SaphGreyC63

Hello Everyone,

So, I haven't driven my car around in about a month now (waiting on my interior to be finished, should have it back in a week). Anywho, I have been starting up the engine and letting it idle just to keep things going every 4-5 days.

Now here's the problem, yesterday I start it up and I hear an odd ticking sound. I used the search and found other threads about it maybe being lifters or cams or something (not very mechanically inclined here) and from those threads it said its normal after the car has sat for a while.

Anyway, I have attached two videos of the sound. I didn't let the car warm up all the way (only to about 100 degrees) because I was afraid it might be bad.

Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated.

khmergod

That doesn't sound too good. More extreme than the normal ticking. Get it to the dealer.

SaphGreyC63

Yeah, the dealer is my next step unless someone here can chime in.

Fung63

does it go away after a drive / warmed up?

SaphGreyC63

Haven't driven it yet. After I heard it I turned it off and came straight here to ask. Didn't want to cause any damage, but based on the other threads I saw about this I am going to let the car warm up all the way to 176 then go for a light drive to see if it goes away.

In the meantime, any other thoughts/ideas/suggestions?

NCBob

I strongly suspect lifters. When the car sits for an extended period of time, the lifters will collapse a little. You really need to get it up to operating temp and it should go away. I've had that happen to other cars, but not the C63 as it is a daily driver.

SaphGreyC63

So being very worried about this, I called home and had my sister get the car warmed up to operating temps. She heard the sound yesterday when it came on and she told me no sound today, even when revving it after warmup.

So if it was the lifters, is this a problem I should have looked at? Or is it normal for cars that have been sitting for a while? Basically, should I expect problems from this again (once my interior gets back later this week the car will be a DD again)

4ramin

if the car is sitting around for a long time the lifter will make that sound, take it for a 1 mile drive and it should be gone by then. its sound like its just a lifter and nothing more.

Merc63

Let it idle till it reaches ooerating temp or more. It eill go away. Lifter is stuck.

Critter

Lifter tick, how long has the oil been in the car mileage wise?
These car do not like to sit, but with that said mine sat all winter with only one start and run to full temp. Check with dealer which oil he used 0w40 or 5w40, only time I would be worried if the oil level was way low and heard this noise continuously when warm.

SaphGreyC63

So I got the oil changed at the dealer for the 1 year service on June 21st. On June 22nd I took out the interior so it has been sitting since then.

Critter

IMO you do not have an issue, you must drive the car to operating temp, What has happened is that when the engine was shut down the last time the cam lobe was at or near the highest amount of push on the lifter valve assembly and over time the oil has been bled out of the lifter causing air to be introduced and it will take time for the oil to displace the air. Sometimes one can start the car hear the noise run for a minute, shut the motor down and then restart, no noise. But if it continues, take it to the dealer and let if sit overnight and be there in the morning with the tech and then start the car with him standing there. If at all possible do not let them tear apart the motor for the sake of a sometimes tick. JMO

4ramin

my car does the same if not driven for a while. it wont go away by just idle but rather just driving it down the street and the noise will go away. its perfectly normal as i said before so OP should just take her out for a drive... i often refer to my car as a women that has not been, will ill stop here i think we all get the point

SaphGreyC63

Thanks everyone!

Appreciate the info and that seems to be what it is. I will take it for a quick drive around later today but even just idling the sound has gone so I think its ok.

Thanks again for putting my mind at ease.

noXor

That will be your lifters. I have had it happen once and my dealer told me it is no big deal.

unreasonable

I have a 2013, 1500 miles on it, and just had the exact same thing. I could post the video but it's identical to yours. I drive mine 3 days a week and had taken it out the day prior to the tick.

Shared the vid with my dealer and had them check it out. They checked the car and the AMG guy shared the vid with MB. MB said it's not an issue. Worst case it's documented.

They mentioned other cars had been there for the same thing.

SaphGreyC63

Yeah, I fired it up the next day and no sound at all. After that I've been driving the car for the past five days to see if anything else came up and nothing. It's all good now.

johnnyblaze

You guys clearly need to drive your cars more LOL. Glad everything is ok now OP!

cloverfield

When you guys say "it's the lifters" does that mean it's an unlubricated cam lobe hitting the top of the bucket tappet, causing the ticking noise? Or, is it the bucket tappet itself sliding unlubricated until it actuates the valve, and that action is the cause of the tick?