new power unit betters the
existing five-cylinder engine by up to 38 percent, and the in-line six-cylinder by
nine percent. In conjunction with 7G-TRONIC, the maximum torque is increased
to 510 Newton metres and is available between 1600 and 2800 rpm. With these
torque characteristics the new Mercedes V6 is easily superior to other diesel
engines in this displacement class.

The high level of driving pleasure provided by the six-cylinder diesel makes itself
particularly apparent by its improved agility under acceleration and outstanding
flexibility during intermediate sprints. Moreover, thanks to the latest engine
technology, particulate emissions are below 0.025 grams per kilometre even
without a particulate filter and therefore within the stringent EU4 limits. The fuel
consumption of Mercedes passenger cars equipped with this new V6 diesel
engine nonetheless remains at the previous, exemplary level.

In Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands Mercedes-Benz also equips

the new six-cylinder diesel unit with a maintenance-free particulate filter
system as standard, producing a further reduction in emissions of soot particles.

Power-to-weight ratio increased by 20 percent

More output, more torque and lower exhaust emissions – the engineers at
Mercedes approached the main objectives of their development work in various
ways. For example with lightweight construction: owing to an intelligent choice
of materials and innovative production methods, the weight of the unit according
to DIN has been reduced to approx. 208 kilograms or roughly the level of the in-
line five-cylinder engine. The power-to-weight ratio of the V6 engine is 0.79
kW/kg – more than 20 percent higher than for the preceding engines.
As a world first, Mercedes-Benz has developed this diesel engine with an Page 4
aluminium crankcase and cast-in grey iron cylinder liners. It tips the scales at
only 41 kilograms and is therefore a prime example of lightweight construction.
Aluminium is also used for the cylinder heads, cylinder head covers, water pump
pistons, sump and charge pressure distributor. Plastics are also used to save
weight. Components in the fresh and charge air ducting systems, silencer and
engine shrouding are of plastic.

Crankcase

Cast-in grey
iron cylinder liners

Dist. between
cylinders
106 millimetres

Cylinder angle
72 degrees

Aluminium crankcase

A likewise newly developed valve control system reduces both friction and
moving masses: the 24 intake and exhaust valves are controlled by an overhead
camshaft for each cylinder bank, roller-type cam followers with hydraulic valve
clearance compensation. The camshafts are driven by a tried-and-tested double-
bush timing chain system into which the balancer shaft and the high-pressure
pump for the fuel injection system are integrated.
 Page 5

Valves with low-friction

roller-type cam followers

Overhead
camshafts

Camshafts driven by
double-bush timing chain

Valve timing and control

The camshaft bearings are directly integrated into the cylinder heads and cylinder
head covers. This new concept not only saves space, but also has acoustic
advantages.

Compact dimensions thanks to a new "one-box concept"

Thanks to a newly developed "one-box concept", the V6 engine is among the most
compact diesel power units in its displacement class worldwide. "One-box
concept" means that the engine forms a single, compact entity with its
components and ancillary units. The complete air filter system is directly attached
to the engine and therefore occupies no additional installation space. This also
simplifies the installation and use of the engine in Mercedes model series anf
4MATIC variants where no six-cylinder diesel engine was previously offered. In
other words, the new V6 is even more compact than the previous 5-cylinder in-
line unit.

In addition to lightweight construction, compact dimensions and low-friction

valve gear, the new CDI six-cylinder would not be a Mercedes engine if it did not
also meet the strict standards of the brand in terms of rigidity, vibration
characteristics and long-term durability. Calculations and computer simulations
provided the engineers in Stuttgart with valuable data and helped them achieve
the demanding specifications. A look at the interior of the V6 engine:
• The forged crankshaft rotates in four bearings which have been enlarged by Page 6
five millimetres versus the in-line six-cylinder engine in the interests of
vibration comfort. The radii of the crank pins have been rolled to achieve high
strength. The flexural and torsional rigidity of the crankshaft is more than
twice that of the preceding engines.

• The connecting rods are also of forged steel. Mercedes engineers have
further optimised their weight by using a new alloy and improving their
geometry.

