Ticking noise only when hot
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2018
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C63 Coupe 2012 Edition 125
Ticking noise only when hot
Hi Guys,
Had my C63 for just over a month now and have noticed it makes a loud(ish) ticking noise only when warm that increases with RPM. Cold starts are noise-free as is driving normally, the ticking only comes along after driving hard / or long drive and hot weather. Noise is noticeable when driving along with the windows down at slow speeds. I also have a pulse coming through the brake pedal when stationary - almost feels like the engine is misfiring at idle. Car pulls strong.
I have checked the oil but it seems very difficult to get an accurate reading - I would say the level is either normal or possibly slightly overfilled - I don't think its low.
I have read many ticking threads but most seem to be related to cold starts.
Could it be a lifter?
Any help / experiences would be appreciated.
Had my C63 for just over a month now and have noticed it makes a loud(ish) ticking noise only when warm that increases with RPM. Cold starts are noise-free as is driving normally, the ticking only comes along after driving hard / or long drive and hot weather. Noise is noticeable when driving along with the windows down at slow speeds. I also have a pulse coming through the brake pedal when stationary - almost feels like the engine is misfiring at idle. Car pulls strong.
I have checked the oil but it seems very difficult to get an accurate reading - I would say the level is either normal or possibly slightly overfilled - I don't think its low.
I have read many ticking threads but most seem to be related to cold starts.
Could it be a lifter?
Any help / experiences would be appreciated.
Last edited by alex-qts; Apr 6, 2018 at 03:53 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2011
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From: London, UK
W212 - E63 AMG
I think the general consensus is that if you're getting the tick consistently when warm, either of the following might work as a temp fix, but the sure-fire way is to replace the lifters:
I sometimes get mine ticking from a cold start and for the entire duration of that drive.....the next time i start it (after letting it sit for a while) for weeks/months it'll be fine. I'm looking forward to my oil change in May....the poor thing needs it.
- Fresh oil (when was your last oil change?)
- Better oil with more zinc (Liquimoly or Mobil 1?)
- Different weight oil - I think there's a different oil that MB offer, but I can't remember it off the top of my head right now
I sometimes get mine ticking from a cold start and for the entire duration of that drive.....the next time i start it (after letting it sit for a while) for weeks/months it'll be fine. I'm looking forward to my oil change in May....the poor thing needs it.
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Joined: Jun 2013
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From: 'Merica
'04 E55 (Gone but not forgotten), '13 C63 P31 (RIP), another '13 C63 PP
Only experienced ticking once on a cold start. Went away when warm. Switched to LiquiMolu Leichtlauf and MOS2 additive as a preventative measure.
Can you tell where the ticking is coming from?
Can you tell where the ticking is coming from?
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 4
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C63 Coupe 2012 Edition 125
It only ticks noticeably when driven really hard. Otherwise it’s OK.
From what I can tell it seems to be coming from the drivers side rocker cover area, although i need to take more time and listen again.
Are the lifters a big / expensive job? If not too bad I will just get them done. Got quite a good deal on the car so probably to be expected! Presume it’s the SLS lifters everyone talks about...
Driving it to LeMans and then on to spain in June so will get the oil switched out before then and see if it helps.
It doesn’t seem to be getting any worse / better so maybe it’s always done it. who knows.
From what I can tell it seems to be coming from the drivers side rocker cover area, although i need to take more time and listen again.
Are the lifters a big / expensive job? If not too bad I will just get them done. Got quite a good deal on the car so probably to be expected! Presume it’s the SLS lifters everyone talks about...
Driving it to LeMans and then on to spain in June so will get the oil switched out before then and see if it helps.
It doesn’t seem to be getting any worse / better so maybe it’s always done it. who knows.
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Joined: May 2008
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From: MA
Mosselman 190E 16V+ C63S+ Abarth 595
How prominent is the tick and is it a constant on ecery drive? Have had 5 AMGs and every one has ticked. My C36 sounded like a diesel and both C63s tick every now and again at random.
Thread Starter
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C63 Coupe 2012 Edition 125
Drove it for quite a bit yesterday, and as soon as it was driven hard the ticking started. It’s quite prominent, you can hear it wit the windows down driving at slow speeds, still no loss in power.
I thought it was related to oil temperature, but the odd thing is you can let it cool down to say 70deg (in the pub for a few hours) then start it up again and the ticking is still there.
It only seems to go away when it has been sat for the night and started up again, and it stays away until driven hard and temps get very hot.
I just wonder about the oil levels / type (it is MB full service history) but I have tried to check the oil and the dipstick is always too contaminated to get an accurate reading. Would be interesting to know if overfilled oil would potentiallly cause something like this. Or is that just wishful thinking!
