enowacki

I just got a call from HG Motorsports in San Diego, letting me know that the engine in my 07 wagon has turned itself into a paperweight.

Best guess is a headbolt failure, leading to a catastrophic headgasket failure, leading to hydrolock, sending the rod through the piston... etc.

So, options seems to be:

1. Spend more car than the car is worth on a new engine from MB;
2. Find a used engine and replace said paperweight (after replacing crap headbolts with ARP bolts); or
3. Stuffing a Chevy LS7 in it...

Any suggestions? Words of wisdom? In the event I go with option 2, other than the headbolts, are there any other booby traps built into this engines that should be corrected before stuffing it in?

Thankful for any suggestions (even more thankful for financial contributions...

E55Greasemonkey

Sorry for your luck, but thanks for posting.

'07 being the first year, is the worst 6.3.

I'd look for a later model 6.3 engine out of a wreck. Try ebay, car-parts.com, etc. Depending on the year of the engine, installing the latest version head bolts and head gaskets from MB would be my choice. Might as well replace the intake manifold bolts and gaskets, and the crankcase valve underneath, while it's out of the car. I'd also replace all the idler pulleys and tensioner.

Have you priced a new engine from MB? That will change your mind quite quickly on that option.

e500slr

Someone please explain how this clearly chronic issue didn't warrant a ****ing recall!! I hear about this EVERY WEEK now. I know of FIVE C63s this week that had the headbolt issue and an ML63 that had the lifter issue.

How the **** is it the customer's fault that there is a CHRONIC issue. I cannot believe there hasn't been a class action lawsuit yet, I know they talked about one but where are the results.

This is ****ing disgusting, I'm gutted for you buddy, I'm also very angry they're allowed to get away with it. You did nothing wrong, the engine was DESTINED to fail.

mightar

Damn, really sorry to hear this. How many miles? No "early warning" signals like low coolant alert, ticking noise on idle, etc?

I just hit over 90k miles now and it is running like a top. It isn't a daily driver, but I definitely don't baby it. If it were my choice, I'd go with option #2, drop off the wagon at Weistec and have them do the engine assembly service:

http://weistec.com/all/e/e-63/2007-2...vice-m156.html

I'm actually tempted to do this sooner rather than later. The W212 AMG wagons just don't do it for me - I really like the M156 a lot. It is just too bad that the factory head bolts used were of a poor design.

viren.89

Is getting an engine re-built more expensive than getting a new one?

I mean rebuilding it would mean forged everything right?

E55Greasemonkey

There WAS a class action suit. It was thrown out by a judge, who basically said, that is why cars have warranties from the manufacturer. When the warranty is over, it's over. Any decision to the contrary would basically be ordering the manufacturer to give a warranty forever.

shardul

iTrader: (1)

get a used engine and replace the head bolts will be the cheapest route

Shifter

Or sell the car as is, if you do that I call dibbs!!

KariE63

I have a engine for sale if your interested. and also. If you sold the car as is. I would be interested in purchasing it

trackjunky

iTrader: (1)

sorry to hear this happen and especially sad to hear it happened to a unicorn. If I were you, I'd look into the cost of sourcing a used engine, replace the studs and other wear and tear items while the block is out.

What price range does a used m156 go for?

thanks for sharing your experience

INS1GNIA

Good thing for aftermarket warranties

RVAE34

What was the mileage?

CarbonHan

I just ticked over 80k yesterday and now i'm getting worried. Every so often, my engine will tick until I drive it carefully for a couple of miles until it goes away. I've told my indy about it but he said that he needs the sound to be present while a rep from my aftermarket warranty is there. Reading this post makes me want to just pay out of pocket for new headbolts and stuff.

stevieg

Hate to hear the news on your wagon. As I hate to admit it, I don't think there is space large enough to fill with issues with this 6.3 motor.
Like an addict, I love my e63 and I have suffered through having to have the top half of the engine rebuilt, all of the shocks have had to be replaced, numerous oil leak issues and recently a crack on the crankcase which had to be welded shut.
I think it just comes down to your level of confidence in re-investing in this motor. To be honest, I am fearful everytime I drive my car waiting for the next shoe to drop.
In contrast, my NSX which just turned 25 needed an ignition switch. $276 which included labor. Maybe you can see about fitting a Honda motor in your wagon. I can bet you will sleep better at night straight away.


