Engine Reliability
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C43
Engine Reliability
Just visited a friends mechanic shop who does specifically euro cars, he mentions he sees quite a bit of 63's come in with engine issues and even a few which needed total engine rebuilds/replacements.
I found it hard to believe given i was told mercedes engines were essentially bulletproof?
Everyone's thoughts / experiences?
I found it hard to believe given i was told mercedes engines were essentially bulletproof?
Everyone's thoughts / experiences?
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 643
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From: Houston, TX
'15 C63S
Just visited a friends mechanic shop who does specifically euro cars, he mentions he sees quite a bit of 63's come in with engine issues and even a few which needed total engine rebuilds/replacements.
I found it hard to believe given i was told mercedes engines were essentially bulletproof?
Everyone's thoughts / experiences?
I found it hard to believe given i was told mercedes engines were essentially bulletproof?
Everyone's thoughts / experiences?
There have been issues with the older 63's that have the M156 (the old NA 6.2L), including a class-action lawsuit against MB/AMG.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2014
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From: IL
19 E63s, 23 M3 compX, B9 SQ5
Lol which engine? If you're asking about the M177 it's pretty reliable. The M157 before that was also very reliable. The M156 after the head bolt issue update was also very reliable.
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 643
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From: Houston, TX
'15 C63S
Per the head tech at my dealership, he said the M177 is a PITA to work on though because of the packaging. What would normally be easy/quick fixes tend to be labor-intensive because of all the parts/systems that need to be moved out of the way. He didn't really explain any specifics beyond the work he had to do on my car when he said it (taking off the entire front of the car as well as the majority of the cooling system to change out an intercooler pressure sensor), but I trust me knows what he's talking about.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,589
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From: IL
19 E63s, 23 M3 compX, B9 SQ5
Per the head tech at my dealership, he said the M177 is a PITA to work on though because of the packaging. What would normally be easy/quick fixes tend to be labor-intensive because of all the parts/systems that need to be moved out of the way. He didn't really explain any specifics beyond the work he had to do on my car when he said it (taking off the entire front of the car as well as the majority of the cooling system to change out an intercooler pressure sensor), but I trust me knows what he's talking about.
Member
Joined: Jan 2007
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I have about 50k on my engine and it is rock solid. This has been a good mix of DC metro driving, road trips across the country and now Rocky Mountain driving.. The only time I had an issue with anything engine related is when the car sat for about 6 months and the valve cover gasket dried out...
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⏱️ 700HP Facelift converted C63 S Coupe with Drexler 3.06 plated LSD
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Senior Member
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From: AZ
2018 C63S Coupe
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C63 AMG
Well i did have an issue when the car completely shut off after a cold start. Basically I would start the car, drive for a couple minutes, then the car would just completely shut off at the first full stop and all the lights come on like a christmas tree. I start the car again and it's like nothing ever happened, it ran like normal. This happened to me two days in a row, so i contacted my mechanic about it and he said it might be the camshaft sensor going bad. I try to replicate the car shutting off randomly and it hasn't. I took my car to my mechanic last Friday and nothing was going off in his OBD tool. Strange, it's like the car fixed itself. It's been 3 days and the car is running like normal. I'm also tuned so it can be a factor, i'm thinking it was the eco start/stop gas saver thing, but my tuner tuned it off. I did press the eco button after the second day of the miss hap even though it's off and it might of fixed the car from completely shutting off on stops.
Long story short, the car out of the factory is very reliable. Once you start adding mods, it's pay to play and the ball is in your court.
Long story short, the car out of the factory is very reliable. Once you start adding mods, it's pay to play and the ball is in your court.