• Careful design of the combustion chamber geometry, which includes the

precisely calculated recesses in the piston crowns, optimises the combustion
process and helps to achieve a lasting reduction in untreated emissions.

• The free vibrations which are inherent to a V6 engine are compensated by a

balancer shaft between the cylinder banks. This counter-rotates at the same
speed as the crankshaft.

Heat exchangers for oil cooling, heating and exhaust gas recirculation

A separate roller chain is used to drive the oil pump. Via a large full-flow oil filter,
the efficient and quiet external-gear pump delivers the oil to the oil-water heat
exchanger located between the cylinder banks. The high 15-kW output of the
heat exchanger ensures that even under extreme engine loads, the oil
temperature does not rise above 130 degrees Celsius. The tunnel of the balancer
shaft also serves as the main oil duct from which the oil flows to the main
bearings, into the cylinder heads and to the piston-cooling spray units, which
automatically open at a certain oil pressure and cool the pistons.

The mainstay of the water cooling system is a belt-driven pump on the

crankcase. This is a double-helix pump which forces the coolant into the cylinder
banks within the crankcase from the front, where it mainly flows to the exhaust
side via special holes bored in the cylinder head gasket. Cooling is thermostat-
controlled on the cross-flow principle.
The flow of coolant for the oil-water heat exchanger comes from the crankcase on Page 7
the right, while the exhaust gas recirculation cooler and the heat exchanger for
the heating system are supplied with coolant from the left cylinder head. The
coolant circuit is therefore designed to ensure adequate heat dissipation under
any load and engine speed conditions. Particularly high rates of flow are achieved
at the valve lands, around the injector ducts in the cylinder heads, in the oil-water
heat exchanger and in the exhaust gas recirculation cooler, enabling an efficient
heat transfer to take place.

Turbocharger with variable turbine geometry

The new V6 diesel engine is aspirated by a VNT turbocharger (Variable Nozzle

Turbine). This technology already enables high levels of output and torque to be
achieved at low engine speeds. Thanks to electric control, VNT turbochargers are
able to vary the angle of their turbine blades rapidly and precisely to suit the
operating status of the engine, and can therefore use the largest possible volume
of exhaust gas to compress the intake air and build up charge pressure. At low
engine speeds the turbine blades reduce the flow cross-section to increase the
charge pressure, while the cross-section is enlarged at high engine speeds to
reduce the speed of the turbocharger. More efficient cylinder charging and
therefore higher torque are the results of variable, demand-related turbocharger
control. Moreover, electric VNT technology allows a precise interaction with other
units which are responsible for reducing untreated emissions and exhaust gas
aftertreatment.

The turbocharger is combined with a downstream intercooler which reduces the

temperature of the compressed, heated air by up to 95 degrees Celsius, allowing a
larger volume of air to reach the combustion chambers. Behind the intercooler
there is an electrically controlled flap which enables the V6 engine to be throttled
back precisely when the exhaust gas recirculation is in operation. This
electrically regulated control flap allows the volume and mix of the exhaust gases
added to the combustion air to be very precisely metered. To optimise the volume
of recirculated exhaust gas, it is cooled down considerably in a high-performance
heat exchanger. Acting in conjunction with the hot-film air flow sensors
integrated into the intake air ducts, which provide the engine control unit with Page 8
precise information about the current volume of intake air, this greatly reduces
nitrogen oxide emissions.

The combustion air then flows into the charge air distribution module, which
supplies each cylinder in equal measure. The distribution module features an
integral, electrically controlled intake port shut-off function with which the intake
port cross-section for each cylinder can be finely reduced. This modifies the swirl
of the combustion air, ensuring that the charge flow to the cylinders is adjusted
for the best possible combustion and exhaust emissions in any load and engine
speed conditions.

Piezo ceramics for precisely metered injection within microseconds

The third generation of the well-proven common-rail direct injection system is

entering series production at Mercedes-Benz with the new V6 diesel engine. This
means that the injectors, high-pressure pump and electronic engine management
system will operate even more efficiently, with a further reduction in fuel
consumption, exhaust emissions and combustion noise.

