Engines Market

Mercedes SL 500/560 SPECIALISTS

Mercedes Benz SL 500/560 Engine Replacement Compare Prices & Get Quotes

Get quotes today from trusted UK Mercedes Benz SL 500 and SL 560 engine specialists. Compare prices on reconditioned, rebuilt and used engines for the flagship V8s - from the classic M117 to the modern M177 - supply & fit available nationwide.

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Mercedes Benz SL 500/560 Engine
from£2,200 to £12,00...
  • Usedfrom £1,500
  • Reconditionedfrom £2,200
  • Common codesM113.963, M273.965, M278.927
Mercedes Benz sl 500/560 Used Engine — M117.967Mercedes Benz slUsed Engine — M117.967Mercedes Benz sl 500/560 Reconditioned Engine — M117.967Mercedes Benz slReconditioned Engine — M117.967Mercedes Benz sl 500/560 Rebuilt Engine — M117.967Mercedes Benz slRebuilt Engine — M117.967

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3 Simple Steps to Finding the Right Replacement Engine

Clear information first, then the right engine and specialist for your exact vehicle.

Variant History

Mercedes Benz SL 500/560 Engine History & Specs at a Glance

The SL 500 has been the heart of the SL range across four generations, powered by a succession of V8 engines that have defined Mercedes grand touring excellence. The SL 560 badge, originally used on the R107 (1985-1989) with the M117 5.6-litre V8, was revived in the modern era for the R231 facelift with the M176 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. The SL 500 lineage spans the M113 5.0-litre V8 in the R230 (2001-2006), the M273 5.5-litre V8 in the R230 facelift (2006-2011), and the M278 4.7-litre twin-turbo V8 in the early R231 (2012-2017). These V8s represent the pinnacle of SL performance and refinement, each with its own character and engineering story.

Mercedes Benz SL 500/560
  1. 1985

    M117.967, 5.6L naturally aspirated V8, 230hp @ 4,750rpm (560 SL, R107)

  2. 2001

    M113.963, 5.0L naturally aspirated V8, 306hp @ 5,600rpm (SL 500, R230 launch)

  3. 2006

    M273.965, 5.5L naturally aspirated V8, 388hp @ 6,000rpm (SL 500, R230 facelift)

  4. 2012

    M278.927, 4.7L twin-turbo V8, 455hp @ 5,250rpm (SL 500, R231 launch)

  5. 2018

    M176.980, 4.0L twin-turbo V8 with 48V EQ Boost, 469hp @ 5,500rpm (SL 560, R231 facelift)

Every engine fitted to the Mercedes Benz SL 500 and SL 560 is covered below, with UK rebuilt pricing and known failure points - from M117 timing chain guide degradation to M176 oil separator and rear main seal failures.

Engine Codes & Pricing

Mercedes Benz SL 500/560 Engine Codes Specifications & Replacement Cost

Find your exact engine code, specs and UK replacement cost guide.

M117.967 — 5.6L Naturally Aspirated V8 (1985-1989) engine

M117.967 — 5.6L Naturally Aspirated V8 (1985-1989)

Power Output
230 hp (170 kW) @ 4,750 rpm
Torque
373 Nm @ 3,250 rpm
Years Fitted
1985-1989
Displacement
5,547 cc
Cylinders
V8, 90° V-angle, SOHC, 16-valve
Engine Code
M 117 E 56 / 117.967

Can’t find your exact engine code?

-> Get quotes for M117.967 Mercedes SL 560 engine replacement

Common Problems

Mercedes Benz SL 500/560 Engine Problems Repair Cost vs Replacement

The SL 500 and SL 560's V8 engines represent five decades of Mercedes engineering excellence - from the classic M117 to the modern M176. However, each has well-documented weaknesses that can lead to significant repair costs. The M117 suffers from timing chain guide degradation, the M113 from oil pump chain stretch, the M273 from balance shaft wear, the M278 from timing chain and cylinder issues, and the M176 from PCV oil separator failure leading to rear main seal leaks. Every rebuilt engine supplied through EnginesMarket includes upgraded components addressing these original failure points, plus a minimum 12-month unlimited-mileage warranty.

