C32 AMG, C55 AMG (W203) 2001 - 2007

A Little TLC

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Old 09-01-2009, 12:35 AM
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C63AMG
Ongoing Progress

We got the plugs swapped out yesterday, not too bad to get to them after removing the coils.

We also removed the covers on the valve covers to apply some new sealant to them. They had been seaping for awhile.

When the crankshaft pulley tool arrives, we'll swap out the pulley with the LET 185 mm pulley. Got the pump pulley and idler pulleys changed out. How bout the length of the pulley belt, wow, it's a whopper...

The C32 AMG is a joy to work on.

Getting close to completion now.
Attached Thumbnails A Little TLC-c32amg-054.jpg   A Little TLC-c32amg-056.jpg   A Little TLC-c32amg-058.jpg  
Old 09-01-2009, 01:20 AM
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02 C32 AMG
Originally Posted by lomita
We got the plugs swapped out yesterday, not too bad to get to them after removing the coils.

We also removed the covers on the valve covers to apply some new sealant to them. They had been seaping for awhile.

When the crankshaft pulley tool arrives, we'll swap out the pulley with the LET 185 mm pulley. Got the pump pulley and idler pulleys changed out. How bout the length of the pulley belt, wow, it's a whopper...

The C32 AMG is a joy to work on.

Getting close to completion now.
what plugs you get? stock heat range or colder? what gap?

haha glad you like working on the c32. most of my buddies who help me hate it as they complain its too complicated the engine bay is small and cramped lol.
Old 09-01-2009, 08:51 AM
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2008 A8L, 2002 996TT X50, 2009 X5
Very cool on the progress... ...now lock that HE in place with a couple self-tapping screws.
Old 09-01-2009, 08:58 AM
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C63AMG
Stock gap on plugs one range colder, NGK iridiums.

H/E to go..........
Old 09-05-2009, 03:24 AM
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C63AMG
185mm Pulley Installing

Well, since we got the tool tonight, we put the breaker bar on the socket handle and the new 185 pulley managed to get onto the crankshaft just minutes ago! Nothing like a hot summer holiday weekend night to do a little C32 AMG tinkering. Took the entire floor jack handle on the breaker bar to pop that baby loose. No wonder the bolt is non-reusable....
Attached Thumbnails A Little TLC-c32amg-066.jpg   A Little TLC-c32amg-061.jpg  
Old 09-05-2009, 10:09 AM
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C63AMG
Originally Posted by greatwrk9
Oh thats great, my son drive bike. I am planning to buy one for me.
Mr. Kringle tell me why.
Old 09-05-2009, 01:59 PM
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02 C32 AMG
lookin good! though i might have recommended using a gap around .034

you getting a tune to go along with the 185? i hope so......
Old 09-05-2009, 06:08 PM
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C63AMG
Tune

Originally Posted by jturkel
lookin good! though i might have recommended using a gap around .034

you getting a tune to go along with the 185? i hope so......
Already done the tune via LET/Eurocharged........
Old 09-05-2009, 10:09 PM
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C63AMG
Closer Than We Thought

Got the H/E and pump mounted this afternoon. The 185mm pulley is torqued in place. We made a nice little tool to hold the crank in position for the final torquing. Went with some larger hardware to strap down the heat exchanger. Had to laugh at those two little tiny self tapping screws supplied with the kit. With a little luck tomorrow, will reinstall the bumper cover. We could be up and running by noon tomorrow!
Attached Thumbnails A Little TLC-c32amg-067.jpg   A Little TLC-c32amg-068.jpg   A Little TLC-c32amg-069.jpg   A Little TLC-c32amg-071.jpg  
Old 09-07-2009, 12:49 AM
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03 c32
I love this Father/Son project.
My 5 yr old son already knows that he will be "inheriting" a 780 bhp+ e46 HPF Turbo M3, one day...
Old 09-07-2009, 12:51 AM
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03 c32
Now on to business matters, I think your son deserves a nice set of the finest one piece forged wheels for his C32, right here

Pics are available, here

Last edited by AirFrcd; 09-07-2009 at 12:54 AM.
Old 09-07-2009, 02:14 PM
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C63AMG
Donations appreciated. What you give will come back to you ten fold, law of availability and multiplication....we are searching currently for the coolant addition process....am going to run the machine prior to buttoning up the front bumper cover. Easier to see any leaks that way.

Deut. 20.4
Old 09-07-2009, 02:49 PM
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2008 A8L, 2002 996TT X50, 2009 X5
Originally Posted by lomita
Donations appreciated. What you give will come back to you ten fold, law of availability and multiplication....we are searching currently for the coolant addition process....am going to run the machine prior to buttoning up the front bumper cover. Easier to see any leaks that way.

Deut. 20.4
This thread gives you everything you need for the HE install and properly bleeding the coolant:

http://www.mymbonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6430

Old 09-07-2009, 11:17 PM
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Thanks For Thread

Originally Posted by c32AMG-DTM
This thread gives you everything you need for the HE install and properly bleeding the coolant:

http://www.mymbonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6430

Thanks for the thread. We found the same one while searching today. The great thing in his thread, the Heat Exchanger he is using actually fits...

It was very disappointing to not be able to get the friggin Eurocharged/LET purchased heat exchanger to fit within the bumper cover.

We finally put the stock heat exchanger back into place. Only then would the bumper cover fit as it came out.

I can't give anyone an endorsement on the Eurocharged Heat Exchanger. I am not easily discouraged, however, this is a pure no go.

