M278 V8..

[Jenny Tills]

Happy new year!
Hi all, I am considering buying a 2011 E class coupe with the very rare twin turbo,M278 4.7 V8. My question is, does anyone know how to find out if it is a Nanoslide engine or the Silitec engine. As usual, many thanks in advance.

 

[SL63 Mark]

Happy new year Jenny, great name

 

[AMGeed]

As it's an 2011 model, I would suggest it's a Silitec engine according to the info in this link.

M278 4.6L Engine - In-Depth Look at Design and Reliability

What is the M278 4.6L Engine? Is it good or bad? Read about Mercedes M278 4.6L Engine design and features, its the most common problems and relaibility.

www.motorreviewer.com

 

[LostKiwi]

The m278 is Silitec.

Mercedes M278: Everything You Need To Know – Dust Runners Automotive Journal

dustrunnersauto.com

 

[Jenny Tills]

Thank you Thank you Thank you guys! Exactly what I needed. Nice, straight, answers. Think I'll save my money.
..Thanks once again.

 

[LostKiwi]

Any reason you don't want Silitec? It's been around for decades and has proven very reliable.

 

[Wighty]

Happy new year Jenny, great name

 

[brandwooddixon]

Perhaps this:

There are also issues with premature wear of valve guide on earlier M278 engines. The Silitec coating inside does not cut it since high temperatures and detonation during operations require resistance, and the material cannot contain it. Hence, the wear of the guides.

MB switched from Silitec to NanoSlide valve guides part way through production of the engine but I don't know which engine numbers have which.

I suspect that long oil change intervals may have a bearing on the issue of valve guide wear in the early engines.

The engine on my car may have Silitec valve guides (I don't actually know) but I've not seen an issue yet indicating valve guide wear (oops that's done it!) and its at 110k miles.

 

[LostKiwi]

Perhaps this:


MB switched from Silitec to NanoSlide valve guides part way through production of the engine but I don't know which engine numbers have which.

I suspect that long oil change intervals may have a bearing on the issue of valve guide wear in the early engines.

The engine on my car may have Silitec valve guides (I don't actually know) but I've not seen an issue yet indicating valve guide wear (oops that's done it!) and its at 110k miles.

It was cylinder liners that changed.
All engines with aluminium blocks used Silitec from about the late 90s onwards up until 2011 when some went to nanoslide eventually becoming all from 2016 or so.

 

[Botus]

BMW V8s in the late 80 went to electroplated bores - the sulphur in fuels of the time destroyed the cylinder coating - they used to secretly swap out the whole engines at service without telling owners

 

[brandwooddixon]

It was cylinder liners that changed.
All engines with aluminium blocks used Silitec from about the late 90s onwards up until 2011 when some went to nanoslide eventually becoming all from 2016 or so.

Okay, but the point is that M278 engines using Silitec also exhibited a prevalence for valve guide wear. At some stage during M278 production NanoSlide was introduced and the valve guide wear associated with these engines, appears to have been fixed.
My assumption was that the same material was also applied to the valve guides.

 

[LostKiwi]

Okay, but the point is that M278 engines using Silitec also exhibited a prevalence for valve guide wear. At some stage during M278 production NanoSlide was introduced and the valve guide wear associated with these engines, appears to have been fixed.
My assumption was that the same material was also applied to the valve guides.

Unlikely given how it's applied.

 

[LostKiwi]

Interesting:
3) Mercedes M278 Engine Valve Guide Wear
Valve guide wear is an issue with the M278 that is rarely discussed. This problem, along with the timing chain and tensioner problems, is unique to the first few years of the M278’s manufacturing run and was mostly fixed by the end of the line.

As was previously reported, the M278’s cylinders were lined with Silitec, a hyper-eutectic aluminum-silicon alloy that is cast into the aluminum cylinder to reduce friction, heat, and wear. The Silitec disappointedly fell short of expectations. It would create considerable wear on the valve guides because it couldn’t handle the high temperatures and occasional detonation events of the M278 engine. Due to Silitec’s cylinder scoring problems, Mercedes ultimately turned to Nanoslide coating.