Duskey

I'm trying to locate a procedure to remove the timing cover from my biturbo M157 2014 E63 AMG motor. In reading all the threads here, no one has shown or seems to have done this job as a DIY'r.
I've done a lot of work on various cars over the years but am just not that familiar with this vehicle. I've had the car couple of years now (2014 E63 AMG S Model). To date I've only ever
changed the oil and transmission fluid, and front brake pads on this car. I have a distinct smell of oil after the car is shut off after a spirited run home from work in 92 degree heat. I don't see any oil leaking
but then I haven't looked that hard yet, but based on the threads seems it could be the camshaft position sensors, but I cleaned them and don't really see any oil seeping around them, they
are the newer type sensors (after 2013) that I believe don't have the leaking issue. My next guess is perhaps the timing cover or the Camshaft adjuster magnet seal/o-rings. The oil seems to be from
the front of the engine but I cannot pinpoint it. I'd like to dig into it further and perhaps just reseal the timing cover and replace any other seals while doing this job, but I haven't seen this job
done by anyone on this forum. Sounds like a big job but I've got plenty of patience, I also cannot find any type of timing cover seal kit for this job, so I'm not sure what other gaskets, etc. may
be required. Does anyone have some suggestions or have a procedure on this specific engine for digging into a front engine oil leak that seems to be the timing cover?
thanks.
I cringe at the thought of taking this car to Crowne Eurocars in Pinellas Park for a multi-thousand dollar job for gasket replacements.

Duskey

maxusa

Welcome to the forum. The timing case cover is a very time-consuming job. The procedure is outlined in WIS article AR01.40-P-8000ELB with nearly entire engine front disassembly like the fan unit, front covers on cylinder heads, belt/pulleys, oil filter housing, oil pan, oil-water heat exchanger, coolant pump, thermostat, etc. There are 14 nested articles linked.


Before you gear up for this job, recommend to search for the Mercedes article/note on leaking front cylinder head cover. There may be an installation defect that results in a leak that may look like the timing cover. I cannot find it quickly, but it was mentioned/posted in MBWorld forums. I will post if I find it. This is to make sure you diagnose the culprit before diving into the big job.

Hope this helps.

maxusa

Another point is to check if there is an oil leak in the back of the engine. We had a recent discussion about it Oil/combustion smell under heavy acceleration - MBWorld.org Forums

Duskey

Max, thanks for a response, I totally intend to determine if indeed the seepage/leak is from the cover or another front end of engine component.
I will spend more time on it than the first time I attempted to find the culprit, but I have not determined it yet. I would assume the valve cover/cylinder head cover procedure would
be in the list of 14 repair articles, unfortunately they do not appear to be available that I can see, thanks for any help on this.
It is quite irritating to get out of the car walk around the front and have the smell of burning oil. I don't see any oil smoke, just the oil burning smell, and only very small amounts
on the bottom splash shield. I don't seem to have a "drip", but more I guess like a seepage. Maybe it is the cylinder head cover seal....

Duskey

I have never noticed the burning oil smell in the car, and it is also not a strong smell, but the trained mechanic nose I have tells me there is a drip/leak somewhere.
This job doesn't scare me, just a bit tedious it seems, I don't need the car for main transportation so it would be a very methodical process for me to do with no rush.
But I want it done right the first time, thus procedures would be nice for reference.

maxusa

My observation and experience with M157 indicate the seals are more reliable than rubber gaskets in other motors like in M156. They last much longer, often the entire service life. This means I encourage you to look elsewhere before suspecting the seals. As I said in the linked thread on oil smell, this means burning oil on or around the exhaust components. Oil leaks elsewhere rarely produce burnt odor.

Yes, there are 2 articles on the front cover: AR01.30-P-5700ELA for the left, and AR01.30-P-5700ELB for the right head. I can get you all the articles on this, but you can search the forum. They have been posted.

E55Greasemonkey

This is not a DIY job. You'll have a disaster on your hands. It's also unlikely that this is your leak.

maxusa

Here is one reference to that bulletin: M157 oil leak (Timing Cover) - MBWorld.org Forums

Duskey

Thanks Max....I'll let all know what I find after I do a bit more prospecting for oil. I'll attempt to take photos of what I find for others with this issue.
This is the only issue I've really had with the car.


So clean from up here.

