R63 AMG The Unicorn of my Destruction

Boy... I work with machine tools on a daily basis. If surface finish on any part, anywhere, in any machine came out that rough, the programmer and tooling engineer would both be fired. ESPECIALLY in a hand-built, $50k engine. That's what leads me to believe that it's actually a design feature.

I can get better surface finish on cast parts using a crappy Haas at max feed with a chipped end mill buried .100" into the workpiece. I highly doubt that MB is using the machine tool equivalent of a Kia, either.

Timing case is off. Three different length bolts so I'm going to need to make a map for this too. Not sure I really needed to replace the guides and chain. I decided to mostly on the recommendation of the tech at the dealership and the fact that it will never be this easy again (hopefully). Wear is very minimal. Unless these are part way to getting old and fragile,they look fine.
And here is an M156 about as naked as you can get it. Other than the oil pump and the chain hanging there, all you have is the block, main cap girdle thingy, and the spinny bits. Time to think about things, order a few parts, and then start reassembly.

mazdeuce wrote: Time to think about things, order a few parts, and then start reassembly.

berkeley yeah it is!

...insert evil idea of buying an old ink-pen plotter and modifying it for CNC gasket material application...

Time to clean and think about things. I don't need parts to be spotless, but I want to be able to reassemble stuff without having to take a shower afterwards.
Of note with the timing case, there are three seals, only one of which you can see/access with it in place. The big one is for the crank/pulley, I have that one, the smaller one is for the chain idler, and there is a rubber gasket for coolant. I'll get the other seal and the rubber gasket with the next order. It's not that they're bad, but they're 10 years old with 94k miles and they're made of rubber. They have a finite life span and I'd rather not discover what that is.

Funny how you think I am doing something radical with the Molvo and yet I consider your form of crazy to be crazier than mine

I never found anything on the Molvo to be intimidating, just work, this stuff on the other hand...

Do not use any abrasives to clean the metal surfaces. Read the WIS for cleaning metal parts.

In reply to MB_tech2005:

Will do. Thanks.

Mercedes says to use LU Cleaner by Wurth. If I was in the UK, it looks like I could pop by the shops and grab some. Any idea what the available equivalent might be?

Edit: Something like this?

In Canada consumers can call in and order direct from Wurth Canada and they will ship to your door, I've got to assume it is the same or easier in the USA if you want the exact cleaner.

Adam

The machining marks are intentional to hold the sealant. See the same things on all the newer VW timing cover parts and oil pans. To get your oil pan off just running a box cutter around the outside edge usually will cut enough of the sealant to pry it off.

The latest R63 on BAT didn't sell for $39,130. Maybe there's a floor, at least for the nice ones?

Mad_Ratel wrote: I feel like grocery life etched into the tool would mean more...

I'm not sure that logo would survive a vinyl cut small enough to serve as an etch template. I'd have to do another one. I'm ok with that.

mazdeuce wrote: The latest R63 on BAT didn't sell for $39,130. Maybe there's a floor, at least for the nice ones?

And a 2012 E63 wagon just popped up on BAT.

In reply to NOHOME: seriously???? taking a skinned ES and grafting it to a mazda whatever is nothing compared to a R63 AMG bullet needing head bolts (R&R)...NOHOME your prowess with 'B' sheet tin is beyond reproach.

mazdeuce wrote: Mercedes says to use LU Cleaner by Wurth. If I was in the UK, it looks like I could pop by the shops and grab some. Any idea what the available equivalent might be? Edit: Something like this?

Their website just calls it brake cleaner (wurth) so I'm sure there's an alternative here that'd be "good enough". However, the exchange rate is pretty darn low. (1bp=$1.25) If you can find a seller willing to ship, maybe Ebay.co.uk is an option

Wurth LU cleaner

By the way, it took he three helpings but I made it through the entire thread. Love the build man, looks like I'm popping in just as she's about to come together. Good luck!

Totally random question but ... how much do you think that engine weighs? I'm currently trying to decide if I should have a thing against DOHC V engines or not.

sorry to derail the thread, but do we not have a "view first unread post" button on this forum?

grover wrote: sorry to derail the thread, but do we not have a "view first unread post" button on this forum?

Sadly, there is not

In reply to mazdeuce:

Looks like that will work. MB has changed to loctite SF 7200 and 7063. The part numbers are A0109899071 and A001986717110. The 7200 is the gasket remover and the 7063 is the cleaner/surface prep before applying the sealant.

@those that said the cutting blade needs to be changed. The blocks and heads are purposely machined in that manner. With zero sealant the motors can go months before oil will start to show signs of seepage, looks more like the engine is sweating.

grover wrote: sorry to derail the thread, but do we not have a "view first unread post" button on this forum?

Annoying, isn't it??

mazdeuce wrote: Pulled the upper oil pan today. Lots of knife blades working my way up to wooden shims. Came off nicely. Another cool overly complicated MB part. All of the machined surfaces have these cool patterns in them, I assume to hold the sealant and seal better. And now it's back on the motor mounts waiting for me to pull the chain case. I also dumped the 1/2 quart or so of oil from the bottom of the lower pan this morning and was very happy to see just oil and a little wattery sludge. Nothing shiny. That makes me happy.

That is interesting to see the grooves. In a previous life we made parts for Cummins Diesel. We started getting complains that the thermostat/filter housing (PN 3926509)were not sealing correctly and must not be machined flat. After extensive investigation, read expensive, we found that the surface finish was TOO slick. They called out a max finish, of 60 micro inches, but no minimum, and we were getting about a 12/14 finish. We played with our speeds and feeds until we got something around a 40 finish.

In reply to MB_tech2005:

Thanks is for the insight and the proper cleaners and sealers. It's always a good idea to do the job as well as I can.

DaewooOfDeath wrote: Totally random question but ... how much do you think that engine weighs? I'm currently trying to decide if I should have a thing against DOHC V engines or not.

I don't have the foggiest idea. I don't think the big thing is the weight, but rather the size. This motor is HUGE with everything in place. I do think it's a neat engine a d I'm glad I get to paly with it. If I had fairly unlimited budget it would be cool to shoehorn one into a 60's Mercedes sedan, but other than brand loyalty, I can't imagine why one would choose to mess with these outside a car that already had one in place.

I found a worldwide equivalency chart for Loctite products and ordered the gasket dissolver and cleaner. The only problem I'm having is ordering the gasket itself. The MB recommended part is Loctite 5970, the American market equivalent is Loctite 5900. I can find it, but it comes in tubes that look like you need a caulk gun and I can't figure out what size that would be. Anyone have any insight?
Also ordered most of the rest of the MB parts. Gaskets, bolts, motor mounts, stuff.