The engine fired right up with the 185 mm LET pulley. The belt only rides 1/8 inch aft of the edge of the water pump pulley adaptor supplied with the kit, but there is plenty of pulley in front of the belt where it does us no good.
Attached Thumbnails A Little TLC-c32amg-086.jpg   A Little TLC-c32amg-088.jpg  
Old 09-07-2009, 11:29 PM
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C63AMG
On A Positive Note

Even though the Eurocharged heat exchanger supplied to us by LET would not fit within the bumper cover, we are happy to have made significant progress today. The coolant was added with the stock heat exchanger back in place.

Word to the wise, don't bother pulling the crankcase coolant drain plugs, about two drops are all that come out after the radiator has been drained.

The engine seems to be purring OK at this time. Hope the LET tune works out for us. Will find out tomorrow..........
Attached Thumbnails A Little TLC-c32amg-085.jpg   A Little TLC-c32amg-080.jpg  
Old 09-08-2009, 12:19 AM
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02 C32 AMG
sorry to hear about your Heat Exchanger issues. maybe they changed their design? my LET fit in there and just required the hammering of the brackets. i hope you are able to resolve it and make it work, or at least get a larger heat exchanger.....it really is a must for the 185 pulley
Old 09-08-2009, 10:19 PM
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C63AMG
Finished Project, Good For Another 10K Miles

We finished buttoning up this afternoon and have hit the road again.

The Eurocharged Tune is working good with the new plugs, wires, pulleys, brakes, rotors, and all fluids changed.

What can we say? She hauls.....
Attached Thumbnails A Little TLC-c32amg-091.jpg  

Last edited by lomita; 09-09-2009 at 12:25 AM.
Old 09-09-2009, 11:51 PM
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GMC - Miata - Trek - P-Car
*off topic*

Did I see you turning east from Eshelman onto Lomita late this afternoon?
Looked like clean one.

If not schlepping about in the GMC, I’d have exchanged a friendly wave.
Old 09-10-2009, 12:10 AM
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03 C32 AMG
Originally Posted by splinter
*off topic*

Did I see you turning east from Eshelman onto Lomita late this afternoon?
Looked like clean one.

If not schlepping about in the GMC, I’d have exchanged a friendly wave.
Yes indeed, that was me. Loving the pulley and tune!

Old 09-10-2009, 07:31 AM
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03 g35 coupe...........02 c32 Sold
very clean
Old 10-17-2009, 08:06 PM
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C63AMG
Rear Eibach Swaybar

Finally, we got the Eibach rear swaybar this past week after weeks of waiting for the order to be filled and shipped.

The C32 AMG rides entirely different now. No more sponge feel. Turns are crispier and you can feel all the nooks and crannies in the road.

If you want an AMG ride which feels similar to having the Performance Package suspension option on the new AMGs, this larger diameter rear swaybar is a great place to start!
Attached Thumbnails A Little TLC-rearswaybar101709-002.jpg   A Little TLC-rearswaybar101709-003.jpg   A Little TLC-rearswaybar101709-005.jpg   A Little TLC-rearswaybar101709-006.jpg   A Little TLC-rearswaybar101709-008.jpg  

A Little TLC-rearswaybar101709-014.jpg  
Old 10-18-2009, 12:39 AM
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CLS55
Originally Posted by lomita
Likewise, bought a crafsman toolbox for $50 when I was 16 and been at it ever since.

My son is 17 now. He is spilling half the oil with me......lol!

We rebuilt his first car two years ago, bumper to bumper including all bushings and mounts with hard race stuff, a 99 Impreza OBS. With Delta cams, think it has about 165 hp from 2.2L 4 cylinder engine. After I got my C63 AMG, he naturally felt underpowered.

So he came to me and said, let's turbocharge the Impreza. I said, start thinking of another project car. I don't want to aftermarket turbo a normally aspiriated car in the state of California and have to deal with the smog board.

The C32 AMG is what he found 3 days after I sent him on a mission to find a new project car that was already turbocharged. He did manage to find one of the best project cars out there, the C32 AMG, an 03 with 43K miles. We jumped on it.

Hey man, glad to see your boy sticks with you. Before my now 19 year old went to Military, we'd get all geared up for a big job only to have him back in his room on the xbox360 within the first few hours of a weekend long job...so much for the bonding LOL! GOd bless him, he's a good boy...and smart....but wrenching is never something he'll be interested in. Ahh well, I made him learn the basics anyway....
Old 10-18-2009, 02:49 PM
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C63AMG
Proud Dad

Originally Posted by testknight
Hey man, glad to see your boy sticks with you. Before my now 19 year old went to Military, we'd get all geared up for a big job only to have him back in his room on the xbox360 within the first few hours of a weekend long job...so much for the bonding LOL! GOd bless him, he's a good boy...and smart....but wrenching is never something he'll be interested in. Ahh well, I made him learn the basics anyway....
All the planets and the galaxies have to be in alignment for a big project....

We put off today for the next project, Evosport headers. Going to enjoy the ride with the new rear swaybar for a week.

Timing makes the job fun and not work. Gotta keep the balance. Life is too short.
Attached Thumbnails A Little TLC-evosport-headers.jpg  
Old 11-23-2009, 09:51 PM
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03 C32 AMG
That only took about a month to install... hahaha.

The nuts that held the stock headers on were rusted to the studs. Double nutted the studs, took them out, chased the threads on the studs and tapped the threads in the block, bought new copper nuts - end result, all went back together like butter. Dropping the whole exhaust system returns much more work space.





Slight change in exhaust note, but the power gains are there. No more lag when I punch it, it just goes! Half throttle in 1st gear now results in loss of traction
Old 01-30-2010, 05:17 PM
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03 C32 AMG
Result from tracking:



Anyways, finally got some tires!



Kumho Ecsta ASX, 235/45/17 on the fronts, and 255/40/17 on the rears.

Feels like a whole different car now; rides like a million bucks. No more road noise, more steering response, and more traction - loving it all!


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