Seletron Performance
Apr 19, 2022
As always, there are pros and cons. For example, BMW is continuing with the inline six-cylinder architecture on its 3-liter common rail diesels. They have been doing this for decades and have not considered V6 partitioning so far. Long ago, Audi and Mercedes switched to V6s for their 3000 common-rail (Audi also for the 2700 TDI), but Mercedes has had a change of heart and switched with the recent 2900 common rail 24-valve that now has an inline six architecture. Before we talk about this performance engine, we'll talk about a few technical points regarding the two architectures.
As we said, there are pros and cons in both cases. Let's start with the overall dimensions. An engine with the 6 cylinders arranged in a V shape is less bulky than the corresponding 6L, meaning it can be installed inside smaller engine compartments (where a 6L could hardly be installed), and it can be installed in a more rearward position. This is very advantageous for a more balanced mass distribution between the two axles (which greatly affects a vehicle's dynamic behavior).
The inline 6-cylinder engine, however, has other advantages, the first being the perfect balance of mass in alternating directions. It is practically the only engine that does not require balancing countershafts (elements that absorb a small percentage of energy and increase the engine's inertia when changing rotational speed). Furthermore, it normally has a simpler construction, allowing for more efficient positioning of the various accessories and elements. This results in greater accessibility during maintenance and repair.
For example, the 3000 common rail BMW engine (inline 6) is much simpler and more accessible in its components than the 3000 V6 Mercedes. The 3000 V6 has a water-oil heat exchanger, variable geometry intake manifold actuators, and other elements in the center of the two banks in positions that are not easily accessible. The turbocharger is also mounted (on the Mercedes V6) in a rear position in the center of the banks. Moreover, the exhaust manifolds are necessarily split, while on the inline 6 the arrangement is simpler and more rational. In terms of power and torque, there are no differences between the two cylinder arrangements.
That it has the inline 6 cylinders we have already mentioned; recall that (by now, like everyone else), it has 4 valves per cylinder. The injection system is common-rail and uses a system that works with maximum diesel pressure. It also uses bi-stage supercharging (if you have read any of our other articles, you will know that it differs completely from conventional bi-turbo) with a heat exchanger to bring down the temperatures of the compressed air sent to the cylinders.
Mercedes calls this new distribution management system Camtronic. The exact displacement is 2925cc, and this engine is available in two power levels; today we are talking about the most powerful one that delivers precisely 330 horsepower at the speed of 3600 - 4200 rpm with an exuberant driving torque of 700Nm available already at 1200 rpm and up to 3200 rpm without a dip in the torque curve. These are important figures that, at the moment, exceed what has been achieved by Audi and BMW's 3-liter Diesel engines with two-stage supercharging with 2 turbochargers. At the moment, too, this engine is paired with the 9 G-Tronic automatic transmission and is named "400d," an acronym that in the past would have recalled 4-liter V8 engines.
This inline 2900 has high specific power and, thanks to the mighty torque, is suitable to move even large Mercedes SUVs with performance appropriate to the brand. As an example, the GLE powered by this engine hits a speed of 245 km/h with a remarkable acceleration figure: 5.7 seconds for the classic 0-100 and for a car that weighs almost 22 quintals! In short, this is an enthusiast's diesel that can compete with the best 3-liter Audis and BMWs. However, we have put together a kit to increase the power of this superdiesel. We have prepared a specific version of CHIPBOX that acts on the diesel injection and supercharging systems. We will tell you about the results in terms of power and torque when we publish some articles regarding a specific Mercedes model that mounts this beautiful engine in the near future.
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