63 cam adjusters gone bad again
01-14-2015, 03:51 PM
#26
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07 E63 + 07 CLK63CAB
Should say on the invoice what was done and what grade and number of liters added.
Certified techs usually do not do oil changes so who knows what was done and what oil was put in. Just sayin!
Was this service done by Mercedes or an local guy
Certified techs usually do not do oil changes so who knows what was done and what oil was put in. Just sayin!
Was this service done by Mercedes or an local guy
02-03-2015, 05:40 PM
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clk63
I have uploaded(not sure if it did) a video of the noise, would be very interested to know what you think. Also has anybody ever been able to get mercedes to contribute towards the cost of repairs? How does one do this?
Thx
02-03-2015, 05:50 PM
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07 E63 + 07 CLK63CAB
Change the oil, try the 5w-40 Mobil 1.
Not to let out too many secrets but I add some synthetic viscosity modifier to my oil, runs smooth and quiet as a mouse. Minimal dry start-up noise if any, car sits all winter, no issue when started.
Not to let out too many secrets but I add some synthetic viscosity modifier to my oil, runs smooth and quiet as a mouse. Minimal dry start-up noise if any, car sits all winter, no issue when started.
02-04-2015, 11:18 AM
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clk63
MB garage are telling me that the MB protocol for such repairs is to replace the whole parts and not just the one part that is "broken".... I'm not sure what cam adjusters are exactly in Spanish but he showed me two parts that are in from of the cam shaft, could these be camshaft adjusters?
02-04-2015, 11:22 AM
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clk63
The Oil was 0W30 it is standard issue for AMG cars. Is that correct?
02-09-2015, 04:24 PM
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clk63
In fact last week I spent endless hours trying to get through to MB Espana just be able to see if we could follow up with my case and beg MB Espana to make further inquiries... only to be shut-down by their customer service agents and to be told by the customer service agent that I have no legal right to follow up on my case as MB Espana had already told me after TWO days of studying my case that it was my problem and nothing to do with them as the car was out of warranty... She also didn't get why I was calling again and said I shouldn't call again¿¿¿ In the end I could do nothing but to just put the phone down... Why does the level of MB customer service vary so much from country to country....
Anyways, the MB garage told me that the AMG guys have sent them lots of info and it seems that there were some issues related to the cam adjustors (i think that's what they are called in English) for these 63amg engines and some modifications/upgrades to earlier 63AMG models did take place but my engine number was not included in the list of those affected. The garage is looking into this because my car was early 2007 and I got it as one the first ones here… Furthermore, it seems that contrary to what MB Espana had told them the problem may be fixed with the replacement of the cam adjustors and not replacement of the cam adjustors and cam shafts…
So yes and no to the good news, now the garage are going to speak to MB Espana to see given the recent developments if they would be willing to change their approach a little and contribute something towards the cost and perhaps give a more friendlier service. So we await to see. I will post any further updates.
Thx
02-09-2015, 04:25 PM
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clk63
Sorry did not post anything again because I was busy trying to chase MB espana down and it seems that my persistency has paid off a little... The MB garage called me today to say that AMG have been in touch with them regarding my problem. Strangely enough I should mention that last week I only had a brief conversation with AMG about my problem and I am amazed at how quickly they have reacted to my request...
In fact last week I spent endless hours trying to get through to MB Espana just be able to see if we could follow up with my case and beg MB Espana to make further inquiries... only to be shut-down by their customer service agents and to be told by the customer service agent that I have no legal right to follow up on my case as MB Espana had already told me after TWO days of studying my case that it was my problem and nothing to do with them as the car was out of warranty... She also didn't get why I was calling again and said I shouldn't call again¿¿¿ In the end I could do nothing but to just put the phone down... Why does the level of MB customer service vary so much from country to country....
Anyways, the MB garage told me that the AMG guys have sent them lots of info and it seems that there were some issues related to the cam adjustors (i think that's what they are called in English) for these 63amg engines and some modifications/upgrades to earlier 63AMG models did take place but my engine number was not included in the list of those affected. The garage is looking into this because my car was early 2007 and I got it as one the first ones here… Furthermore, it seems that contrary to what MB Espana had told them the problem may be fixed with the replacement of the cam adjustors and not replacement of the cam adjustors and cam shafts…
So yes and no to the good news, now the garage are going to speak to MB Espana to see given the recent developments if they would be willing to change their approach a little and contribute something towards the cost and perhaps give a more friendlier service. So we await to see. I will post any further updates.