Instead of the previous solenoid valves, the injectors are equipped with piezo-
ceramics whose crystalline structure changes within milliseconds under an
electric voltage. The engine developers have used this effect, which was
discovered in 1880 by the brothers Pierre and Jacques Curie, to lift the needle jet
at the tip of the injector with a precision of only thousandths of a millimetre and
thereby achieve an extremely fine jet of fuel. Moreover, piezo injectors are
considerably lighter and operate at twice the speed of conventional solenoid
valves. With a response time of only 0.1 milliseconds, the fuel injection process
can be even more precisely suited to the current load and engine speed situation,
with favourable effects on emissions, fuel consumption and combustion noise. The
number of fuel injections per power stroke is increased from three to five thanks
to this piezo technology.
 Page 9

Fuel distributor
(rail)

Piezo injectors

Fuel circuit and

components in
High-pressure pump common-rail
(1600 bar) technology

Mercedes engineers have also made improvements to other components of the

common-rail system and the injection process:

• The hydraulically optimised injector nozzles have eight holes (previously

seven), which ensures even finer distribution of the fuel within the
combustion chamber and more efficient mixture formation.

• The inlet-metered high-pressure pump operates with a maximum injection

pressure of 1600 bar.

• The pilot injection process developed by Mercedes-Benz, which ensures a

smoother combustion process and thereby audibly reduces the operating noise
of the engine, takes place twice in succession in the new V6 engine. Small
pilot quantities of fuel are injected within less than a millisecond and preheat
the combustion chambers even more efficiently.

• To burn off the soot particles in the particulate filter, there is a double post-
injection of fuel when required.
Latest-generation electronic engine management Page 10

The combustion process is managed by a newly developed electronic control unit

which is in constant contact with other microprocessors via a databus and
therefore always fully informed about the current driving situation. The range of
tasks performed by the engine control unit includes the following functions:

• Common-rail injection
• Delivery control of the high-pressure pump
• Engine speed limitation
• Deceleration fuel cut-off
• Fuel pump
• Air supply
• Drive control
• Diagnosis

A separate data network links the engine management system with the generator
and the glow control unit, which lies at the heart of an innovative quick-start
glow system. This shortens the preheating time for the engine to just a moment,
so that the diesel is now also the equal of a petrol engine in this respect.

Emission control with two catalytic converters and a particulate filter as

standard

Two oxidising catalytic converters clean the exhaust gases of the new Mercedes
diesel engine. One acts as what is called a light-off converter, and is ready for
action very soon after a cold start thanks to its position close to the engine. This
unit is accompanied by a downstream main catalytic converter. The purpose of
the oxidation-type catalytic converters is to convert carbon monoxide and
unburned hydrocarbons by combining them with oxygen (oxidation).

This efficient exhaust gas aftertreatment combined with the complex in engine
measures already enables the V6 diesel engine to meet the stringent EU4 exhaust
limits.
To lower exhaust emissions even further, Mercedes-Benz combines the new six- Page 11
cylinder engine with a maintenance-free particulate filter system as standard for
the German, Austrian, Swiss and Dutch markets, producing a further significant
reduction in particulate emissions. The filter purges itself without the use of
additives and remains effective over a very high operating mileage.

Like the catalytic converters, the diesel particulate filter features numerous
longitudinal, rectangular ducts. In contrast to the catalytic converter ducts, these
are however closed at the ends so that the incoming exhaust gases are obliged to
find their way through the porous walls between the ducts. In doing so the
particulates carried in the exhaust gas accumulate in the filter and are retained by
the filter material.

As only a limited quantity of these tiny carbon particles can be taken up, the
particulate filter needs to be purged from time to time. The necessary exhaust
temperature of more than 550 degrees Celsius is achieved by heating the stream
of exhaust gases at higher engine speeds, or by adjusting various engine
functions to suit the pressure and temperature of the exhaust gases at the
particulate filter. The variable, third-generation common-rail technology
considerably assists this process, for depending on the engine operating status
and filter condition it allows brief post-injections of fuel for specific increases in
the exhaust gas temperature. As a result the particulates accumulating in the
filter are burned off in a controlled manner, and unnoticed by the driver or other
road users.