R63 AMG The Unicorn of my Destruction

The only problem with everyone knowing you're home all day is that everyone knows you're home all day. Just as I was walking to the Grosh this morning I got a call asking for extra hands picking up some wood. Not the kind of thing I can say no to, and it was within a couple miles of my lunch with ronniejay so it all worked out.
Had a nice lunch with ronniejay, he's a good guy and I enjoyed meeting and talking to him. I sent him on his way with a full belly and a big piece of magnesium with Guido's signature on it. Fingers crossed.
Couldn't quite keep myself from working on things before picking up the kids even though I knew I didn't have enough time to finish.
The upper pan is on, easy as pie. Great squeeze out all around the pan. I'm happy. It would have sucked without the dowels. The dowels would have been better with a holding device. Room for improvement.
The steering rack is torqued down and the new motor mounts are in. The lower pan and it's mating surface on the upper pan are all NASA levels of clean waiting for sealant. I usually don't work outside after dinner, but tonight I think I have to make an exception and get this done and back on the ground.

mazdadeuce, you are the man! I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed this thread. I really admire your willingness to take on a project like this. There are very few who would, and even fewer who could tell the story so well.

That said, I think this could be your next project:

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/buying-maintenance/news/a33260/ferrari-456-cheapest-manual-v12/

(apologies if someone has already posted this. I just saw it for the first time today)

After all, after the R63, a high mileage V12 Ferrari should be a piece of cake......and well...GATED SHIFTER!! Just because.....

In reply to mikedd969:

I did NOT need to see that.
I'm a huge fan of the big front engined Ferraris. Next project? Who knows. I'm all over the map. Three year old Volt? Early Gallardo? Two door first gen RAV4? I should not be allowed near Craigslist, that's a certainty.
I'm glad you're having fun reading along, I'm starting to feel like this story may eventually have resolution. Maybe.

I snagged an hour. Put the lower pan back on. Freaked out for a second because I thought I couldn't get the dipstick in with the heads on. You can't put the dipstick through the grommet, you need to pull the grommet, put it on the dipstick, and put them in the hole together, just in case anyone runs into that issue. Lowered the engine back onto the mounts and finger tightened them. This opens up a TON of assembly. I'm excited.

Let's see. The last cars ive seen you drag home was a ratty civic, a ratty rsx, a less ratty insight, a supercharged caddy wagon, and this. I feel like you need one more large, overpowered something. Gc trailcat?

Fergus? It's a big block manual transmission wagon. I can't quite justify a Trailcat while owning the V wagon and the R63. I'm getting drawn toward cars other people are scared of.

mazdeuce wrote: The upper pan is on, easy as pie. Great squeeze out all around the pan. I'm happy. It would have sucked without the dowels. The dowels would have been better with a holding device. Room for improvement.

How about using longer screws with the heads cut off, then threading on some nuts with washers? Like temporary studs. That'll Hold your pieces in place once you align all the bolt holes, etc.

Extra fab on the dowels sounds like a lot of effort for what effort they're supposed to save. What about just throwing a clamp like these on the dowels after the part is in place to block it sliding down? Quick, easy, and id be amazed if you don't have a version of these w/in 20' of the engine right now.

In reply to bluej:

I actually don't, but no matter, everything that needs sealant (for this engine) is on. Putting the dowels away in a drawer for future use. It's all nuts and bolts from here on out.

Yeah progress....go ......fight ............WIN!!!!! I second it on the Prancing horse V-12

759NRNG wrote: Yeah progress....go ......fight ............WIN!!!!! I second it on the Prancing horse V-12

Having spent 2 incredible years living in Italy as a 19-21 year old sailor, I have a true love of Italian automobiles and motorcycles. Not just Ferrari, but all of them. Fiat too. I was able to drive and own cars over there that you almost never see in the US. No Ferraris unfortunately, but some cool machines, a 1973 Fiat 2400 Dino, a 1969 Lancia Fulvia Sport 1.3s, a Alfa Romeo GTA, and my sentimental favorite, my old, beat up, 1973 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe, man I loved that car......but you had to have some mechanical skills to keep her going.... I wish I could find an affordable one here, but there were never very many imported into the US and even in Italy, the rare survivors command more than I'm willing to pay.

Fel-Pro Snap-Ups

The last engine kit I bought had these things. I've reused them multiple times.

In reply to dimarra:

Those things are pretty sweet! Usually if I am working on an engine out of the car it is on the stand and I just flip it upside down though.

dimarra wrote: Fel-Pro Snap-Ups The last engine kit I bought had these things. I've reused them multiple times.

Stocking stuffer for everyone I know this year. Watch for it.

In reply to mikedd969:

The world is full of amazing cars. I keep reminding myself of that every time I'm close to saying berk it and buying an Accord. I've only scratched the surface.
Thanks for reading along.

A number of people have suggested that I soak the lifters in oil before assembly. Even though they come pre-oiled from MB I'm doing it anyway. Just in case.
Put on the oil cooler lines, the power steering loop, the thermostat, water pump, and oil filter housing, tensioner. Everything gets new gaskets. Taking my time and looking up all the notes and torques. So far every M8 is 20Nm and every M6 (with the exception of two) is 8.5Nm. Starting to look like an engine.

Piling on to the mazdeuce man-crush fest, I might not have done the M62 timing chain guides if not for something you said many pages ago (loosely paraphrased here):

"Under the expensive badge, it's just engine parts." Or something like that. Anyway, thanks for the esprit de corps.

In reply to AngryCorvair:

For what it's worth, I'm much braver on the internet than in real life.

In reply to mazdeuce:

So, since this van is real life, just how brave are you in the internet?

AngryCorvair wrote: Piling on to the mazdeuce man-crush fest, I might not have done the M62 timing chain guides if not for something you said many pages ago (loosely paraphrased here): "Under the expensive badge, it's just expensive engine parts." Or something like that. Anyway, thanks for the esprit de corps.

mndsm wrote: In reply to mazdeuce: So, since this van is real life, just how brave are you in the internet?

I boadcast the work, but not the wimpering and indecision the preceedes it.

In reply to mazdeuce:

Thanks for the lunch. Quite a pleasure shaking the hand that rebuilt his M156 engine! I am going to email a progress report on intake repair within the hour.

You guys have no idea the lengths to which Ronnie is going to try and get the intake manifold fixed. Still not sure it's going to work, but if it doesn't, it had a fair shot.

Started the morning putting in the new lifters. They all spin wonderfully.

A couple notes about the cams on the M156.
1. Follow the directions.
2. FOLLOW THE DIRESCTIONS!
The directions tell you to put a retaining screw in the back of the adjusters, here:
And then remove the adjusters before removing the cams. If you do that, the job is pretty easy, just the the tools.
If not, then it's kind of a pain to get everything lined up just right. You can do it, but the directions are there for a reason.
All together, spins smoothly. No reason to think it's anything other than perfect.
I'm taking the weekend off to go finish prep on the One Lap car and watch MotoGP with Deucekid#1.

What's your one lap car? I'm hoping to head over for the start at Tire Rack.

What a site to behold not to mention a thing of beauty.....MotoGP? interwebb only? Favorite rider? for me Valentino Rossi!!!

I'm going to be co-piloting this attractive little Civic Si. It's been a great car for the owner. Dove cross country. Moved him to Texas. Won a rallycross national championship, drove Laguna Seca, and now is our ride for One Lap.
I look forward to meeting you.