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.
I'm starting this post in this forum because it's the de facto M156 forum as far as I can tell. If this is not permitted perhaps a moderator can move it to the R230 SL63 forum.
I acquired a 2009 SL 63 AMG last June with only 29,000 miles (47000 km) on it. Excellent condition and zero evidence of any head bolt issues. Regardless, I bought it planning to replace head bolts and lifters as well as inspect the cams. My take on the head bolt failure issue after endless reading, a lot in this forum, is that it's not a sure failure but probability increases with age/mileage and how it's driven. I intended to drive it hard although not track it and I wanted it to be bulletproof. By the time there is any evidence of stretched/broken bolts in the form of coolant loss the heads will have to be pulled. That coupled with the almost zero warning of a lifter failure meant proactive replacement was the way to go for me. YMMV.
I'm not going to post a step-by-step narration nor any video. That's been done a few times and there is enough out there that mine would be redundant. I will thank MTBSully for his thread and video, among the best and helped me a lot. Further, I can't say enough good things about 63 Motorsports who responded to many, many emails with precise and clear instruction/help and went above and beyond being a really excellent vendor as will become evident below.
I'm now at the point of reassembly and will post more as that happens, likely not for a few weeks as it's been puking snow here lately and if I'm not plowing and shoveling I'm skiing.
I decided to upgrade the cam adjusters with hardened lock plates/pins and skeleton covers, Black Series lifters and the Road & Race I cam profiling all from 63 Motorsports. Of the adjusters 3 were in pretty good shape with only minor oval distortion of the lock pates but the right intake adjuster had serious ramping. My lifters were all worn properly, circular wear indicating they were still spinning. But if one stops spinning it doesn't take long for the cam lobe to wear though it and then things go boom. So I got the BS lifters, lighter weight and a significantly upgraded oiling system, much more so that the M159 lifters. My cams were all in excellent shape, very minor peak wear of 4 lobes on 2 cams. Probably would be good for another 50,000 miles but I wanted bulletproof and the added performance of the RR 63 cams.
The reassembled adjusters look the business with the skeleton covers, the BS lifters are primed with the kit from 63 and the cams are back looking gorgeous. Pretty excited to get on the road and wind her out but... in this part of the world that ain't gonna happen 'til May.
I had one intriguing problem/anomaly while taking the valve train apart and this is where 63 really went the extra mile. If the 40o timing mark was lined up with the index mark the timing tools would not fit. Not close. And yes, correct phase. In order to get the tools in place correctly the engine needed rotating 4o counterclockwise. Yes, you read that correctly, with the 40o timing mark a good 3/8" to the left of the index mark. In that position everything fit perfectly. WTF? I drove this car for over 2000 miles before it went into the garage for the winter. Drove it hard at times. And it started and ran perfectly. Even idle, pulled impressively for a 4200 lb pig. shouldn't do that if the timing is 4o off? Maybe the crank pully is off? I am pretty sure this engine was never opened, it's the way it left the factory.
Talked at length to 63, my first instinct was to put it back together with the timing as is. Ran great, don't fix what ain't broken. But ultimately we decided better to know exactly what is going on. So 63 made up a Tasos Tool. No it's not a Greek ***** (OMG I kill myself sometimes). A precise depth gauge for cylinder 1, bank 1. to ascertain the 40o position. Machined it up, sent it to me to use, no charge. Big, big props to Jan and all at 63 Motorsports. Turns out the crank pully is accurate, positioned correctly and the engine is now at precisely 40o past TDC. It was, in fact, 4 degrees off from the factory. Ran perfectly that way. Freaking amazing.
So that's where it sits for now. The story continues with pictures in a few weeks. With the ROW airboxes, RR I cams I'm looking forward to see how it perks up. Probably going for a tune thereafter. Not looking for a monster, that's kind of silly in a 4200lb luxo-boat. I traded a 700whp C7 Vette I built to get into a car that didn't beat me up and would keep me out of jail. But I want to be able to wring it out without worrying about the engine, I think I'll be there. Injectors and manifold inspection after this summer.
