fuel MERCEDES-BENZ SLK55AMG 2005 R171 Service Manual

399 Practical hints
Jump starting
Jump starting
If the battery is discharged, the engine can
be started with jumper cables and the bat-
tery of another vehicle. Observe the follow-
ing:

Jump starting should only be performed
when the engine and catalytic convert-
er are cold.


Do not start the engine if the battery is
frozen. Let the battery thaw out first.


Only jump start from batteries with the
same voltage rating (12V). Jump start-
ing with a more powerful battery could
damage the vehicle’s electrical system,
which will not be covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.


Only use jumper cables with sufficient
cross-section and insulated terminal
clamps.


Always make sure the jumper cables
are not on or near pulleys, fans, or oth-
er parts that move when an engine is
started or running.
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these directions will cause
damage to the electronic components, and
can lead to a battery explosion and severe
injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting
or jump starting, as you could otherwise be
injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water, and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and very explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking, etc.
Attempting to jump start a frozen battery
can result in it exploding, causing personal
injury.
Read all instructions before proceeding.
!Avoid repeated and lengthy starting at-
tempts.
Do not attempt to start the engine us-
ing a battery quick charge unit.
If the engine does not run after several
unsuccessful starting attempts, have it
checked at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Excessive unburned fuel generated by
repeated failed starting attempts may
damage the catalytic converter and
may present a fire risk.
Make sure the jumper cables do not
have loose or missing insulation.
Make sure the cable clamps do not
touch any other metal part while the
other end is still attached to a battery.

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.

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

413 Technical data
Rims and tires
Rims and tires
!
Only use tires which have been specifi-
cally developed for your vehicle and
tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Tires approved by
Mercedes-Benz are developed to pro-
vide best possible performance in con-
junction with the driving safety
systems on your vehicle such as ABS or
ESP. Tires specially developed for your
vehicle and tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz can be identified by
finding the following on the tire’s side-
wall:

MO = M
ercedes-Benz O
riginal
equipment tires


MOE = M
ercedes-Benz O
riginal
E
xtended (tires with limited run-flat
characteristics) original equipment
tires
Using tires other than those approved
by Mercedes-Benz may result in dam-
age that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
iFor information on driving with
MOExtended tires*, see
“MOExtendedsystem” (
page 312).
!Using tires other than those approved
by Mercedes-Benz can have detrimen-
tal effects, such as

poor handling characteristics


increased noise


increased fuel consumption
Moreover, tires and rims not approved
by Mercedes-Benz may, under load,
exhibit dimensional variations and dif-
ferent tire deformation characteristics
that could cause them to come into
contact with the vehicle body or axle
parts. Damage to the tires or the vehi-
cle may be the result.
iFurther information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. A placard with
the recommended tire inflation pres-
sures is located on the driver’s door
B-pillar. Some vehicles may have sup-
plemental tire inflation pressure infor-
mation for driving at high speeds
(page 307) or for vehicle loads less
than the maximum loaded vehicle con-
dition. If such information is provided,
it can be found on the placard located
on the inside of the fuel filler flap. The
tire inflation pressure should be
checked regularly and should only be
adjusted on cold tires. Follow tire
manufacturer’s maintenance recom-
mendation included with vehicle.

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)

423 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Fuel tank
including a reserve of
SLK 350
SLK 55 AMG
approx. 18.5 US gal (70.0 l)
approx. 2.4 US gal (9.0 l)
approx. 18.5 US gal (70.0 l)
approx. 2.6 US gal (10.0 l)
Premium unleaded gasoline:
Minimum posted Octane 91 (average of
96 RON / 86 MON)
Air conditioning system
R-134a refrigerant and special PAG lubricant oil
(never R-12)
Hydraulic system for
retractable hardtop
0.19 US qt (0.18 l)
MB Hydraulic Fluid
Windshield washer
system and headlamp
cleaning system*
7.4 US qt (7.0 l)
MB Windshield washer concentrate
1
1Use MB Windshield Washer Concentrate“S” and water for temperatures above freezing point or MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S” and commercially available
premixed windshield washer solvent/antifreeze for temperatures below freezing point. Follow suggested mixing ratios (page 429).

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.

426 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.In areas where carbon deposits may be
encountered due to lack of availability of
gasolines which contain these additives,
Mercedes-Benz recommends the use of
additives approved by us for use on
Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Refer to the
Factory Approved Service Products pam-
phlet for a listing of approved product(s).
Follow directions on product label.
Do not blend any specific fuel additives
with fuel. This only results in unnecessary
costs and may be harmful to engine opera-
tion.
Damage or malfunction resulting from
poor fuel quality or from blending addition-
al fuel additives other than those tested
and approved by us for use on
Mercedes-Benz vehicles listed in the
Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet are not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze, which pro-
vides:

Corrosion protection


Freeze protection


Boiling protection (by increasing the
boiling point)
The cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection
to approximately -22°F (-30°C) and corro-
sion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
-22°F (-30°C), the boiling point of the cool-
ant in the pressurized cooling system is
reached at approximately 266°F (130°C).
The coolant solution must be used year
round to provide the necessary corrosion
protection and increase boil-over protec-
tion. Refer to Maintenance Booklet for in-
formation on replacement intervals.Coolant system design and coolant used
determine the replacement interval. The
replacement interval published in the
Maintenance Booklet is only applicable if
MB 325.0 anticorrosion/antifreeze solu-
tion or other Mercedes-Benz approved
products of equal specification (see
Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet) are used to renew the coolant
concentration or bring it back up to the
proper level.
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 45% anticor-
rosion/antifreeze (equivalent to freeze
protection to approx. -22°F [-30°C]). If you
use a solution that is more than 55% anti-
corrosion/antifreeze (freeze protection to
approx. -49°F [-45°C]), the engine temper-
ature will increase due to the lower heat
transfer capability of the solution. There-
fore, do not use more than this amount of
anticorrosion/antifreeze.

427 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
If the coolant level is low, water and
MB Anticorrosion/Antifreeze should be
used to bring it up to the proper level (have
cooling system checked for signs of leak-
age). Please make sure the mixture is in
accordance with label instructions.
The water in the cooling system must meet
minimum requirements, which are usually
satisfied by normal drinking water. If you
are not sure about the water quality, con-
sult an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Anticorrosion/antifreeze
Your vehicle contains a number of alumi-
num parts. The use of aluminum compo-
nents in motor vehicle engines
necessitates that anticorrosion/antifreeze
coolant used in such engines be specifical-
ly formulated to protect the aluminum
parts. (Failure to use such anticorro-
sion/antifreeze coolant will result in a
significantly shortened service life.)
Therefore, the following product is strongly
recommended for use in your vehicle:
Mercedes-Benz 325.0
anticorrosion/antifreeze agent.Before the start of the winter season (or
once a year in hot southern regions), you
should have the anticorrosion/antifreeze
concentration checked. The coolant is also
regularly checked each time you bring your
vehicle to an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for service.