I thought it was related to oil temperature, but the odd thing is you can let it cool down to say 70deg (in the pub for a few hours) then start it up again and the ticking is still there.
It only seems to go away when it has been sat for the night and started up again, and it stays away until driven hard and temps get very hot.
I just wonder about the oil levels / type (it is MB full service history) but I have tried to check the oil and the dipstick is always too contaminated to get an accurate reading. Would be interesting to know if overfilled oil would potentiallly cause something like this. Or is that just wishful thinking!
Member
Joined: Feb 2017
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C63
The tick maybe due the lifter sticking.
I had that a day ago, change the oil and got some additive in. The next morning still tick but when away.
and my lifter were all changed when i had the headbolts replaced.
It might be a bad lifter design from MB that dont want to acknowledge.
I had that a day ago, change the oil and got some additive in. The next morning still tick but when away.
and my lifter were all changed when i had the headbolts replaced.
It might be a bad lifter design from MB that dont want to acknowledge.
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Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 122
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From: Livermore, CA
2012 Mercedes C63 AMG
Just out of curiosity, what does the transmission have to do with the ticking noise under the valve cover? I have the exact same knocking under the exact same conditions. I haven’t had it looked at yet, but I was planning on replacing the camshaft adjuster plates. Hopefully that will work.
Last edited by MeAn63; Dec 28, 2020 at 03:09 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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12 C63BS Magno Alanite Grey, 25 X5 Msport, 08 BMW E93, Ducati Hyper 698
Just out of curiosity, what does the transmission have to do with the ticking noise under the valve cover? I have the exact same knocking under the exact same conditions. I haven’t had it looked at yet, but I was planning on replacing the camshaft adjuster plates. Hopefully that will work.
Typically the lifters do bleed down especially with 0W oil if the car sits and you can get some ticket on a cold start but will go away after you warm it up and or restart the car as the lifter fills. Cam Adjusters are basically a wear item in these cars so will make noise that increases over time and can make noise when hot. If you have enough lifter/cam wear that can just make noise all the time also. If you can listen closely you may be able to tell if the noise is at the very front of the cam cover likely the cam adjusters, if further back then probably a lifter. You can get the cam covers off fairly easily in an hour or so and just have a good look at stuff instead of hoping the plates will fix it, put a wrench on the cams and see if they move are not locking etc to troubleshoot, inspect all lifters and cams for wear.
Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 122
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From: Livermore, CA
2012 Mercedes C63 AMG
Ticking from the engine is almost always lifters or cam adjusters (or cam/lifter wear).
Typically the lifters do bleed down especially with 0W oil if the car sits and you can get some ticket on a cold start but will go away after you warm it up and or restart the car as the lifter fills. Cam Adjusters are basically a wear item in these cars so will make noise that increases over time and can make noise when hot. If you have enough lifter/cam wear that can just make noise all the time also. If you can listen closely you may be able to tell if the noise is at the very front of the cam cover likely the cam adjusters, if further back then probably a lifter. You can get the cam covers off fairly easily in an hour or so and just have a good look at stuff instead of hoping the plates will fix it, put a wrench on the cams and see if they move are not locking etc to troubleshoot, inspect all lifters and cams for wear.
Typically the lifters do bleed down especially with 0W oil if the car sits and you can get some ticket on a cold start but will go away after you warm it up and or restart the car as the lifter fills. Cam Adjusters are basically a wear item in these cars so will make noise that increases over time and can make noise when hot. If you have enough lifter/cam wear that can just make noise all the time also. If you can listen closely you may be able to tell if the noise is at the very front of the cam cover likely the cam adjusters, if further back then probably a lifter. You can get the cam covers off fairly easily in an hour or so and just have a good look at stuff instead of hoping the plates will fix it, put a wrench on the cams and see if they move are not locking etc to troubleshoot, inspect all lifters and cams for wear.
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12 C63BS Magno Alanite Grey, 25 X5 Msport, 08 BMW E93, Ducati Hyper 698
Member
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 98
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2014 C63 507
I am in the exact situation right now and it sucks so bad. I have brand new camshafts, adjusters and lifters. I got all three replaced at the same time about 3-4k miles ago. After driving 500-1k miles, the ticking noise came back. It was really bad, especially knowing that the car was running on the best oil (LiquiMoly). I ended up changing all 32 lifters once again. Yes, all 32 lifters again within 1k miles. The shop that did my lifters said the camshafts and cam adjusters are all brand new. And even the old lifters (the ones that got replaced within 1k miles) did not show any physical damage. The shop is clueless and so am I.
In my case, the ticking noise is almost never there on cold startups. It's there when I am beating on the car and the oil temps are around 235-240. If I turn off the car, and start it again within 5 mins or so, the engine starts to tick.
