I picked up my 2014 C63 Edition 507 with 67,080 miles on 2/25/2020 from Marietta Auto Sales in Marietta, GA. Special thanks to Valvestud, Jasonoff and konigstiger for your help in the vin decode thread.

It ran great on the test drive and everything was flawless except for the steering column wouldn't go down and someone roasted the rear tires down to the steel belts.

We started driving it back to Michigan after getting a set of rear tires. Before we got 10 miles into the trip, we realized that for some dumb reason we didn't check the fluid levels. So we pulled off at a gas station before starting our drive back. I checked the oil and found it to be about 2 quarts low, all other fluids were normal. It was just under the lower red add ball on the dipstick and there were some bubbles.

I have no idea why I didn't check this during the test drive. We looked over the car pretty well but I guess I was pretty excited to find what I was looking for and just bought her. Also the carfax indicated that an MB dealer had serviced it last at 61,997 miles at rbmofatlanta.com - a Benz dealer. Note that they also replaced the rear crankcase seal. Carfax indicated the trans was removed so I called RBM and found this out from their service department. In looking through the manual and service log book we found that the manual stated these things can drink a quart of oil every 600 miles or less depending on how you drive. The log book indicated that M1 5w30 was used for the 10k and 20k services (done at the Benz dealer) and the gas station happened to have that exact weight. Thing has loads of power and I haven't heard any abnormal noises from anything on the car since. Until...

Fast forward to this past Saturday 3/21 when it was about 30F out, and about 1,800 miles after I bought it, I went over a friends house and sat in the car before going in for about 20 minutes while on the phone with the car idling. I had drove her on the highway for about an hour to get there before idling all that time. About 3.5 hours later I left and when I started her up, a massive white cloud came out of the exhaust. The engine temperature gauge indicated the car cooled all the way down. I was pretty concerned at the time (I had not yet read white smoke start up wth) so jumped out and ran behind the car with my face in the exhaust smelling for a sweet odor. It didn't seem sweet, maybe just a hint. I didn't notice much else. I got back there after most of the smoke blew away. I recalled that I had driven the car quite a bit and hadn't checked the oil. I then ran to the gas station where I let it sit for 5 minutes, engine off, before checking the oil and found the oil level at the top of the lower red ball but again bubbles in the oil. I added a quart of 5w30 per the manuals recommendations - it noted oil level is about 1 quart low if not between the two red ***** - which topped it off to the top of the upper red ball.

The next morning, Sunday, it was about 30F'ish degrees. I started the car for the first time that day and let it idle for 20 minutes. It sounded normal when I started it. When I came back out 20 min later to leave, I heard a tick. I popped the hood and had a listen to the intake and it sounded like it was coming from under there. While parked, I blipped the gas a couple times to see if it would make the tick go away - it didn't. I drove the car about 3 miles down the road and the tick was gone when I got out. I found it very odd that a tick cropped up the morning immediately after adding a quart of oil. I would have expected there to be a tick before adding the oil. The running total is 3 quarts of M1 5w-30 that I've added since getting the car.

Monday I checked the oil after running the car for about an hour on the highway and found no bubbles.

Instantly I was having concerns about declining the warranty that Marietta offered me on the car. I've since called them back and they say I'm still eligible to get the warranty as I'm within 45 days of the purchase date, but they seem to have jacked up the price of the warranty. When I was buying the car, I admittedly wasn't paying much attention to the price because I've never been a fan of them, but I recall that they wanted < $4,000 for the warranty. Now there isn't an option that costs less than $4,308 and that's only a 24mo/24k.

I'm not so concerned about the white smoke anymore since that seems to be explainable by the lose tolerances, however from most of what I've read the white smoke typically happens when the car is started cold, immediately stopped, and then started again some time later. I understand lose tolerances in the valves while the engine is cold are responsible for oil leaking down into the combustion chamber. My situation sounds different, someone please tell me its not.

What I really am concerned about is the valve tick.

I've been reading a few threads around here:

Oil - seems that I should be running either M1 0w-40 or 5w-40, I'm currently topping off with M1 5w-30 which the owners manual said was more universal temperature wise. I also found by looking in the service log book that 5w-30 was the oil that the 10k and 20k certified MB services used. If I'm reading it right, according to the 229.5 spec sheet this should be ok - http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/229.5_en.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...arching-2.html

White Smoke: that it could be normal for white smoke on startup due to loose tolerances in the valves when the engine is cold:
https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...rt-up-wth.html

Warranties, which I'm seriously considering buying one after hearing the valve tick:
https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...necessary.html

 

If you need somebody to check out the car.
https://blueridgemb.com/
This shop does outstanding work and are Mercedes specialists.
They replaced my deadbolts (one by one) and fixed several M156 engine in the past.

Just give them a call and see what they think. Make sure you talk to Jonathan.

