Rovel

Hi all,
I had done head bolt replacement on my beloved 2007 E63 with m156 recently and having issues The car has 67K miles on it. If you are someone who knows this motors or have done head bolts, please read below and let me know if you have any ideas/suggestions for me. I replaced one bolt at a time with the engine still on the car. I had two attempts at setting the timing.

Attempt 1
Driver side
- turned the crank pulley and made sure it was at 40 degrees.
- removed all the covers on the driver side and inspected cams - everything looked normal.
- checked the accuracy of the timing using m156 timing tools bought off eBay. The flat metal plate fit in the back of the cams to keep them together. The holding device and front timing plate fit OK too. I marked everything down to make sure that everything goes to where they came from.
- I removed the camshafts and adjusters
- I replaced all the bolts
- Then I set the timing using the tools: the flat metal plate fit in the back of the cams. Front holding device and timing plate fit OK too.
- I put the driver side back together all the way. I put everything back together including the covers and plugs — stupid mistake as I shouldn't have done this until I was done with the driver side too.

Passenger side
- removed all the covers and noticed that the flat metal wasn't fitting on the back of the camshafts. One of the cams was off by maybe 1mm making it impossible to slide the tool in. I turned the engine to 40 degrees twice — 360 degrees total. I was able to slide the flat metal and lock the cams now. Since I turned it 360 I assumed it was safe and that the driver side was in the right position again. I couldn't see it though because I already put it back together.
- I replaced the bolts, and set timing.
- Put everything back together and started the car.
- I am now getting vibrations, flashing check engine light and 3 misfire codes P0300, P0305, P0308.

Attempt 2
- Engine at 40 degrees
- Unlike in attempt 1, I opened the cylinder covers on both sides this time.
- I had to move one of the cams by 1mm and then was able to slide the back cam tool just fine on both sides. (I have two timing tool sets.)
- I noticed that one of the cam phasers turned a bit and you couldn't see the hole in the back that you are supposed to put a screw in. "This might explain it" I thought to myself.
- I put the cams, adjusters and phasers back together using brand new bolts and diamond washers. I made sure that cam adjuster holes were still open when I was done. I checked that the gears on them were aligned too.
- I set the timing and torqued everything down.
- The plugs were wet in gas and burned oil — must be result of misfired run after attempt 1. I cleaned them with a brake cleaner before installation.

After putting the car together, I started the car and still having the same vibration issue and the same codes

Does anyone have any thoughts?

SICAMG

Well your having issues on one bank it seems so do yourself a favor and REALLY look at everything else. Meaning any hose, spark plugs, vacuum line, wires etc, etc

Rovel

Hmm. Are you saying that based on codes? If yes, then do you know which side are these related to? Driver or passenger?

6172crew

Driver side is #1.

I still think (after talking to you) that there is something else, not the timing. Without the MB diagnostics setup its harder to know for sure, but I had timing codes when my timing was off, and it was misfiring and wouldn't run. You were smart to move the coil packs around to be sure it wasn't a bad pack or two. I wish I was closer to you, and could bring my laptop over to see what the car was saying, and I would be willing to send the setup to you but it isnt easy to get it to work. I am using a apple and they don't like serial connections through VM ware, so it takes me awhile to get it connected, like 1 hour sometimes.

You used 2 tools to make sure both sides are timed, and at 40. The phaser part numbers are pointed up, and you used new washers and proper torque. I would look at doing a compression test, and leak down test. If you can find a NDI type bore scope camera you can even look inside the 2 cylinders you're getting codes and see if you have some kind of mechanical issue. The only other thing that might get timing off would be turning the engine backwards to get to 40. You need to turn it clockwise and never turn backwards because you can get slack in the chain.
The way the connections are done for the coil packs its almost impossible to connect the wrong lead to the wrong cylinder, but I would really look all the connections over.

Good luck, I know you can do this.

SICAMG

He can always do a compression test and compare cylinders. If they all read the same your timing is correct.

Rovel

delete

6172crew

I’m sure you know this, but you can’t rotate the engine backwards and set timing because there is slack in the chain. If you go pass the 40 mark, you just have to keep going until you go around again. I’m interested to why your timing was set, but have a bent valve or hole in a piston. My guess is a bent valve. Sorry Bro, that sucks. If it’s just a valve, then you shouldn’t have a huge bill.

Turkish05

You must check both sides again after installing and then put all together.
install all cams rotate and check timing again and again. Thats the right order.

Change the coils on the misfire cylinder with another one who works and look what happens but i think its a bigger Problem cuz your car vibrates.

good luck bro

edit: you can rotate backwards but you must rotate a bit more than 40 degrees to get the slack off.