W212 chassis owner, and I spend way more time here because of the 156 knowledge.
I would imagine that the computer was compensating that 4* timing so that it ran 'normal'....but that is wild to know it was that far off timing from the factory
A small, helpful hint. As I was disassembling, moving wire harnesses and removing cam covers I noticed that the insulation on the A/C line by the driver side wheel well was dried out from age. By the time I got everything off I had rubbed against it such that there was a mess of black foam dust in the head. I knew this was happening but was struggling with getting everything off/out and just pushed through. Afterwards I devised a simple fix so it wouldn't be a problem during assembly: NAPA sells split wire loom in the largest size of 1-1/4" and this spreads just enough to fit over the insulation snuggly.
More progress, slowly. I didn't find anything on this problem in the forum so here's my info on replacing a coil pack connector. The latching clip broke on removal, I decided to replace. Pretty easy, part number above the part was less than $10. Two piece connector, inner locking bit pops out, need a terminal release key as pictured to release the terminated wires. Easy peasy.
And... it lives! Fired up rough, figured out I hadn't fully seated a coil connector. Fired up the second time and ran perfect. Ran at 2500 rpm for a good 15 minutes to mate tappets and cam lobes etc. This motor is now amazingly quiet, smooth. Have to wait a few weeks for the butt dyno assessment but I can say that the exhaust note has changed: a little throatier and it barks on heavy throttle. I thought so while running it in and then it was confirmed by my buddy who happened by and said it sounds more aggressive to him. So all in all I'm very happy. Installed the cherry on the top: the 63 Motorsports billet filter housing with oil pressure gauge.
If your referring to the rectangular black box behind the strut tower up against the firewall it's not a tank, it's electronics/fuses. The washer filler spout is located passenger side, blue lid visible next to the starter battery.
Or if you're looking at the black bottle just in front of the strut tower that's the ABC fluid tank.
This is factory, it's an SL63 R230. I'm guessing you're thinking c63, I'm in this section because it's the most trafficed/posted for the M156.
After a patient and proper break in the butt dyno says significant improvement in power especially in the mid and upper range. Feels like as much as a half second off the 0-60 time. Further the sound is obviously different: a little bit more volume and bass rumble at idle and light throttle, definitely a more aggressive bark under full throttle. Couldn't be happier with the 63 Motorsports cams, highly recommended.
I added a liter of Lucas high ZDDP break-in additive prior to the startup (of course, after I drained out a liter of the 0W40 Mobil 1).
Upon initial startup ran the engine at 2000-2500 rpm for 10-12 minutes. 63 recommends longer unless you have primed the tappets which I had done. It was smooth and very quiet after this.
For the next 1500km / 900 miles I drove with a light foot, no heavy loads at low rpm. On steeper hills I made sure to downshift, keep the rpms at or above 2000, smooth and progressive throttle at all times. Limited max rpms to 3500 for the first 1000 km / 600 miles and then 4500 for another 500km / 300 miles.
And then I did a series of 10 runs to 7000 rpm from a rolling start in 2nd gear through to 5th gear. And with each run I got on the throttle heavier and heavier until the last 4 runs were pretty much go pedal mashed. Thereafter a full oil change and a new filter. And now I drive it like I stole it wearing a stupid grin the whole time.
My cams starting to go back in now. ARP bridge cap bolts too. All new updated MB lifters as well (boxed as MB parts but sure enough the lifters are stamped "INA" on them)
KLinNBC: I am considering doing the same with 63 Motorsports, but would like to contact them with a few questions first; could you share a contact name and number within 63 Motorsports? Thanks and best!
They rarely answer the phone, are very busy. They will respond to emails in a few hours to a day at most. I've never not heard back in a few hours and I pestered them for many weeks with lots of questions.
03-07-2023, 09:59 PM