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From: Miami, Florida
W205 C63 AMG Coupe
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 551
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From: Miami, Florida
W205 C63 AMG Coupe
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 48
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2016 C63S
A local euro specialist does my other cars (AMG still under warranty) and was talking to them about the 4.0 V8 TT - his feedback is that the engine is surprisingly strong. They have seen pretty much everything from lightly modified E63's to C63's and even a few G63's - all have needed simple maintenance and nothing on the engines at all. Even the slightly modified ones were solid and no issues. What they did say is that they do standard maintenance (oil change etc) and electronics stuff - windows, broken buttons, brakes etc. Anecdotal I know, but everything that I see, hear and read shows that the engine is solid and very reliable.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 11,466
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From: San Francisco Bay Area
2019 C63CS
Yeah, so far this engine is giving me a high level of confidence and the car as a whole for that matter. My last two Audis, both of which burned oil from the beginning and my RS5 started life with a transmission leak discovered at the 5k service and both cars had known issues that were just a matter of time. Most of them were taken care of under warranty, but once the cars were out of warranty, the urge to sell them became stronger and stronger. Granted I'm only at 13k miles, but so far the only reliability issues were a faulty oil level sensor from the factory and a couple of software bugs what were fixed with an update. No burning oil or anything. The experience actually has been quite refreshing for a change so far. This might actually end up being a keeper, especially considering where AMG and the car industry as a whole is heading with all the regulations in Europe. Fingers crossed that the car continues to be as reliable as it has been so far.
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Joined: Dec 2012
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From: Austin, TX
2017 Porsche 911 C4
The only issues I’ve had mechanically (17’ C63S Coupe, 15k miles) are:
1. MAP sensor located on one intercooler needed replacement.
2. Wastegate line off turbo replaced (kinked)
3. Boost hose directly off the passenger side turbo cracked/split, replaced with new rubber boost hose.
I attribute Texas heat to most of those failures - as they all happened within a month when the weather got very hot. Only mods were Dinan tune and 305 rear tires.
Internally, this engine is extremely stout and can handle 700-800+ crank HP. It’s all the electronics, sensors, etc. that I’d be concerned about because they don’t generally fail until they’ve aged (typically after warranty is up). Luckily these were all easy dealership fixes with no out-of-pocket expenses.
1. MAP sensor located on one intercooler needed replacement.
2. Wastegate line off turbo replaced (kinked)
3. Boost hose directly off the passenger side turbo cracked/split, replaced with new rubber boost hose.
I attribute Texas heat to most of those failures - as they all happened within a month when the weather got very hot. Only mods were Dinan tune and 305 rear tires.
Internally, this engine is extremely stout and can handle 700-800+ crank HP. It’s all the electronics, sensors, etc. that I’d be concerned about because they don’t generally fail until they’ve aged (typically after warranty is up). Luckily these were all easy dealership fixes with no out-of-pocket expenses.
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 643
Likes: 92
From: Houston, TX
'15 C63S
The only issues I’ve had mechanically (17’ C63S Coupe, 15k miles) are:
1. MAP sensor located on one intercooler needed replacement.
2. Wastegate line off turbo replaced (kinked)
3. Boost hose directly off the passenger side turbo cracked/split, replaced with new rubber boost hose.
I attribute Texas heat to most of those failures - as they all happened within a month when the weather got very hot. Only mods were Dinan tune and 305 rear tires.
Internally, this engine is extremely stout and can handle 700-800+ crank HP. It’s all the electronics, sensors, etc. that I’d be concerned about because they don’t generally fail until they’ve aged (typically after warranty is up). Luckily these were all easy dealership fixes with no out-of-pocket expenses.
1. MAP sensor located on one intercooler needed replacement.
2. Wastegate line off turbo replaced (kinked)
3. Boost hose directly off the passenger side turbo cracked/split, replaced with new rubber boost hose.
I attribute Texas heat to most of those failures - as they all happened within a month when the weather got very hot. Only mods were Dinan tune and 305 rear tires.
Internally, this engine is extremely stout and can handle 700-800+ crank HP. It’s all the electronics, sensors, etc. that I’d be concerned about because they don’t generally fail until they’ve aged (typically after warranty is up). Luckily these were all easy dealership fixes with no out-of-pocket expenses.