Good Luck with your decision. Stevie G

e500slr

That "judge" is a ****ing idiot, who the **** is he to decide important things like this, one guy sitting on what I assume is a ****ing toilet holding a little wooden mallet "deciding".....

Any person with common sense will see that this is not an isolated issue and is a DEFECT, that's the point, if it's a rare occurrence you can just chalk it up to bad luck or other factors but this is more common than you think. Not everyone reports their failures to forums.

I've been buying up every M156 written off car I see in the auctions and I've sold 13 engines from August 2015 till now.....and I'm in Oz where these cars are alot more rare. Trust me, this problem is BIG!! How is that the fault of the person who bought it. Even a Chinese made Chery Motors car doesn't just catastrophically disintegrate.

These engines are letting go, most of the time without warning or warnings that non-technically minded people will overlook. This is a DEFECT, a chronic issue from the factory, from the design, not from incorrect use or servicing.

So one judge got to decide on a global issue, I think someone needs to be taken out the back and beaten to a ****ing pulp. This is ridiculous and only a degenerate would see this as a non-issue. Who is this ****ing scumbag, is there a name?

To good, hardworking, honest people who worked their asses off to buy cars with this engine, do the head studs, they might be expensive but engines are ALOT more trust me. I have one now and have gotten 2 offers of 12k and one for 14k this past week. I have never struggled to sell these. I've made a pretty penny (a lot of pennies actually) from the sorrow of these poor, unsuspecting owners looking for replacement engines.

Apple did a recall on chargers that had shocked TWO people in the last decade or something like that, we're talking hundreds of thousands if not MILLIONS of chargers replaced free by them. Those people who got shocked probably tampered with them and they didn't even die. I think this problem is alot bigger, Mercedes and AMG, have some ****ing integrity and stand by your products.

BenzoBoi

Sorry to hear about your situation...I say find a bi-turbo motor and drop it in there!

thtguy

You know... You should start a gofundme account to pay for it, wait this wasn't an idiot mistake on your part so I guess it wouldn't work

2000UZJ

https://mbworld.org/forums/engine-pe...lt-engine.html

RVAE34

I am already in the process of buying a warranty today. Just reading too many stories about this and it terrifies me!

5425ratt

Engine failure due to false design and materials used to build, I never had any such issues with my other amg's (c55, e55, cls55) When contacted Mercedes headquarters in the US, the pretty much told me to go ....... myself. They quoted me a rebuilt engine for $38000, brand new engine for $72000. Eventually I found a used one for $8000 with 72000 miles on it. I sold the car with a huge loss after I had it put in by a mechanic. Stay away from 63' engines period. Research M156 engine failure on Google

RVAE34

$72,000? Haven't seen anyone with a quote that high yet. Might as well buy a 2014 E63 and have money leftover.

5425ratt

Have to recover first financially after that I'll go back to an AMG but never ever again an 63 engine

2000UZJ

55K engines list for $84,000 new from the dealer...

AndreNY

yea but you can get a used 55 Engine for $2-2500

enowacki

Ok, E63 braintrust, I need some advise on a replacement motor.

One of the listmembers has a used, but reconditioned, low mileage motor from a 2009 SL63, which he has agreed to sell me for a reasonable price. It also has upgraded MB headbolts.

The shop says that the part numbers are not lining up and that they cannot say whether it will be a simple drop in or if the electric connections and motor mounts will have to be changed. They are trying to steer me toward a local supplier of used engines who has a 2007 E63 motor with much higher miles, which would be a direct drop in and comes with a 6 month warranty, for a couple of grand more. This motor would have to be modified with ARP studs to avoid the time bomb effect built in by the factory.

Any sage advise and wisdom to dispense?

I'm of the opinion that an engine built in fairly limited numbers is unlikely to have a variety of engine mounts and connectors, but rather used the same mounts and connectors for all cars with this engine. Secondly, since the 2007 E63 engine would have to get new head studs, if the SL63 engine needs mounts and connectors, it would pretty much be a wash...

Anyone on this list do a swap for an M156 from another chassis?

Erik

@Stevieg, I may still go with your suggestion and drop a Honda between the fenders... Too bad they can't make Hondas sound like the M156 at high revs...