ML63 AMG

It is 100% true because when you drive motors like these like a baby serious carbon deposits build up and can cause all sorts of major issues. If the carbon build up is bad enough it can even cause engine damage. If you put two motors side by side, run one like a Grandma, and the other like a race motor... If you were to pull the two motors apart the one that was run hard will look brand new inside where as the one that was babied would be in terrible shape. It may seem counter intuitive at first but the more you learn about engines the more you realize not only is it logical but it is 100% true.

fritza2tt

Tomabram, you got me. :-)))
When I researched the early reports on this engine, I'm sure it was stated somewhere. one of these engines from a wreck may cost you $8K plus labor.
You can also check out: http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...26/041341.html

Tomabram

100% not true at all. You wont build any more deposits by driving the car easy. You should learn why motors get carbon and sludge. If what you are saying is true, then EXPLAIN why it is true. Dont just say "its better to drive the car hard". All you are doing is listening to other people on here that spread untrue rumors. Lets see if you can explain.....

fritza2tt

I am being picked on mightily in this column and am surprised that Tomabram agreed with me a little. I am no automotive engineer, just have lots of life-long experience. From what I know, engine sludge develops from condensation inside the crank case. We deal with it by running the engine hot enough so the condensation can boil off and get vented with other fumes in the crank case. Carbon build-up in the cylinder head area is another issue. Taxi cabs sitting at the curb idling are prone to building up carbon. Maybe that's why cab drivers push these little four cylinder Diesels down the Autobahn like maniacs, to blow out the carbon! In gasoline engines carbon build-up, if it happens at all, is caused by miss-firing of the spark plugs, the fuel air mixture being too rich, burned exhaust valves, worn out engine and such.
To those who fault my babying the engine. My 2007 ML63 AMG with a naturally aspirated engine is a jewel. It has already put in its time with over 100,000 miles on it. Like a Lipizzaner stallion in Vienna that is placed into retirement, it's still gorgeous to look at and in perfect physical health. I aim to keep it this way and save it as a collector's item for one of my sons. Driving it like a 'grandma' and noting it's fuel consumption is but another way of checking on the physical health of this engine. :-)

Tomabram

Yes. According to these guys I guess 99.999999% of the cars on the road have nothing but problems because they drive them normal and dont beat the **** out of them. I guess bringing your car to the track every weekend prolongs its life. HAHAHAHAHA... Tell that to all the guys that broke their cars on the track.
Problem is with these forums most people havent a clue what they are talking about. They say a dumb comment and it get spread from another member that also hasent a clue what he is talking about. Tell any mechanic that beating on a car is good for it and he WILL laugh. Either that or he would think you are smoking crack.
Yes sludge builds up from the oil not getting warm enough on short trips. And also from not doing regular oil changes.
I just see SO many cars on the side of the road broken down because they dont beat on them. What a load of garbage. These are the same guys that will tell you your car will be faster with a K&N air filter. Look at the source. Dumb kids say dumb things.

Bazman

lol.

Good on you fritza.

My 2007 has done near 125,000 miles and is still mint. But I do see 6-7,000rpm from time to time A: to make up for the daily 2 mile run into town and B: because it sounds great and I love the way the beast hauls

Mine gets over 20mpg easily on a trip

I change oil and filters every 3000 miles regardless and run an anti-friction concentrate called Oil Extreme in this and in my 507 to prevent wear due to cold runs.

I'm tempted to run headers on the ML63 but have the 507 and another toy to play with so will likely leave it. Just want to lower it without hurting ride and tune it to get the best out of the ecu. When it's shows signs of getting tired - I'll get another ML63. Love them

executive13

Over 20mpg easy on trips? Lol i would love to see that. Highly unlikely. Headers are a complete waste. Way to expensive for such small gains. Adding oil additives are also not recommended. And lowering the car will make it ride crappy regardless of what members here say.

