1cerberus4u

OK, as most of you know, I have only had this car for about 2k miles and been chipping away at gremlins, but I think my morning just went into the tank.

I was driving across state, all of a sudden I lost heat (its 0 out here in NH), and 10 seconds later the car started to studded and then bam, a cloud of white smoke out the back)

Had the car towed to a local shop who took a quick look (I had to keep moving so I rented a car and have not had a chance to get back to it) and said there is Antifreeze in the oil.......

I thought there was some chatter on the threads about bad head gaskets, so can any of you shed some light on both the issue of bad head gaskets (car is an 07 E63) and if I have to pull the heads what else I should be doing both for protection (I think I remember something about some years having bad head studs so I should upgrade to ARP) and is there any performance work I should do at the same time....

Overall, a bit discouraged as the car continues to be possessed by issues, but I'm hopeful we can get them behind us

AMG E Power

I dont know what could be wrong but all I can say is invest in the ARP headbolts !

johnnyblaze

If its an E63, that definitely reminds me of the headbolt issue. The white (sometimes bluish) cloud usually means you're burning coolant. It may have broken the head bolt and the engine shut off before any major damage could happen. Usually what happens is the headbolt snaps and then the cylinders fill with coolant causing the rod to hydrolock and bend the rod. Hopefully you dodged this bullet altogether. Keep us informed OP. Good luck.

1cerberus4u

So just got a change to check out the car. Like most, I am concerned that I may have bent a rod, but the motor starts right up and makes no noise (other than its bellowing smoke...). Typically when I bend rods the car knocks like hell, but I don't hear it in this motor. I'm not sure how the MB motors run and whether or not it would knock with a bent rod.....

Any idea's of Indy shops in the NH area that has the tools to do the job and can do it proficiently?

johnnyblaze

Check your coolant level before starting the car or driving it. I wouldnt recommend driving it until you get it checked out further. Doesnt sound like you bent the rod, chances are just the bolt raised enough to leak or just snapped.

1cerberus4u

Johhny, the car is way beyond driving. coolant tank is empty, oil is foamy..... , so now I'm on the lookout for a shop with the tools, a good source for ARP studs and good head gaskets.....

While the heads are off, any thoughts on what else I should be doing?

sunil517

Also take a look at the CAM/Lifters for the all famous ticking..
These cars (motor 63) seem to be a hit/misss.
My car 74k na da...I knwo some with 130 and nothing.. some with 25k 35k PoS....
I feel for you....being such a new owner...

3BNick

Have whatever shop you chose to do the work carefully inspect the valve train. Look for abnormal wear to the camshafts and lifters.

1cerberus4u

yea, sucks dropping hard earned cash to buy a product which is showing to be pretty unreliable and what I am sure will be is expensive........

johnnyblaze

ARP Stud kit can be purchased through Weistec. Might want to put in a call to them see if they know anyone close to you for the work. Also, as everyone mentioned above, the cams and lifters for wear.

AKnight55

Sorry to hear this man. I'm not sure where in NH your located, but I take my car to an Indy in Manchester. Hope everything turns out alright.
http://precisionimports.com

trackjunky

iTrader: (1)

sorry to hear this man. hope the internals are alright and you are in for just the head gasket.

do you have any engine mods or tune? has it ever overheated on you before?

1cerberus4u

No mods, bone stock

AKnight, which shop?

AKnight55

Precision imports. I posted the link in my last post.

1cerberus4u

Guess that would require reading..... Dick Horn and I go way back........

chawkins2001

Check out the head bolt sticky in the c63 section. Sounds like another victim but will give you valuable insight of the potential issue.

statepkt

You most likely have broken head bolts (pretty certain as I had that problem). You will to see if any damage was done to the engine internals if the coolant actually went into the cylinders during compression. That would suck. Mine was a slow coolant leak so luckily there was nothing.

Definitely check out the m156 head bolt thread. I have several posts there documenting my story.

Replace bolts with ARP or at the very least the redesigned bolts. New tippets. Change the plugs while you are at it.

Hope it goes well.

Yacht Master

Sorry to hear this, some times it is better to blow a head gasket when running and know it, rather than have a cyl fill up over night and hydro lock HARD in the morning when you start it.

James M

Sorry to hear about this, but I think you are damn lucky not to have trashed your engine. I hope it is just your head bolts, but you might as well get some work done on them while they are off. Make sure you get ARP bolts when you replace the heads. Best of luck.

1cerberus4u

Thanks everyone.

No question, if the motor is salvagable, I'll get ARP head bolt and intake bolts. Not to mention check out the lifters.

Anyone have thoughts as to different head gaskets? The Stock one ok or is there a better one out there?

Also, being I don't have the time right now, nor the tools, what kind of money are people paying for the job at an indy shop (assuming its just R&R for the headbolts and gasket)?

statepk, being there is coolant in the pan and it was blowing smoke out of the exhaust clearly indicates there is and was a significant intrusion into the cylinders...

blackbenzz

Definitely burning coolant and coolant getting in oil. White smoke is burning coolant and milkshake oil is oil and coolant mix. Tell tale sign of a blown head gasket. Needless to say yours seems pretty bad and you shouldn't drive it. No heat because you probably lost all coolant. Did the car overheat? If so might want to check heads to see if they were warped. Weak head studs are common problem on the 63s. Sorry it happened to you. I would put a stock head gasket and ARP head bolts. Aee you planning on doing crazy mods or keeping it stock because that will determine what else you should do while you have heads off?

1cerberus4u

Well, if the Heads are off, I am open to mods, but have not seem much discussion on the boards as to what mods are worthwhile.

Do you or anyone on the board have experience on mods for the 63?

blackbenzz

You could just pull the motor/trans and go stage 3 Weistec sc with built bottom end, ported heads and trans etc but you're talking big money. Not sure what your goals are and budget

statepkt

Job at an Indy will cost about 4-5k depending if there is other damage.

320 dreamer

ep labs in stratford ct. 203 345 6499