Short version: On each head, there are 2 hollow dowels that are critical to align the timing tool with the pulse wheels. I need the part number for the part, or an alternative to the oem dowel, or the dimensions so that i can find something to match it.



Last November I bought a C63 from Cars & Bids (https://carsandbids.com/auctions/rMq...-c63-amg-sedan) and after 10 months of ownership, I finally tore it apart to figure out what is wrong with it. Soon into ownership i noticed a coil going bad so I replaced the coils and the injectors. I noticed then that the spark plugs were only finger tight, so I replaced those as well. Something still wasn't right, the car was a full second slower slower in the 1/4 mile than what is should do stock, and I have the Eurocharge tune on it.. A full second is quite a bit, since it should make more power. The car also has always had a lot more noise from the valvetrain than my previous C63. I assumed that this was pointing to the cams being worn, valves not opening all the way, etc.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EwAB6mixuvE

When I opened the valve covers (and found some of the hard to reach bolts were not torqued), I found that not to be the case. I found what I believe to be non-original cams, lifters and adjusters. I say this because the cams aren't painted with the green or yellow stripe, the lifters look like mirrors, and the adjusters have almost no wear. But what I did find is that when someone was in there before me, they lost the dowels in the cylinder head that locate the timing tool, and this either caused them to fail to time the engine correctly (timing tools did not fit in the cams) or just negligence. Regardless, it would explain the power drop I'm experiencing. I also found that the passenger side gear lash was not set correctly, they failed to lock the gear lash prior to installation and is most likely the source of the noise.


But now I am stuck on reassembly as I don't have the dowels to correctly align the timing tool with the phase wheels to ensure the timing is set. I cannot locate a part number for the dowels anywhere nor do i have the size needed to find a generic one. Any help is greatly appreciated as I need to have this thing up and running by the end of the month for a trip to the coast I have planned.

 

Hi
Not 100% but think you are after p/n A1569920029 .

https://www.ilcats.ru/mercedes/?vin=...60&language=en

 

I think you are right. Unfortunately a search of that part number doesn't return a lot of options for ordering it in the US. Thank you for digging that up.

Currently I have some dowels on order from McMasterCarr that have very close to the same ID and OD of the dowel I pulled from one of the heads, but are about 3x too long. I'll cut them down and hopefully they will allow me to get the proper alignment on the tool to set the timing. The dowels aren't needed to align the solenoid cover, so I don't think I would have a problem removing them after the timing is locked in. For something so critical for setting the timing, I am surprised the part isn't more readily available from Mercedes. But then again, they probably assume people won't be negligent and lose them . . .

 

A majority of AMG/Mercedes customers I would say tend to be people who don't work on their own equipment so I imagine most of them pay dealership premiums and it is definitely hard like you said to make this kind of a mistake.

I've never used Cars and Bids but I'm assuming its the equivalent of a pikey deal on a caravan?

 

I assumed I was one of the brave ones to dig into it. Getting pretty desperate to find the parts I need, hence me posting on here. Plenty of resources online and I have a pretty good tool set in the garage, I figured I would save some money and learn as I go. In all honesty, it's been a rather easy engine to work on once you figure out how to set/lock the timing. Intimidating but not hard.
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I did finally find the part available through a couple sources, unfortunately long lead times and since I've been down for 2 weeks already.

Cars and bids is an online auction website, I'm not familiar with carvana outside of I sold them a lease I had for more than I would've paid in the end.

 

I was referencing a movie...not Carvana. But im guessing that you have no recourse if any since it was an auction which is a bummer.

At least you found the part and you dont have to buy a set of heads or anything crazy for one small part.

 

I didn't read closely. Oops!

it was almost a year ago. I knew going into it to expect a few gremlins and I've dealt with them already. Failed TPMS, bald rear tires, burned out lights, all minor stuff. It ran well enough but there was a nagging voice in the back of my head that finally opened it up. And it's not even the seller I bought it from who was last in there, it was the owner before him.

I currently have some dowels on order from McMasterCarr that match the ID and OD of the one dowel I found in the head. I can cut it down from 3/4" length to 1/4" and I think it'll work. At least enough to position the timing tool and set the pulse wheels. It seems to me the dowels aren't needed for mounting the solenoid cover as it has two pockets that sit concentric to the cams themselves so it has to self align.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

So do you think adjusting the timing will make your car a full second faster? I'm interested to hear the results.

 

I certainly alluded to it. A full second is a lot on the strip, but I think I will make some gains. Below is a video of one of my runs and you can hear a bit of wheel spin off the line but the interesting thing to me is you can hear the engine "bog" after the 2-3 shift. At the time I didn't know what it was but now I assume it was basically the computer playing catch up with the timing issue. So with getting les spin, no bog, and more overall power through the rev range, I would expect to get into the 12s. My track is at 2600 so that's hurting time too.

I should note that this isn't really my track car though, I am trying to get it running right so I can get cracking on my other toy that I intend to use at the track

 

As a follow up. Got the car buttoned up and runs like a top. Fixed the gear lash noise and got the timing all sorted. In retrospect, I'm not sure if the timing was out after all. The timing tools I bought were not Mercedes brand and I suspect they just didn't have the proper tolerance for the slots in the rear of the cams. After I put it together I turned the motor by hand and the passenger timing was off by a tooth, so, new cam bolt, try again and boom it was on. The rear tool still wouldn't fit properly but the others did so I called it good.

​​​​​If anything it was the slop in the phaser wheels that was throwing off the timing since it's clear they didn't use them with the timing tool as you must.

Is it faster? I have no idea, I was driving an Toyota Tacoma while the car was under the knife and that recalibrated my butt dyno. Its a proper AMG again though.

For those curious the job isn't too difficult and the tools aren't crazy, just need time, patience and ability to follow Mercedes service docs. Hardest part is the valve cover screws as it is very tight. Second hardest is the screws for the drivers side cam solenoid plate. Other than that, not hard.

 

And remembering to keep your knees bent while leaning over the fender for so long.

 

Good to hear you got things done without any major issues. Your statement about those timing tools is correct. They are often slightly out of spec. Your comment about the timing being off by 1 tooth or so should be acceptable, if you improved it, even better. I did notice the the "bog" you mentioned in your video. Hard to say if that that's an issue. I did hear some wheel spin on your dig out. My car is 2014 with Renntech and mine hooked up with no audible wheel spin and run a 12.5. The guys here said it should be faster since my trap time only 111 mph. I'm in Florida so no elevation but it was really hot and humid here. What was your trap time?

 

Yeah these cars beat up your back! Also remember to remove the under trays before this job... You will drop tools into the abyss.
it was off by a tooth after rotating the engine, so I ordered another TTY cam bolt and tried again. If I'm doing the work it's going to be right, I wouldn't sleep with it off by a tooth.

The big is an unexpected drop in power so combined with wheel spin is why the car ran slow. My 1/4 mile time was 13.6 @ 106. I am at 2500' elevation so you can correct that down to around 13s at sea level.