Used Mercedes-Benz CLS Camshaft

Yes, every CLS variant has at least one camshaft — in fact most engines in the CLS range are multi-cam units with separate intake and exhaust camshafts per cylinder bank, so a typical CLS will have two or four camshafts depending on the engine. The CLS has always been available with petrol and diesel engines, all of which use conventional camshaft-driven valve trains. There are no camshaft-free engine variants on this model.

The engine code is the single most important detail for matching a camshaft — the badge on the boot (for example CLS 350 or CLS 220 d) tells you the displacement and fuel type, but the specific camshaft profile, bearing count, and phaser fitment are determined by the precise engine code, which you will find on your V5C or via a VIN check. Supply your full engine code to the breaker rather than just the model name, as Mercedes-Benz used several different engine families across the CLS generations even under the same badge. Getting this wrong risks buying a camshaft that physically resembles the correct one but has different lift or timing specifications.

The C219 and C218 are entirely different generations with a substantially revised engine line-up, so a camshaft from the 2004–2010 car is very unlikely to be compatible with a 2011–2018 car even if the badge looks similar — for example the 3.0-litre diesel moved from the OM642 family in the C219 to revised variants in the C218 with different camshaft specifications. Always confirm fitment against your exact engine code with the breaker, as crossing a generation boundary like this is a common source of incorrect orders. Never assume compatibility based on badge or fuel type alone.

The C218 received a facelift in 2014 that was primarily cosmetic — updated bumpers, lights, and interior trim — rather than a wholesale engine change, so many engine codes carried over across that boundary. That said, ancillary changes and running updates to engine internals can occur mid-production, so whether a pre-facelift camshaft is a direct swap into a post-facelift engine is something you should confirm with the breaker against your specific registration and engine code rather than assume. Supply your engine code and the breaker can check casting numbers and phaser compatibility before you commit.

Trim level alone does not affect camshaft fitment — an SE, Sport, and AMG Line CLS sharing the same engine code will use the same camshaft. The exception is a genuine AMG-badged variant such as the CLS 63 AMG, which uses a different engine family entirely (the M156 or M157 depending on generation) and therefore a completely different camshaft to a standard petrol CLS of the same year. Make sure you are clear with the breaker whether your car is a full AMG model or simply an AMG Line trim, as these are mechanically very different.

Fuel type matters enormously — petrol and diesel camshafts are completely different parts with different lobe profiles, phaser configurations, and physical dimensions, and they are not interchangeable under any circumstances. Within the diesel range the CLS used engines including the OM642 3.0-litre V6 and later four-cylinder units, each with their own specific camshafts, and within the petrol range there were similarly distinct engine families across the two generations. Always tell the breaker both your fuel type and your engine code to ensure you are quoted the correct part.