Hello!

I've been looking around this forum for like forever but I never posted anything up until now.

There is tons of knowledgeable people around here so I would like your advise on a more technical subject.

I went to do a service on my 2011 C63 not too long ago and the dealer told me that Coolant was leaking from the front of the engine.

Obviously I associated coolant leak with headbolts but they then took a look at it and told me the leak was coming from the Engine Front Timing Cover and that they need to replace this.

Part Number : A156 010 24 33

Does it make sense that a coolant leak could be coming from this part? Did anyone had a similar issues? I've never found anything about this on a C63 here. There is coolant running throught a cover?

I never had any error message in the dash, they saw it at my last service.

I'm not a very mechanical guy so I kind of have to trust them but at the same time, there are just sooo many time where I had to bring up stuff I found here to make sure they would do things right or else they wouldn't do it (most recent beeing emptying the torque converter on a transmission oil change. apparently them just skip it if you don't ask..)

So yeah I just wanted your advice on this.

Also, by changing this part, are they at a point close enough where they could see the headbolts and confirm which version I have?

I ask because my 2011 C63 is an early 2011 and is super close to the affected group (my engine number is 062395 and the affected one stopped apparently at 060658)

This always kind of scared me that I might actually have the old bolt maybe but don't know.

Do you think that it would be appropriate to ask them to look at it and tell me which headbolts I have if they can see it from removing the Engine Front Timing Cover? I know they won't want to do it if it's extra job.

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

Sorry I am not sure about your coolant leak and can't offer any advice about it except to say to keep an eye on the level in the expansion tank. Also the level sensor will warn you before the coolant level goes down very far. Have you ever had a low coolant level warning? They will have to remove the valve covers to R&R the timing cover.

Your engine is past the cut off level for the old head bolts so I would not stress about the head bolts. You can tell if you have the upgraded head bolts by removing a valve cover and looking at the heads of the bolts. They will be an external torx fastener design and the old head bolts are an internal torx design for comparison purposes.

I hope you are still under warranty if you are contemplating doing this job as I'll bet it is all of $3000 plus tax.

 

Yes I have an extended warranty. When they told me they had to change the timing cover, I knew it was going to be a big costly job and that my warranty would be paid off.

I don't think it was a big leak because I never noticed it and I never got any warning message. They saw the leak when they did the service and warn me to bring back the car for another appointment to check the source.

They are ordering the part now and they told me they should fix it Friday.

I have never heard anyone mention anything about a similar problem so I guest it's not really common and I was just unlucky.

I wouldn't know how to remove the valve cover myself but if they have to remove the valve cover to change the timing cover, I think it wouldn't be too much to ask them to take a look at which headbolt model they see.

Or ask them if I can go take a look myself. I've seen a lot of pictures of both type of bolts, I know what they look like.

It's for peace of mind really, I do know that I'm supposed to have the good ones...

Big repair like this does make me a bit scared for after the warranty but I still crazy love the car and it was basically trouble free for the 2 years that I had it (except for squeaking interior, I got those as well!)

Thanks a lot for the reply!

I haven't shared anything on the forum yet so here is some pictures of the car we are taking about.

http://imgur.com/a/1sJts

I think we have the same color as well! love that color!

 

Further to this if you have black rocker covers you have updated bolts black is new grey is old

 

I bet the leak is coming from around the water pump

 

mr747 : ok Thanks for the info! I'll look at it next time I see my car

QWKSNKE : I don't know, they didn't told me any info on where it was coming from, just that the Front Timing Cover had to be replace. The service guy actually didn't seem to know any details about it... he was just reading me on the phone what was written on his paper about my car. I'll try speaking directly to the technician/mechanic next time.

I'm way more worried that they change the right part and put back the engine together correctly than the problem itself to be honest... I don't want to go back to the dealer all summer.

Thanks for the advices guys!