When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
2009 C63 valve cover/oil leak with burning smell??
Hi guys, spent lots of time searching and can't seem to find anything...I have a 2009 C63 with 92k and noticed a slight oil burning smell after a short drive. Smell is coming from the drivers side of the engine bay, no smoke. Upon inspection it appears there are drops onto the header/exhaust (see pics) - lots of posts about valve cover gasket leaks and coupled with "it's not that hard". Can anyone confirm my suspicion and/or confirm the gaskets aren't a major job? I'm pretty mechanically inclined (I've swapped motors and done engine work but never on this car, it's been problem free). Looks like pull the air boxes and it's there?? Any help/guidance/suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance
Diagnosis sound correct to me. The job with patience and the correct parts and your skills should be a piece of cake---simply follow the gasket install instructions including bolt tightening sequence
Pluto - awesome, thanks. Patience I've got. Tools I've got. I ordered a set of OEM VC Gaskets. Have you done the job? Is it pretty straight forward remove and replace?
Does the M156 use a plastic valve cover? Make sure the cover itself isn't replaced. When I had my BMW a guy leaned on it while doing an oil change and cracked it.
Does the M156 use a plastic valve cover? Make sure the cover itself isn't replaced. When I had my BMW a guy leaned on it while doing an oil change and cracked it.
No, not plastic. Metal.
OP - it does like like a VC gasket leak. Pull the airboxes, and coil packs and go from there. It's just a very tedious job as those little torx bits towards the firewall are very tricky to get to.
Just have extensions, swivel sockets, and a 1/4 wrench.
If you want to further diagnose, grab an automotive bendy mirror and look back there. You'll be able to see where it's coming from.
The gasket is installed on the HC itself. This becomes tricky when installing the valve cover back on because you have to slip the valve cover underneath the harness (drivers side) which means getting very the VC with newly installed gasket close to the camshafts. If the camshafts touch the gasket while you're sliding the VC underneath the harness, it can pull/move the gasket around and you won't see that. After you have everything set in place, make sure to run your fingers along the gasket to make sure it's still properly seated into the groove. This issue is problematic I found only on the drivers side towards the back right part of the engine if your standing right in front of the car.
ok guys. So I tackled the drivers side valve cover gasket today....what a pain...took it for a short spin afterwards and came back to burning smell and now smoke (from oil on exhaust)...do we think that it's the oriole that fell out when I took the physical valve cover off? Or do we think I made it worse? Everything is torqued to spec...
let it run run and burn off what's there or should I rinse with the hose? Help :/
Why don't you look around the gasket to see if it's still leaking or not. How is anyone here supposed to know that for you exactly?
wowee zowee...so much for positive re-enforcement...
a. Of course I looked
b. I didn't know if anyone else who had done the job had experienced this/normal after swap
c. Thanks for your help
d. It appears was just dropped/excess oil. Burning and smoke is gone after the next run
wowee zowee...so much for positive re-enforcement...
a. Of course I looked
b. I didn't know if anyone else who had done the job had experienced this/normal after swap
c. Thanks for your help d. It appears was just dropped/excess oil. Burning and smoke is gone after the next run
Bingo. Keep an eye out for seepage though. I used a small bendy mechanic mirror and a borescope to inspect for a few hundred miles after doing this.
Just did this on my E63 W212.. What a pain in the *** because of how difficult it was to get to the tiny torx bolts at the bottom of the valve cover near the firewall. You do need tiny hands, a low profile ratchet and a TON of patience.
I hope you blokes don't mind me crashing this thread?
Almost three months ago, I purchased a second hand, 2012, C63, AMG Coupe (see "Brutal" pictured).
This vehicle's purchase, comes with 3 Months or 5,000 Km of warranty.
During the independent Pre-Purchase Inspection/Assessment, the mechanic identified an "Oil Weep", on the left hand side/rear of the engine.
This oil weep was acknowledged, by the dealer I purchased Brutal from.
To have a better understanding of this myself, I got under Brutal the other day, to have a look at this oil weep.
It is a minor oil weep and by the time the oil reaches the bottom of the engine, it has spread out, forward of, and then back onto the starter motor.
My Dumb question is, do you blokes believe this oil weep/leak, is also coming from a valve cover gasket leak?
I'd appreciate any knowledgable replies regarding this issue, so I can go back to the dealer, with a bit of ammunition (if you know what I mean).
01-12-2017, 07:40 AM