Can anyone help here?
In my case, the ticking noise is almost never there on cold startups. It's there when I am beating on the car and the oil temps are around 235-240. If I turn off the car, and start it again within 5 mins or so, the engine starts to tick.
Can anyone help here?
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Joined: Aug 2016
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12 C63BS Magno Alanite Grey, 25 X5 Msport, 08 BMW E93, Ducati Hyper 698
how many miles on the car, can adjusters are the most logical source of the noise with new cams and lifters have they ever been replaced or repaired as they can start to make noise by 20k miles and get slowly worse. The noise would be at the front of the engine where it would be the loudest.
I am in the exact situation right now and it sucks so bad. I have brand new camshafts, adjusters and lifters. I got all three replaced at the same time about 3-4k miles ago. After driving 500-1k miles, the ticking noise came back. It was really bad, especially knowing that the car was running on the best oil (LiquiMoly). I ended up changing all 32 lifters once again. Yes, all 32 lifters again within 1k miles. The shop that did my lifters said the camshafts and cam adjusters are all brand new. And even the old lifters (the ones that got replaced within 1k miles) did not show any physical damage. The shop is clueless and so am I.
In my case, the ticking noise is almost never there on cold startups. It's there when I am beating on the car and the oil temps are around 235-240. If I turn off the car, and start it again within 5 mins or so, the engine starts to tick.
Can anyone help here?
In my case, the ticking noise is almost never there on cold startups. It's there when I am beating on the car and the oil temps are around 235-240. If I turn off the car, and start it again within 5 mins or so, the engine starts to tick.
Can anyone help here?
Member
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 176
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From: NYC
500E - CLK BS
why did the shop replace the new lifters if they had no signs of wear? did they show you? and im guessing they charged you for all of this again? you can use the screw driver trick to find exactly where the ticking is but yea, cam adjusters
Member
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 98
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2014 C63 507
how many miles on the car, can adjusters are the most logical source of the noise with new cams and lifters have they ever been replaced or repaired as they can start to make noise by 20k miles and get slowly worse. The noise would be at the front of the engine where it would be the loudest.
Member
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 98
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2014 C63 507
I honestly feel that it is the way I drive the car. The oil temps get up to 240ish when I press on the car. The mechanic said the camshafts and cam adjusters are basically new, and they do not show any damage. The did the test with a wrench and the adjustors were firm.
I don't know what screw driver method you're talking about, but I'll suggest the mechanic. Thanks for that.
With that being said, I am looking for an upgraded oil cooler. This thing gets crazy hot in traffic or when I get on it.
Member
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 176
Likes: 59
From: NYC
500E - CLK BS
It only ticks noticeably when driven really hard. Otherwise it’s OK.
From what I can tell it seems to be coming from the drivers side rocker cover area, although i need to take more time and listen again.
Are the lifters a big / expensive job? If not too bad I will just get them done. Got quite a good deal on the car so probably to be expected! Presume it’s the SLS lifters everyone talks about...
Driving it to LeMans and then on to spain in June so will get the oil switched out before then and see if it helps.
It doesn’t seem to be getting any worse / better so maybe it’s always done it. who knows.
From what I can tell it seems to be coming from the drivers side rocker cover area, although i need to take more time and listen again.
Are the lifters a big / expensive job? If not too bad I will just get them done. Got quite a good deal on the car so probably to be expected! Presume it’s the SLS lifters everyone talks about...
Driving it to LeMans and then on to spain in June so will get the oil switched out before then and see if it helps.
It doesn’t seem to be getting any worse / better so maybe it’s always done it. who knows.
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2023
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
2014 E Class
Oil brand and actuator question for cold start sounds
I’ve been following this topic for a while. Late last summer I had the tensioners and check valves replaced on my 2014 E350 (68K miles) along with a timing cover reseal. The cold start sounds are less rattly after that work, but I still have the attached sound and suspect it may be the bank 1 intake timing actuator.
My local indy uses Liqui Moly 5W-40. Would you suggest switching to Mobil 1?
Does anyone know if the Bank 1 intake timing actuator can be replaced without removing the valve cover, high pressure rail, etc.? I think I’ve read that it’s possible to lock the cam from the back to replace the actuator at the front without disassembling everything in between.
Thanks in advance!
My local indy uses Liqui Moly 5W-40. Would you suggest switching to Mobil 1?
Does anyone know if the Bank 1 intake timing actuator can be replaced without removing the valve cover, high pressure rail, etc.? I think I’ve read that it’s possible to lock the cam from the back to replace the actuator at the front without disassembling everything in between.
Thanks in advance!
