drabux

These engines are getting on a bit now and I was wondering what the evidence is regarding their longevity. I'm only interested in the engine. Right, I'll start:

My S600 has done 143,500 miles. It's had the usual coil pack issues but no other problems. I do notice a puff of smoke on start up sometimes which may suggest the turbo seals are getting a bit tired. With a stage 1 Eurocharged tune, it still goes like stink! Currently has a whining noise from the front, which I think might be one of the pulleys on its way out.

Cheers!

Alanb

Benz-O-Rama

Can't really add anything here. My 2005 SL600 only has 37K. I get a Blackstone Labs report every 5K miles with every oil change, and they state the internals look pristine.

drabux

I've not heard of any design issues with these engines and, given that they are so understressed most of the time, I can imagine that they are quite long lived.

I'd be interested to find out about the lineage of this engine. I'm guessing it's derived from the M137 and maybe this was derived from the M120?

Alanb

Welwynnick

Not the most popular thread in the World, but I thought I'd record for posterity that the car I bought from drabux has just done 150000.

It wasn't a very auspicious day; I was cruising along in traffic at a frustrated 70 mph at the time, and shortly afterwards it started miss-firing again. And that, after having replaced the troublesome original RHS coil pack a week before. I was on my way to a motor factor to buy a manifold pressure sensor - the one downstream of the throttle. I had already replaced the upstream MAP sensor; both primary lambda sensors, which had become very sluggish, and the coil pack.

But it still wasn't running right. The DTC's were showing rich running, just as they always had, and the coil pack didn't change that. I figured the downstream sensor was probably to blame, so I changed that at the weekend. Today was the first day when I completed a journey without the MIL lit up, and I'd been giving it the beans at every opportunity. I'd never dared do that beforehand.

Its early days yet, but so far it seems I'm back to care-free driving, and what struck me was how smooth and quiet the engine was. So much so in fact, that I drove home all the way with the stereo off, just to marvel in the refinement. I owned two N/A S600's before this one, and good as they were, the BiTurbo's in a different league.

After scouring the info on this forum, I guess the engine block's ladder-frame must get some credit, plus the intake and exhaust silencing effect of the turbos. The windscreen has been replaced at some point, and the sealing isn't to factory standards, so there's a little bit wind noise that shouldn't be there. I can probablay do something about that. The whining transmission, I will probably live with.

Nick (fingers perpetually crossed)

Dynodaddy

I have 116K on my 2003 S600. I had to change the coil packs at 96K and the ABC pump at 108K.

driveability

CL65 05 111K I have replaced the coils and plugs. Runs perfect.
An incredible cars !!! I bought it from a mature guy who used it as a daily driver and drove his hand built Bentley on the weekends. What ever goes wrong I will fix it myself. I drive it every day as well.

Solo_D33A

I've seen a 03 CL600 with over 400k kms recently in for a service, leaking oil a bit lol. That's about 250k miles!

nola_penguin

102k CL65. I've had it a year and replaced both coil packs, idle pulley, plugs, motor mounts, tranny mount, pilot bushing, drive shaft bushing (can't remember the name), 4 sets of tires (lol..seriously...) and other odds and ends. The guy before me replaced some ABC stuff. Runs like it's brand new now. Hell, for how much I spent on repairs it better! However, I would rather repair this than my SRT8 and this thing turns lots of heads.

KazukiZhou

115,000 miles was a few weeks back, got it when it only had 62K miles... as far as engine, done both my coil packs, and some IAT sensors a turbo coolant seal, and a few coolant lines... still leaking coolant out the oil pan at times, but most of the time its fine... dealership still cant find the issue. other then that, seems to be doing ok.

marktan

105,000 on my 2005 S600
Daily driver.

Various assortment of items repaired/replaced including both coil packs (~80k mikes), plugs (80k), secondary air pump (100k), radiator (80k), dual valve (70k), pushbutton control unit (70k), coolant resevoir (90k), transmission conductor plate (90k), and ABC hoses (it "dry rotted" and burst - 80k), brake rotors (60k, 90k), multiple sets of tires (averaging about 10k miles on the rears and 15k on the fronts)...

ABC pump has been whining, but knock on wood, seems to be holding.
Also occasional smoke at start and a bit of a turbine whine at high rpms.

Jurgeenh

how mani miles has by now you V12? im curious sinche this post was from 2011 and you had 143k miles, do you think it can pas 250k mark?

Welwynnick

I bought Drabux's car in 2012, and it's been the subject of the threads in my signature. ie: it's been a long story. I have a long list of repairs and mods.

It's running well now - I've been driving it to work every day recently - and has just gone round 164,000.

Nick

driveability

223000 runs very well, I need to swap out the coils having issues with one cylinder due to a dead coil tower. These car will fire a cylinder even if it only has one coil firing. I know because my number 10 cylinder has only one coil working, fires until higher rpm (above maybe 4k and boost). Great Car !!!