fritza2tt

Thanks Bazman. Let me also say that there are enough times to have trouble without looking for them by making changes and "improvements". For example, after 100,000 miles I thought it was a good idea to replace the air springs (bladders). I got a good deal on a kit including a compressor and my mechanic went to work. When he pulled out the right front strut there was oil inside the bladder. The car was on the lift and could not be moved and my mechanic was all set to get the part from the nearest MB dealer.
The strut too had to be replaced! Partsgeek had one available and I got it via overnight delivery within 15 hours from the time I ordered it, at one third the cost a dealer would have had to charge. :-)
And just last week, I was travelling away from home, when a red Battery light appeared. I pulled over right away, shut the engine off and checked battery voltage. Heck it read 12.1Volts, fully charged. So I tried to start the engine next and it would not start! Luckily I had my cell phone with me and called the MB emergency number. While I waited for a MB specialist to come, I checked under the hood and noticed that serpentine belt was gone. That explained what happened. The specialist arrived within 20 minutes, confirmed what the problem was and arranged for a tow from the nearest MB dealer (Alpharetta, GA, no charge for towing (?)) who came quickly as well. One hour after I had pulled off the highway, the AMG was on the tow truck and we headed to the dealership. The service manager quickly established that the idler pulley had seized and this caused the belt to fail. A part would have to be ordered. which would take a couple of days. In the meantime I could have a little Smart Car (no charge again (?) to get home with and come back with when the AMG was repaired. Next day I got an email stating that the repair would cost $460.
This was a great relief to me as I had already envisioned a broken idler pulley shaft (axle) imbedded in the font plate of the engine, the whole assembly having to be replaced as well and costing thousands of dollars, as it did when the harmonic balancer failed on my E320.(This one I lucked out with, when I discovered on the internet that there had been a re-call on this item and it was being replaced free of charge by Mercedes.) The place I had the car towed to wanted $3,000 to do the job and did not pay for the towing either.
What it boils down to is that there still are honest people out there. Mercedes must be making sure their dealers stay honest and do not get out of hand too much, like the one in Nashville, TN, but that is another story. :-)))

fritza2tt

The reason I could not start the AMG was the start button, when I replaced it with the key, the engine started right away. This is a good thing to know and to remember! :-)

Bazman

On highway driving I can see mid 11L/100km over the duration of a trip which is 21mpg US gal.

Over a tank the best I have seen is 12.57L/100km which = 19.3mpg but that includes city driving at either end of the tank.

SO while I've not set out to average it over a tank I definitely could based upon over 5000 miles of accurate data. The way I drive I typically average 17-18mpg US gal on highway because I like to use the power and would use wide open throttle on virtually every trip at least once and typically several times. These engines love it City driving is 20L/100km (14mpg) lol

re additives - generally you are right, but I know what I'm doing. Not saying anyone else should do it.

re lowering - that's what I figured due to the lack of happy feedback

fritza2tt

Bazman, I know you replied to "executive13", but let me weigh in on fuel consumption too. Like you I kept records over the last 5,260.9 miles. I bought 322.08 gallons of fuel and this averaged out to 16.33 mpg. On the previous page I posted my conclusions. What it boils down to is the speed you drive at and the gear you are in. For example, in one experiment I drove one hour at 60 mph and the computer read-out climbed to 20.8 mpg! There is another factor as well, it takes a while for the car to reach its best operating temperature, when internal friction of all the components is as low as it can become.

betrezra

When I was at kleemann shop last week they had some headers for w164 ml64 on sale.

All mods add up. So 20rwhp is pretty decent. And bigger impact when more mods are added.

These motors respond well to a tune.

A blown weistec ml63 would be a guilty pleasure.


Mod or stock these trucks are awesome beasts.


I was able to milk out 18-19 mph if I cruised at 60 mph. Mlg dramatically drops off up to 75 80 mph.

I would prob buy an ml350 if I wanted mpg )


Btw.... There is little old lady who. Drives a w164 ml63 in our neighborhood.... She putters around in the slow lane and holds up traffic. If she sells it off that is a car to buy . I bet she gets peak mpg!!!

Bazman

Yep, that's about as good as it gets without custom tuning. I think a custom tune with special attention to fuel lb/hr at cruising loads on a rolling road could find a few decimal points, plus adding headers and high flow cats would help mpg too, also getting rid of the carbon filters on the intakes - anything that improves flow in or out. My guess is gains will be small though as the factory tune is very fuel efficient for the size and weight now.

I think mpg is not about being able to afford it, it's just fun to see if you can make a 500+ hp motor use less fuel than some family 200hp SUV - as no matter what they do, they are already having the most fun they are going to have in that. In the ML63 - we can boogie on demand

Using the paddle shifters really wakes these beasts up

NaijaBerry

Apologies for reviving this but it's very relevant to me now, I am very interested in doing a paddle shifter conversion on my newly acquired '08 ML63, can you point me in the right direction on where to get parts and how to get this done?

I have the steering in the attached picture which I'm not too fond of and would really like to have something sporty looking with paddles.

Thanks!

Mr_AMG63