Thx
In fact last week I spent endless hours trying to get through to MB Espana just be able to see if we could follow up with my case and beg MB Espana to make further inquiries... only to be shut-down by their customer service agents and to be told by the customer service agent that I have no legal right to follow up on my case as MB Espana had already told me after TWO days of studying my case that it was my problem and nothing to do with them as the car was out of warranty... She also didn't get why I was calling again and said I shouldn't call again¿¿¿ In the end I could do nothing but to just put the phone down... Why does the level of MB customer service vary so much from country to country....
Anyways, the MB garage told me that the AMG guys have sent them lots of info and it seems that there were some issues related to the cam adjustors (i think that's what they are called in English) for these 63amg engines and some modifications/upgrades to earlier 63AMG models did take place but my engine number was not included in the list of those affected. The garage is looking into this because my car was early 2007 and I got it as one the first ones here… Furthermore, it seems that contrary to what MB Espana had told them the problem may be fixed with the replacement of the cam adjustors and not replacement of the cam adjustors and cam shafts…
So yes and no to the good news, now the garage are going to speak to MB Espana to see given the recent developments if they would be willing to change their approach a little and contribute something towards the cost and perhaps give a more friendlier service. So we await to see. I will post any further updates.
Thx
02-13-2015, 11:45 PM
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2008 CLK63 Convertible
I'm a new victim
I've owned my CLK63 for about 9 months. When winter came on around November, I took the car in for it's scheduled A service. I had complete records and confirmed that it has been serviced every year as expected. I noticed right after, the extremely loud rattle on startup. I took it back but they couldn't reproduce the sound and told me that noise on startup was normal. I kept hearing it 3-4 times a week. Always on startup. Sometimes, even when the car was warm. I've had a very bad feeling about it so I took it back and told them to keep it until they could reproduce. They called me 24 hours later and said after 3 attempts and 3 different people, including a Service Foreman, they didn't hear anything. I came to the dealership and talked to the Foreman, I told him I was NOT making it up. He came with me and put his hand on the engine while a tech started it. Success, it happened. He immediately diagnosed it as a driver's side CAM Adjuster. He told me they recommend replacing both Adjusters on the same side of the engine. The bad news, they want $3500 just to replace the 2 adjusters. I'm not ready to spend the money so the car is sitting in my garage because I'm afraid to drive it now.
02-14-2015, 04:13 AM
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clk63
02-14-2015, 12:34 PM
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Yes, I have the same noise only much louder and a couple of seconds longer before it stops. After I saw that you contacted AMG, I search for an email address for them. The only one I found was their marketing department. If you have a better contact, please email to me at sam.jumper@gmail.com.
I continued to research until late in the night. It seems that the recommendation to replace the adjusters and the camshaft itself only apply up to a certain engine serial number. After that, the recommendation is to replace only the adjuster unless other parts show signs of wear. This is pretty clear to me that the adjuster is defective always and the camshaft was also defective until the fixed it as of that serial number. I'm going to locate my serial number today. I also read in their service bulletin that it's usually the intake cam and rarely the exhaust. My dealership wanted me to pay $900 each just in case. They also didn't say a word about the camshaft. They probably don't know enough to replace it which would have left me with another failure later on. The service bulletin mentions a repair part number that I can't find in the parts databases I usually search.
I continued to research until late in the night. It seems that the recommendation to replace the adjusters and the camshaft itself only apply up to a certain engine serial number. After that, the recommendation is to replace only the adjuster unless other parts show signs of wear. This is pretty clear to me that the adjuster is defective always and the camshaft was also defective until the fixed it as of that serial number. I'm going to locate my serial number today. I also read in their service bulletin that it's usually the intake cam and rarely the exhaust. My dealership wanted me to pay $900 each just in case. They also didn't say a word about the camshaft. They probably don't know enough to replace it which would have left me with another failure later on. The service bulletin mentions a repair part number that I can't find in the parts databases I usually search.
