engine MERCEDES-BENZ SLK CLASS 2005 Owners Manual

401 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Towing the vehicle
Mercedes-Benz recommends that the vehi-
cle be transported with all wheels off the
ground using flatbed or appropriate wheel
lift/dolly equipment.When circumstances do not permit the
recommended towing methods, the vehi-
cle may be towed with all wheels on the
ground or front wheels raised only so far as
necessary to have the vehicle moved to a
safe location where the recommended
towing methods can be employed.
!Vehicles with automatic transmission*:
Do not tow-start vehicle.!Use flatbed or wheel lift/dolly equip-
ment with the SmartKey in the starter
switch in position0.
Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
Towing with sling-type equipment over
bumpy roads will damage radiator and
supports.
To prevent damage during transport,
do not tie down vehicle by its chassis or
suspension parts.
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(page 86) and the automatic central
locking (
page 97).
!To be certain to avoid a possibility of
damage to the transmission, however,
we recommend the drive shaft be dis-
connected at the rear axle drive flange
for any towing beyond a short tow to a
nearby garage.
!If the vehicle is towed with the front
axle raised, the engine must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch
position0or1). Otherwise, the ESP
will immediately be engaged and will
apply the rear wheel brakes.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, the gear selector lever*
must be in positionN (manual trans-
mission: gear shift lever in neutral posi-
tion) and the SmartKey must be in
starter switch position1.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground or the front axle raised,
the vehicle may be towed only for dis-
tances up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a
speed not to exceed 30 mph
(50 km/h).

402 Practical hintsTowing the vehicleWarning!
G
If circumstances require towing the vehicle
with all wheels on the ground, always tow
with a tow bar if:

the engine will not run


there is a malfunction in the power sup-
ply or in the vehicle’s electrical system
as that will be necessary to adequately con-
trol the towed vehicle.
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make sure the SmartKey is in
starter switch position2.
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position0 for an extended period of time, it
can no longer be turned in the switch. In this
case, the steering is locked. To unlock, re-
move SmartKey from starter switch and re-
insert.
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.iTo signal turns while being towed with
the hazard warning flasher in use,
switch on ignition and activate the
combination switch for the left or right
turn signal in the usual manner – only
the selected turn signal will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the haz-
ard warning flasher will operate again.
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, please note the follow-
ing:
With the automatic central locking acti-
vated and the SmartKey in starter
switch position2, the vehicle doors
lock if the left front wheel as well as the
right rear wheel are turning at vehicle
speeds of approx. 9 mph (15 km/h) or
more.
To prevent the vehicle door locks from
locking, deactivate the automatic cen-
tral locking (
page 97).
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(
page 86).
The vehicle should only be towed using
a properly installed towing eye bolt.
Never attach a tow cable, tow rope or
tow rod to the vehicle chassis, frame or
suspension parts.

404 Practical hintsFusesThe electrical fuses in your vehicle serve to
stop the supply of electricity to a device
that is malfunctioning. This helps to
prevent damage to the other vehicle
electronics.
The following aids are available to help you
change fuses:

Fuse chart


Spare fuses


Fuse extractor
The electrical fuses are located in different
fuse boxes:


Main fuse box in passenger compart-
ment (
page 405).


Fuse box in engine compartment
(page 406).
Aids for changing fuses
Fuse chart
The fuse chart is found in the main fuse
box in the passenger compartment
(page 405). The amperages of the fuses
are also given there.
Spare fuses
Spare fuses are found in the vehicle tool kit
in the spare wheel well (
page 369).
Fuse extractor
The fuse extractor is also found in the vehi-
cle tool kit in the spare wheel well
(
page 369).
Warning!
G
Only use fuses approved for Mercedes-Benz
with the specified amperage for the system
in question. Otherwise, a short circuit could
result and cause a fire.
!Only install fuses that have been tested
and approved by Mercedes-Benz and
that have the specified amperage rat-
ing.
Otherwise, electrical parts or systems
could be damaged.
Never attempt to repair or bridge a
blown fuse. Have the cause determined
and remedied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

406 Practical hintsFusesFuse box in engine compartment
The fuse box is located in the engine com-
partment on the driver’s side.
1Fuse box
2Clamp
3Fuse box coverOpening

Open the hood (
page 287).

With a dry cloth, remove any moisture
from the fuse box.

Release clamps2.

Remove fuse box cover3.Closing

Make sure the sealing rubber is proper-
ly positioned.

Press fuse box cover3 down and se-
cure with clamps2.

407 Technical data
Parts service
Warranty coverage
Identification labels
Layout of poly-V-belt drive
Engine
Rims and tires
Electrical system
Main Dimensions
Weights
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.

410 Technical dataIdentification labels1Certification label (includes paintwork
code)2Vehicle Identification Number (VIN),
located behind the passenger seat
under the floor cover3Engine number (engraved on engine)
4VIN, visible (lower edge of windshield)
5Vacuum line routing diagram label
6Emission control information label,
includes both federal and California
certification exhaust emission
standards
iWhen ordering parts, please specify
vehicle identification and engine num-
bers.