Jurgeenh

what kind of repairs? i imagine more ABC related perhaps due the age of the car, the old high pressure lines will develop problems, im verry inclined to buy a CL600 2008-2009 or the CL63 AMG same model year, but its hard to decide between the AMG due the awesome body kit or the V12

Jurgeenh

Any big issues so far at 223k miles? i mean its a pretty high mileage considering theres no much V12 TT out there, i like to keep my cars looooong

Welwynnick

This is the work that I've done in the last five years:

Engine:
210 Rebuilt turbos with engine in situ
118 Engine mounts in situ
5 Long coil pack heat shields
1 Synchronised waste-gates
325 (MB Service)4
6 Diverter valves
7 T-bolt clamps1
09 Engine radiator
99 Engine fan
857 Coil pack
6 Throttle body gasket
295 (Ignition Switch)

Transmission:
395 Transmission rebuild
250 (Torque converterrebuild)
94 Conductor plate
8 TCM Connector
98 Oil, filter & gasket
34 Transmission mount
35 TCM Lock Lever

Suspension:
600 Wide front wheels & tyres
300 Compression jointed hoses
100 Fire sleeved hoses
10 Uprated front strut bushes
5 Uprated steering bushes
200 Rear struts
243 ABC pump
96 ABC accumulator
20 ABC height sensor
74 Bottom ball Joints

Charge cooling:
99 Engine radiator HE
100 Engine cooling pump
140 Custom pump controller
12 Coolant temp sensor
32 Header tank
12 Charge Cooler Bleeders
7 Insulated Charge Coolers

Consumables:
5 Windscreen seal
1 Raised rear seat cushion
100 Front tyres
192 Front discs
56 Front pads
100 Rear tyres
109 Rear discs
34 Rear pads
28 Rear shoes
76 Ball joints
57 Battery
158 Spark plugs
33 Speed sensors
55 Lambda sensors
68 Temp sensors
37 Boost sensor
50 Rain sensor
30 Lots of O-rings

bbbc78

I was hoping you would read my post about limp mode and see if you had any advice. Ive spent countless hours at shops and on the forums trying to find someone that can help me. My right side misfires and shuts down while the dealer said its o2 sensor but my shop said they looked fine. I was wondering if you had any codes show up for you lamda sensors or map sensors.

thanks

SilberGrau57

Maybe I'm not interpreting your notation correctly, but why so many plugs? At 24 per complete change, that's 6.58 changes (an odd number). recommended change interval is 60K miles, right? You said earlier the engine has 164K miles. The should be two changes so far.

Welwynnick

Sorry, the number means how much I spent on each item in pounds.

So no, I didn't buy 57 batteries either (though it does seem to eat them!).

I just finished fitting the new throttle gasket a few minutes ago. There's a nice, easy, cheap upgrade.

Nick

SilberGrau57

Yes, this occurred to me after I posted my query. Made more sense.

I was only looking at "spark plugs" because I'm trying to decide how important it is to adhere to the 60K miles recommended change interval on these motors.

George993

@Welwynnick

Thanks for the details! BTW, do I understand you correctly that you have rebuilt the turbos without removing the engine? How have you done it and what do you mean by "rebuild" - what was rebuilt/replaced? Have you done it yourself or someone else did it for you? I've replaced the leaking coolant seals on turbos without removing the engine, but it did not look like much more can be done there due to space limitations and of course all the manuals tell to take the engine out first before doing any turbo work.

BTW, my V12 is very low mileage (just over 100k), but there is one 2007 on ebay available now with 322,443 miles (yes it's over half a million kilometers), so those engines can go the distance https://www.ebay.com/itm/2007-MERCED...s/133023976948

Welwynnick

Yes, I removed the turbos with the engine is-situ by dropping the subframe.
I dismantled and cleaned the turbos and replaced all the bearings and seals.
The Smokey exhaust disappeared and everything went back to normal.
I probably did lots of things the hard way, but what was surprising was how cheap the rebuild kits were.
I also synchronised the wastegates and replaced the oil and water seals and the diverter valve.

Nick

Welwynnick

George993

Pretty impressive, thanks for sharing! So you have removed the complete turbos, or just parts of it and parts were left attached to the exhaust manifold? Also I've read in your other posts that you have a W220. Are the turbos repaired in a W220 or W221 or some other m275 car? I have a 2007 W221 and if/when the turbos give up, do you (or anyone else) has an idea if a rebuilt is possible without taking the engine out? (as the official manuals indicate). Thanks!

JRice

215,000 miles on a w221 s600 here and 160k on a w220.

The w220 is out with a misfire and will probably be the long term donor for the 221. The 221 is a one owner, full MBSH car and wear the miles much better than the 220 did - I think it says a lot about proper maintenance (the 220 had a patchy history in its later years).

No issues so far. Still planning on tuning it. I have a lot of faith in these cars .