Duskey

I found some oil around the front of the right side cylinder head camshaft magnetic adjuster cover. Now this may be from this or perhaps the camshaft cover itself?
So for now I ordered 4 of the o-rings that are behind these covers, and will clean and install these once I get a chance to install, perhaps this weekend. Then I'll proceed
from here. I can't say I see a drop of oil, only seepage from something in this area.



Right side cylinder head Camshaft adjuster cover seems to perhaps be leaking.

Wet on the camshaft front cover ...

Looks to be seeping down to the turbo.

maxusa

You may be seeing oil spilled during refilling. The place is suspiciously too close. Recommend cleaning it well and observe if more oil/dust accumulates in the same spot over time. Please let us know if more oil is found anywhere else.

Valvestud

Not sure if you still want the procedure, but it's attached here. There's a bunch of instructions related to various steps of the overall procedure. Let me know if you need others.

Regards,

Joe

Duskey

Thanks for the procedure, I've decided to take the car to the dealer and let them fool with it.
I've gotten the estimate, and what sounds like an unsure diagnoses of the issue, as they "Think" it
is the front seal leaking but need to tear it down and confirm. The service advisor indicated this was
the starting point for the search for the leak, so apparently they are not 100% sure but this is what
they will do. I've attached a copy of the estimate for all to see, nearly $1600.

jonii

Thats kind of rare for the actual front timing cover seal to leak. Your leak is from the front cam adjuster cover which is notorious for leaking. Just from my experience.

Duskey

I had previously replaced the camshaft adjuster magnet O-rings a couple of weeks ago, that was easy, but the leak was not fixed, thus the trip to the dealer for further investigation. I believe they are working it today, so I should know more soon.



RaceChip mod is the only performance modification.

PeteyV

It is quite suspicious that only your furthers passenger side cam magnet is showing "contamination" from oil. Especially with that fact that the oil fill point is directly above it. I would try and clean it thoroughly and look for more oil contamination.

Also, did you take a look at the oil pump directly beneath the main pully? Those are known to seep oil as well but replacing is really not recommended because it will seep oil again. Just make sure clean it every service.

jonUF02

Can anyone elaborate on the end "fix" for this? I'm looking to buy a ML63 that looks similar to the pics on the front of the engine near the solenoids. The PPI shop told me "upper timing covers" are leaking.

@jonii - what is this front cam adjuster cover you are referring to?

thanks!

Duskey

The cam adjuster O-rings were easily removed and replaced...anyone can do it. My problem (i was told from my local MB dealer) was the turbo oil line was
leaking. A $1500 repair and all is well.

Apparently the timing cover is not leaking
Duskey

Ak1mking

Glad they pinpointed the issue. As others have pointed out, it is quite an involved job to remove and re-seal the timing chain cover. It is a known, but limited issue. MB dealer did mine about 6-months ago on my MY2016. I believe my dealer charged around $1,000 for work.

///ASN

Hello,
May I ask what is the oil stain on the right of the engine (when you stand in front of the car)?
I am looking to buy a used GLE 63s and I found quite a lot of them having the same oil stain there

maxusa

Recommend to pop the top engine cover and photograph if there is anything more to it. From the looks of it, the stain is sputter flying from the serpentine belt. The top pulley is exactly opposite the brown stain. It could be they sprayed conditioner on the belt or it picked up some spilled oil. The rotation is clockwise, and this is exactly where the belt would throw dirt/liquid. Could be just cosmetic, but it deserves some investigation. Hope this helps.

Duskey

My dirty spot was on the left side as you stand in front of the engine, and I believe was from the cam adjuster covers. My drops later on the ground seemed to be under the same area (larger actual leak) were apparently from the turbo oil line on that side. Maybe this oil line leak could have been fixed by myself but i couldn't pinpoint the leak. So i had it at the dealership for the leak track down and then repair. Seeping at the top l believe was the cam adjuster covers. I purchased a pack of 4 o-rings and did that repair myself.

Baltistyle

The one thing I did not see during the diagnosis of this repair was the cleaning of all of the dirty or oily spots and waiting to see where the leak originates. The turbo oil lines are not hard, just tedious.

For the previous poster, and the black marks on the driver side charge pipe, it is as the other posters have mentioned, its belt dust as the belt and pulley spin in that direction.