412 Technical dataEngineModel
SLK 350 (171.456)
1
1The quoted data apply only to the standard vehicle. See an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for the corresponding data of all special bodies and special equipment.
SLK 55 AMG (171.473)
1
Engine
272
113
Mode of operation
4-stroke engine, gasoline injection
4-stroke engine, gasoline injection
No. of cylinders
6
8
Bore
3.66 in (92.90 mm)
3.82 in (97.00 mm)
Stroke
3.39 in (86.00 mm)
3.60 in (92.00 mm)
Total piston displacement
213.5 cu in (3 498 cm
3)
331.8cuin (5439cm
3)
Compression ratio
10.7:1
11:1
Output according to SAE J 1349
268 hp / 6 000 rpm
2
(200 kW / 6 000 rpm)
2Premium fuel required. Performance may vary with fuel octane rating.
355 hp / 5 750 rpm
2
(265 kW / 5 750 rpm)
Maximum torque according to
SAE J 1349
258 lb-ft / 2 400 - 5 000 rpm
(350 Nm / 2 400 - 5 000 rpm)
376 lb-ft / 4 000 rpm
(510 Nm / 4 000 rpm)
Maximum engine speed
6500 rpm
6 700 rpm
Firing order
1-4-3-6-2-5
1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
Poly-V-belt
2404 mm
2 380 mm

422 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.CapacitiesVehicle components and their respective
lubricants must match. Therefore, only use
products tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.Please refer to the Factory Approved Ser-
vice Products pamphlet, or inquire at your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Engine with oil filter
SLK 350
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
Approved engine oils
SLK 55 AMG
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
Automatic transmission*
SLK 350
10.4 US qt (9.8 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Fluid
SLK 55 AMG
10.4 US qt (9.8 l)
Manual transmission
SLK 350
1.6 US qt (1.5 l)
MB Manual Transmission Oil
Rear axle
SLK 350
1.2 US qt (1.1 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
SLK 55 AMG
1.3 US qt (1.2 l)
Power steering
SLK 350
1.1 US qt (1.0 l)
MB Power Steering Fluid (Pentosin CHF 11S)
SLK 55 AMG
1.1 US qt (1.0 l)
Front wheel hubs
approx. 2.1oz (60g) each
High temperature roller bearing grease
Brake system
0.5 US qt (0.5 l)
MB Brake Fluid (DOT 4)
Cooling system
SLK 350
approx.11.2 US qt (10.2 l)
MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze Agent
SLK 55 AMG
approx. 11.7 US qt (11.1 l)

424 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines and durability for
our service intervals. Therefore, only use
approved engine oils and oil filters re-
quired for vehicles with Maintenance
System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada
vehicles). For a listing of approved engine
oils and oil filters, refer to the Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet, or
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of specifica-
tion other than those expressly required
for the Maintenance System (U.S. vehi-
cles) or FSS (Canada vehicles), or changing
of oil and oil filter at change intervals long-
er than those called for by the
Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles) or
FSS (Canada vehicles) will result in engine
damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Please follow Maintenance System (U.S.
vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehicles) recom-
mendations for scheduled oil changes.
Failure to do so will result in engine dam-
age not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may damage the engine. Damage or
malfunctions resulting from blending oil
additives are not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Air conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special
PAG lubricating oil are used in the air con-
ditioning system. Never use R-12 (CFC) or
mineral-based lubricating oil, otherwise
damage to the system will occur.
Brake fluid
During vehicle operation, the boiling point
of the brake fluid is continuously reduced
through the absorption of moisture from
the atmosphere. Under extremely strenu-
ous operating conditions, this moisture
content can lead to the formation of bub-
bles in the system, thus reducing the sys-
tem’s efficiency. Therefore, the brake fluid
must be replaced every two years, prefera-
bly in the spring. Only brake fluid approved
by Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will pro-
vide you with additional information.

425 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel requirements
Only use premium unleaded fuel:

The octane number (posted at the
pump) must be 91 min. It is an average
of both the Research (R) octane num-
ber and the Motor (M) octane number:
(R+M) / 2). This is also known as the
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.
Unleaded gasoline containing oxygenates
such as ethanol, IPA, IBA, and TBA can be
used provided the ratio of any one of these
oxygenates to gasoline does not exceed
10%; MTBE not to exceed 15%.
The ratio of methanol to gasoline must not
exceed 3% plus additional cosolvents.
Using mixtures of ethanol and methanol is
not allowed. Gasohol, which contains
10% ethanol and 90% unleaded gasoline,
can be used.
These blends must also meet all other fuel
requirements, such as resistance to spark
knock, boiling range, vapor pressure, etc.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among engine manufac-
turers is carbon build-up caused by gaso-
line. Mercedes-Benz only recommends the
use of quality gasoline containing additives
that prevent the build-up of carbon depos-
its.
After an extended period of using fuels
without such additives, carbon deposits
can build up especially on the intake valves
and in the combustion area, leading to
engine performance problems such as:

Warm-up hesitation


Unstable idle


Knocking/pinging


Misfire


Power loss
!To maintain the engine’s durability and
performance, premium unleaded gaso-
line must be used. If premium unleaded
is not available and low octane fuel is
used, follow these precautions:

Have the fuel tank only partially
filled with unleaded regular and fill
up with premium unleaded as soon
as possible.


Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt
acceleration.


Do not exceed an engine speed of
3 000 rpm if the vehicle is loaded
with a light load such as two per-
sons and no luggage.


Do not exceed
2/3of maximum ac-
celerator pedal position if the vehi-
cle is fully loaded or operating in
mountainous terrain.