Common failure points and repair options

M117 Timing Chain Guide Degradation

Affected
Mercedes SL 560 (M117.967, 1985-1989)
Typical failure mileage
80,000-120,000 miles
Root cause
The M117's plastic timing chain guides become brittle with age and heat cycling. The left-hand inner guide rail is particularly prone to failure. If ignored, guide fragments can enter the timing chain and cause catastrophic engine failure.

Repair options

Repair tierDealer priceSpecialist price
Preventative - Timing chain guide replacement£2,500-£4,000£1,500-£2,500
Major - Timing chain & guide replacement£4,000-£6,000£2,500-£3,800
Full Replacement - Rebuilt M117 engine£6,500-£9,000£3,500-£5,500
Our recommendation
If your SL 560 exhibits a rattling noise on cold start or you're approaching 100,000 miles, have the timing chain guides inspected immediately. Preventative guide replacement at a specialist is significantly cheaper than a full engine rebuild. On an SL 560 worth £10,000-£30,000, this is a worthwhile investment to preserve the vehicle's value and reliability.
-> Compare rebuilt M117 Mercedes SL 560 engine prices

M113 Oil Pump Chain & Timing Chain Tensioner Failure

Affected
Mercedes SL 500 (M113.963, 2001-2006)
Typical failure mileage
60,000-100,000 miles
Root cause
The M113's oil pump drive chain can stretch and rub on the timing chain case. Timing chain tensioner failure is also commonly reported, leading to rattling on startup. The serpentine belt tensioner and idler pulleys are also frequent sources of noise.

Repair options

Repair tierDealer priceSpecialist price
Diagnostics - Timing chain inspection£200-£400£150-£300
Intermediate - Oil pump chain replacement£2,000-£3,200£1,400-£2,200
Intermediate - Timing chain tensioner replacement£1,200-£2,000£800-£1,400
Full Replacement - Rebuilt M113 engine£5,500-£7,500£3,200-£4,800
Our recommendation
If your SL 500 exhibits rattling on startup or oil pressure warnings, have the timing chain and oil pump chain inspected immediately. The M113's oil pump chain stretch is a known issue. Specialist replacement is significantly cheaper than dealer rates. If the engine has been run with low oil pressure, a full rebuilt M113 engine may be the only safe option.
-> Compare rebuilt M113 Mercedes SL 500 engine prices

M273 Balance Shaft/Idler Gear Wear

Affected
Mercedes SL 500 (M273.965, 2006-2011, early production units)
Typical failure mileage
60,000-80,000 miles
Root cause
Early M273 engines (2007-2008) experienced problems with the balance shaft gear deteriorating, causing timing chain issues. Both the M272 V6 and M273 V8 engines utilise an idler gear that can fail. Engines with serial numbers below the correction point are affected. VIN checking is recommended to determine if a specific engine is affected.

Repair options

Repair tierDealer priceSpecialist price
Diagnostics - VIN & engine number check£100-£200£80-£150
Major - Balance shaft/idler gear replacement£4,000-£6,500£2,800-£4,200
Full Replacement - Rebuilt M273 engine£6,500-£9,000£4,000-£5,800
Our recommendation
If your SL 500 exhibits rattling on cold start or timing chain noise, check your engine number immediately. Early M273 engines are known for balance shaft/idler gear issues. Specialist replacement at £2,800-£4,200 is significantly cheaper than dealer rates. On an SL 500 worth £8,000-£22,000, preventative attention is always the better investment.
-> Compare rebuilt M273 Mercedes SL 500 engine prices

M278 Timing Chain Tensioner & Cylinder Scoring

Affected
Mercedes SL 500 (M278.927, 2012-2017)
Typical failure mileage
60,000-100,000 miles
Root cause
Early M278 V8s had problems with timing chain tensioners causing rattle on start-up. Cylinder wall scoring has been documented in M278 engines, and there is a class action lawsuit alleging a manufacturing defect leading to premature engine failure. Oil leaks, misfires, and engine failures have been reported.