 

If you re-read your manual you will find a note for the C63 M156 saying only 0w40 or 5w40 oil weights are acceptable. There is also a note on Bevo, if you read all the fine print carefully, relating to the M156.

 

The correct oil is either 0w40 or 5w40. You should do an oil change and start fresh. Add Ceratec while you’re at it.

It will be cool to see another 507 here in Michigan.

 

Sorry to hear about the news on your lovely C63. I hope it’s nothing really major. Word to the wise always do a pre purchase inspection on a vehicle when you buy any used car. $100-$160 goes a long way with a unbiased opinion and a trained eye. Are you in Detroit?

 

If you can create a YouTube video of the engine running after the oil is cold and post to the forum that will allow us forum members help you point out what may be the problem.
Is the ticking going away after the oil circulate and warms up?

 

Hey, If your in metro Detroit I would recommend you consult with these guys, Ask for Jeremy, tell him Eddie Xu sent you. Good Luck

 

I’m also in Michigan. I would start by getting the oil changed to 5w-40. I would recommend liqui moly. That’s what I have in mind and no tapping nosies

 

Certainly get the right oil in it and then report back, tapping usually comes from the lifters which are known to bleed down when the car sits even with the right oil, with thin oil they will bleed down faster or not stay pressurized. If the car sat a lot, they may be sticking a bit too until you use it. After that if you still have the noise, it could be cam/lifter wear and you need to pop the valve covers to have a look, not a difficult job, but a few hours work each.

 

I agree with your post, My C63 will tick some, but not for long, by the time my oil is at proper temp is quiets back down. This ticking only happens when I pull the car out of hibernation of like 6 months of sitting.

 

Wow this forum is excellent! So much help so fast! Really appreciate the insight guys!

The moly additive is the first I've heard of using in oil. I've specifically looked for M1 grease for my grease gun with moly in it. Definitely going to get the right oil in as soon as I get it back from Michigan Rustproofing. It came from GA and I want to keep it clean. He's putting Dinitrol on the frame/etc and oil based undercoating on the rest of the hard to get to places the Dinitrol won't reach. I'd like to keep this thing nice for many years to come. The undercarriage looks brand new!
+1 for seeing more local people. This is my first non big 3 vehicle. Looking forward to learning more. Oil never mattered to me that much (I've always ran M1 full syn in all my cars and Amsoil in my Ducati) but after reading the oil thread about Amsoil being a bad choice for our cars, I see oil is a lot different for these European cars.

I'm in Metro detroit. Van Buren Twp / Canton area. I work in Milford. Where abouts are you?

It's only done it once. If it continues I'll see about a video.

I use to have lots of time to work on cars, but since having two kids my own business and a full time career, this is a bit more difficult for me now. Its the ONLY reason why I was considering a warranty. Well, that and I have only standard SAE/metric tools for american cars.

I had just drove it the day before. I'm really hoping its the oil I've been adding and nothing more

 

Any comments on the white smoke plum after it sitting just a 3.5 hours? I drove it for over an hour before letting it sit for 3.5 hours, started it up and huge cloud. I realize this is normal for a cold car that is started briefly, stopped, and then started again but this wasn't really the case for me (more details in the OP).

 

change your oil, every 2k to 3k depending how you drive. Try 0-40 redline oil it’s a 229.5 spec it’s better for the cold starts and during the summer your covered also, it’s a great oil I use it in all my rides. Swap your filter some where between 1.5 k and 2k. Pelican parts has the filters for a great price. Redline is available at summit racing web site.

 

Aren't the big 3 Mercedes, BMW and Audi? Or are we talking bailouts? ;-)
I suppose I need to swap Tesla in there now as a Bay Area resident.
(Yeah, it's late and I'm getting cabin fever - not trying to get political)

 

I get it on mine time to time, usually when I start it and stop it a few times in a row and then when it sits, next start is a big puff of white/grey smoke, seems to be unburnt fuel in the exhaust form a few starts in a row, I have not seen it after driving for a while though and then restarting. If it happens again, try to identify it by color, smell and if it lingers or floats away to see if it is condensation, fuel, oil or coolant.

 

Both these issues you describe I've had with mine, though I will defer to others who may have more experience in this regard. Shortly after buying mine (about 8 months ago) I experienced a large plume of white smoke out of the rear exhaust on one occasion, consistent with roadkillrob's description of having started it a couple of times within quick succession. The 'valve tick' you describe also seems to happen, but only when the car has been sitting for a bit in very cold temperatures (<20 degrees F). As soon as the engine warms up a bit the ticking goes away. I've looked into this a bit and it seems to be a very common trait and not necessarily something of immediate concern if it only happens periodically for short periods of time. 2014 507 with ~21K miles. I wouldn't necessarily worry too much about it but as others have noted I'd do a full oil change ASAP.