51K miles on my car, with ~40K of those run with a Eurocharged tune. All of it in TX weather. The car was never abused, but it wasn't babied either. Never had any engine issues other than the MAP sensor and a couple misfires (eventually traced vapor lock from running winter-blend fuel in 80F+ weather).
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Joined: Aug 2012
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From: Pearland, Tx
2020 AMG GTC Coupe & 2018 Macan Turbo
Per the head tech at my dealership, he said the M177 is a PITA to work on though because of the packaging. What would normally be easy/quick fixes tend to be labor-intensive because of all the parts/systems that need to be moved out of the way. He didn't really explain any specifics beyond the work he had to do on my car when he said it (taking off the entire front of the car as well as the majority of the cooling system to change out an intercooler pressure sensor), but I trust me knows what he's talking about.
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 643
Likes: 92
From: Houston, TX
'15 C63S
So if you guys are having problems or doubts, sell it.... Look, stuff breaks. Don't care what engine. As I read your feedback, you talk of an intercooler sensor. That is not part of the assembled engine itself. A BMW M5 has four (4) cooling systems and I'd love to see you try to get your hand anywhere down inside the engine compartment. It's f'g tight.
It isn't that parts break. It's that the location can be a challenge comparrd to the M156 and M157.
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,218
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From: Pearland, Tx
2020 AMG GTC Coupe & 2018 Macan Turbo
Don't care. BMW and other companies have been running twin-V engines for many years now. That dog don't hunt. The question asked was about the reliability of the engine. Not plumbing or ease of maintenance or repair. The engine itself is sound.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2012
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From: Austin, TX
2017 Porsche 911 C4
The only thing that's easy to work on is the turbos and airboxes with the Hot V setup. The intercoolers are tucked in super tight, along with the diverter valves - it's a super tight package, and you have a large engine wiring harness running across the front making everything more difficult to get to.
Looking over my service sheet, it looks like the tech had the intercooler out to just to replace the torn boost hose: "replaced waste gate vacuum line. during repair found passenger side turbo boost charge air hose to have a crack. partially removed right side charge air intercooler. replaced right side charge air boost hose. performed road test. found vehicle to operate as designed."
I can see why when I bought a pair of used turbos, it came with a set of boost hoses still attached with the hoses cut off at the ends... someone didn't want to bother...
Looking over my service sheet, it looks like the tech had the intercooler out to just to replace the torn boost hose: "replaced waste gate vacuum line. during repair found passenger side turbo boost charge air hose to have a crack. partially removed right side charge air intercooler. replaced right side charge air boost hose. performed road test. found vehicle to operate as designed."
I can see why when I bought a pair of used turbos, it came with a set of boost hoses still attached with the hoses cut off at the ends... someone didn't want to bother...
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 54
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From: Miami,Fl
2018 AMG GTR 2018 E63s 2015 c63s(sold)
My c63s currently has 80k+ miles! bought it used Dec 2018 with 41k miles. haven't had any engine problems. tuned by EcuFast and Fi exhaust DP. spark plugs have been the only thing ive had to do engine wise.
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,101
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From: MA
Mosselman 190E 16V+ C63S+ Abarth 595
I would assume he is referring to M156’s as the M177 is pretty damn rock solid. Have had every AMG C class besides the C55 and everyone besides the C32 has been 100% solid with none of my AMG’s needing anything besides regular maintenance, besides my first ‘08 C63 having the top plastic idler pulley explode while half mile from home. Both of my M156’s had me nervous to really get on them all the time driving due to the horrible cam tensioner design that causes the lifters to get loud sometimes to the point where I would start to get anxious. Also the W205 is finalllyyyy the first C AMG you can track stock🙌 Damn FL 204 made it one more lap than my pre-fl..that being 2, two damn laps😂