Repair options

Repair tierDealer priceSpecialist price
Diagnostics - Timing chain & compression test£300-£500£200-£350
Intermediate - Timing chain tensioner replacement£2,000-£3,500£1,400-£2,400
Major - Engine rebuild with cylinder repair£6,000-£10,000£4,000-£6,500
Full Replacement - Rebuilt M278 engine£8,000-£12,000£4,500-£6,500
Our recommendation
If your SL 500 exhibits rattling on start-up or rough running, have the timing chain and cylinders inspected immediately. Early M278 engines are known for timing chain tensioner issues and cylinder scoring. On an SL 500 worth £15,000-£35,000, preventative attention is always the better investment.
-> Compare rebuilt M278 Mercedes SL 500 engine prices

M176 PCV Oil Separator & Rear Main Seal Failure

Affected
Mercedes SL 560 (M176.980, 2018-2020)
Typical failure mileage
40,000-80,000 miles
Root cause
One of the most notorious design flaws on the M176/M177 engines is the failure of the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) oil separators. Heat bakes the internal diaphragms. A failing separator will often cause a high-pitched whistling noise at idle, a rough idle, or a check engine light. Eventually, increased crankcase pressure finds the weakest point - the rear main crankshaft oil seal (RMS) - causing a massive oil leak. Mercedes-Benz mandates that both oil separators be replaced whenever a rear main seal is found leaking to prevent a repeat failure.

Repair options

Repair tierDealer priceSpecialist price
Diagnostics - Oil separator/PCV check£300-£500£200-£350
Intermediate - Oil separator replacement£1,800-£2,800£1,200-£1,800
Major - Rear main seal replacement£4,000-£6,500£2,800-£4,500
Full Replacement - Rebuilt M176 engine£10,000-£15,000£6,500-£12,000
Our recommendation
The oil separator is the root cause of most M176 rear main seal leaks. If you hear a whistling noise at idle, notice a rough idle, or see a check engine light, have the PCV system checked immediately. If caught early, replacing the oil separators alone (£1,200-£1,800 at a specialist) prevents the much more expensive rear main seal replacement. If the rear main seal has already failed, replacing both the seal and the oil separators together is the only sensible approach. On an SL 560 worth £30,000-£55,000, the full rebuilt engine route is justifiable if bottom-end damage has occurred.
-> Compare rebuilt M176 Mercedes SL 560 engine prices

Don't Let Timing Chain Issues, Oil Separator Failure, or Balance Shaft Wear Write Off Your Mercedes SL 500 or SL 560

Whether you're facing M117 timing chain guide degradation on your classic SL 560, M113 oil pump chain issues on your R230 SL 500, M273 balance shaft wear on your facelift SL 500, M278 cylinder scoring on your R231 SL 500, or M176 PCV oil separator failure on your modern SL 560, EnginesMarket makes it simple to compare quotes from trusted UK Mercedes V8 specialists. Every rebuilt engine in our network carries upgraded components addressing the original design weakness - new timing guides, reinforced chains and tensioners, updated balance shaft gears, and improved oil separators - plus a minimum 12-month unlimited mileage warranty with nationwide delivery and supply & fit options. Don't pay main dealer premiums. Compare prices from independent Mercedes V8 specialists who know these flagship engines inside out.

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FAQ

Mercedes Benz SL 500/560 Engine ReplacementFrequently Asked Questions

Everything Mercedes Benz SL 500/560 owners usually ask before choosing a rebuilt, reconditioned or used replacement engine.

Why Choose Us

Compare Mercedes SL 500/560 Engine Prices Today

Comparing quotes for your Mercedes SL 500 or SL 560 is completely free, with no obligation and no pressure. Enter your registration above to get tailored quotes from UK Mercedes V8 specialists who understand the M113, M273, M278, M176 and M117 engines inside out. Whether you need a used engine, a reconditioned unit, or a full rebuilt engine with upgraded timing components, balance shaft gears, oil separators, and seals, we'll connect you with the right specialist for your exact SL - with a minimum 12-month warranty on every engine supplied.

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