Merc63

I'm going to record the progress of taking a bone stock C63 to Stage 3 and also replacing the stock head bolts with studs by changing them with the engine in the car one by one.

I'll be snapping pics along the way and updating frequently as we move through the job.

I thought some of you would be interested in the blower install and I know some guys want to see how it goes installing the head studs.


Also might be replacing the lifters (tappets) with the revised ones from the SLS after we examine them once the cams are out of the way.

motoman

Merc, Looking forward. Noticed on Baum Tools site a kit for installing "helicoils" in the block. Is this a problem on the C 63?


Edit: The Baum Kit of helicoils for the block... thought for the day: After blaming the weak headbolts, is some of the problem with coolant in engine due to over torqueing the TTY bolts and pulling block threads? Ironic twist...the TTY bolts do not yield? Just sayin...

Merc63

Valve body ready for shipment to Weistec for TCU upgrade.




Engine bay

BLACKONBLACKC63

Good luck with the build and thank you for your dedication.

bhamg

Great stuff...looking forward to this...probably should be stickied in some form too.

SLS Qatar

Excellet thread. looking forward for some updates. good job

m a x i m u s

Only if you strip the treads in the block, I suppose.

jrcart

you're not messing around are you?

Mort

Merc good luck with this. I am very interested in how changing the head bolts goes. I am thinking of doing this myself when the warranty expires on mine. Thanks for posting up this info and keeping us in the loop.

blackbenzz

Awesome thread! Love it when people diy. I should have taken pics with my car and posted up.

mthis

Great Cant wait one day ill use this thread .

Is it hard to remove the valve body?

TIA

BRABUS786

Good luck

Merc63

Not at all, just some bolts and a connector and it falls out. I believe there is a how to on Weistecs install page.



Thanks for the encouragement everyone.

Spent a few more hours in the garage tonight removing the stock exhaust. This car was winter driven a couple seasons and the exhaust bolts are rusted to ****. I am having a hell of a time getting some of the studs off the exhaust manifolds.. Luckily we have everything off the top of the engine and with the valve covers removed it gives you a lot more room to get tools in there.

I have 3 nuts/studs left on the one log and it will be all off.. going to need to weld up a socket on a bar to get these last ones off unfortunately. I am going to replace them all with new studs and nuts.


Hoping to have the head studs in for next Saturday and start working on that.

layzie12g

Keep the pictures coming.

Djmouz63

Great work cant wait to see this through!!

ed4

* Subscribed *

ZephyrAMG

Godspeed......

deadfission

I wish I had monies to do this

Merc63

Head studs and plugs are in.

mthis

If u don't mind taking detailed pix of the head bolt replacement process I would greatly appreciate it.

I'm looking to do everything u doing soon just not soon enough.
TIA

bhamg

This gets my vote as the *awesome* thread of the (still young) 2013.

Merc63

ECU and TCU/Valve body on route to Weistec.

I've chatted with Steve at Weistec about switching the head bolts one by one and have a solid game plan.

The head studs go into the water jacket so they must be sealed with 500F silicone on the top threads, bottom of the nut and washers. The sealing surface must be completely clean of oil (which there is lots of everywhere).

The head bolts are down an opening in the head so oil gets trapped down there.

I'm going to use a metal rod with a cone shaped end to plug the hole where the stud goes, while spraying parts clean all over the sealing surface and sucking it up with my pneumatic extractor. Cleaning with a rag also till it is spotless.


Stay tuned.

CarHopper

ARP studs? Looks like a tedious but rewarding process. Definitely keeping an eye on this.

Merc63

Just did a little calculation for the guys that think the head gasket will be compromised.

With 1 of 10 headbolts removed, you are looking at around 90,000lbs of clamping force from the remaining 9 bolts. That gasket isn't going anywhere

rags260z

Love this thread!

I'm all for trying to change the headbolts one by one and would try this myself if my engine had the older style bolts. Without actually seeing a bare head with my own eyes, one thing you mentioned does have me worried. You said the headbolt threaded holes go all the way into the waterjacket in the block. All of my experiences with head studs and threaded holes that hit water jackets are if you do not seal the bottom threads on the stud (threads that are going into the block) with silicone the studs will weep coolant. I know you said you were going to seal put silicone on the top threads and bottom of the nuts but wouldn't that allow the cavity in the head that the headbolt goes through to fill with coolant?

Joe