Second Hand Mercedes-Benz S-Class Camshaft

This crosses the W221 (2005–2013) and W222 (2013–2020) generation boundary, and those are completely different engine families, so a direct swap is very unlikely. Fitment of camshafts follows the engine code first — even within a single generation a petrol unit such as the M272 will not accept a camshaft from a diesel OM642 or from the M278 V8. Confirm the exact engine code from your V5 or a VIN check and supply it to the breaker, who can match against their stock accurately.

The engine code is the single most important detail for a camshaft — year alone is not sufficient because the S-Class was sold across each generation with multiple petrol, diesel, and hybrid engines that share no camshaft parts with one another. For example, a W222 built in 2015 could carry the M276 six-cylinder petrol, the M278 V8 petrol, or the OM642 diesel, and each uses entirely different camshafts. Find your engine code on the V5 registration certificate or via a VIN check and give it to the breaker before agreeing a quote.

Trim or badge level (S350, S400, S500, S600, AMG Line and so on) does not in itself determine camshaft fitment — what matters is which engine is actually fitted, and different badges denote different engines. An S350 in the W222 generation typically uses the M276 3.0-litre V6, while an S500 uses the M278 4.7-litre V8, so their camshafts are not interchangeable despite both being the same body generation. Always quote the engine code rather than the badge when requesting a camshaft from a breaker.

All S-Class engines — petrol and diesel alike — have camshafts, so the part absolutely exists across both fuel types. However, diesel S-Class units such as the OM642 V6 and OM656 straight-six use their own specific camshafts that are completely different from those in petrol variants such as the M276 or M278. Make sure you specify fuel type as well as the engine code when contacting a breaker, as mixing petrol and diesel camshafts is not possible.

These are different generations with different engine architectures, and in the vast majority of cases the camshafts will not interchange — the W222 introduced revised engine families such as the M276 and M278 that differ internally from the earlier M272 and M273 units found in the W221. Even where an engine code looks similar across the two generations, confirm compatibility with the breaker against both registration numbers before purchasing. Never assume cross-generation fitment without verification.

The W222 received its facelift in 2017, but camshaft fitment is determined by the engine code rather than the facelift revision, so in many cases the camshaft itself may be unchanged across the facelift boundary. That said, ancillary components and any mid-production running changes to engine internals are details you should confirm with the breaker against your specific registration, as these can vary in ways that are not always publicly documented. Providing your full engine code and registration to the breaker is the safest approach.