02-14-2015, 01:48 PM
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2008 CLK63 Convertible
Fix for Cam Adjuster Noise
Ok, I'm going to provide some real value based on my research.
Here is a link to the internal Mercedes Star Bulletin dated Jan 2009. It supersedes an earlier Star Bulletin dated Jan 2007 so they knew about this defect as early as Jan 2007 yet continued to produce this engine with the defect all the way to 2011. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...85970519,d.cGU
Read the bulletin carefully, there is a different course of action if your engine serial number is earlier than 60001178. If so, you need repair kit A156 060 3147 which I assume includes the adjusters and better camshafts. If your engine number is 60001178 or later, you only need to replace the adjusters.
Fortunately for me, my engine serial number is 60016221 so I get to do the cheaper repair. My car is a 2008 so I assume the earlier serial numbers were for 2007 cars but don't take my word for it.
If you want to look for your engine serial number, it's not hard to find. Take your flashlight and phone out to your car. Remove the air cleaner. It took me 5 minutes to shoot this video.
Here is a link to the internal Mercedes Star Bulletin dated Jan 2009. It supersedes an earlier Star Bulletin dated Jan 2007 so they knew about this defect as early as Jan 2007 yet continued to produce this engine with the defect all the way to 2011. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...85970519,d.cGU
Read the bulletin carefully, there is a different course of action if your engine serial number is earlier than 60001178. If so, you need repair kit A156 060 3147 which I assume includes the adjusters and better camshafts. If your engine number is 60001178 or later, you only need to replace the adjusters.
Fortunately for me, my engine serial number is 60016221 so I get to do the cheaper repair. My car is a 2008 so I assume the earlier serial numbers were for 2007 cars but don't take my word for it.
If you want to look for your engine serial number, it's not hard to find. Take your flashlight and phone out to your car. Remove the air cleaner. It took me 5 minutes to shoot this video.
02-14-2015, 05:17 PM
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clk63
Yes, I have the same noise only much louder and a couple of seconds longer before it stops. After I saw that you contacted AMG, I search for an email address for them. The only one I found was their marketing department. If you have a better contact, please email to me at sam.jumper@gmail.com.
I continued to research until late in the night. It seems that the recommendation to replace the adjusters and the camshaft itself only apply up to a certain engine serial number. After that, the recommendation is to replace only the adjuster unless other parts show signs of wear. This is pretty clear to me that the adjuster is defective always and the camshaft was also defective until the fixed it as of that serial number. I'm going to locate my serial number today. I also read in their service bulletin that it's usually the intake cam and rarely the exhaust. My dealership wanted me to pay $900 each just in case. They also didn't say a word about the camshaft. They probably don't know enough to replace it which would have left me with another failure later on. The service bulletin mentions a repair part number that I can't find in the parts databases I usually search.
I continued to research until late in the night. It seems that the recommendation to replace the adjusters and the camshaft itself only apply up to a certain engine serial number. After that, the recommendation is to replace only the adjuster unless other parts show signs of wear. This is pretty clear to me that the adjuster is defective always and the camshaft was also defective until the fixed it as of that serial number. I'm going to locate my serial number today. I also read in their service bulletin that it's usually the intake cam and rarely the exhaust. My dealership wanted me to pay $900 each just in case. They also didn't say a word about the camshaft. They probably don't know enough to replace it which would have left me with another failure later on. The service bulletin mentions a repair part number that I can't find in the parts databases I usually search.
Any ways, for you, like me, there two things is here: One is to make sure that the diagnostic is correct and two in ask MB for their "Goodwill" assistance in fixing the problem. This is where you will need the support of AMG, because they are the ones that have the superior technical knowledge and the ones that would interface with MB.
So I am not sure if you bought the vehicle from a MB dealership or through private sell because this could also help your case. My first suggestion to you is to do what I did which is to ask the MB garage to look more into the matter and for them to speak to the MB head office to seek their assistance. Then also speak to the MB head office in your country about opening a case regarding your claim and see what they say. Based on that you should then look to speak to AMG. As I mentioned in my email I only had a brief conversation with AMG but they obviously then looked more closely into the case.
Hope that helps and boy I know how frustrating this is!!!
