R63 AMG The Unicorn of my Destruction

jstein77 wrote: Sorry, but I'm kind of partial to my Focus.

The misses and I have a person who parks next to us in the AMG Focus. My wife loves it. I said "I looks like a Focus with a lift kit and a MB snout" She said "Then I guess it is the MB snout I like then."

Grrrrrrrr.

I miss my old focus and the new ones are much better. The only thing that knocks it off the list is the transmission. I want a stick and the wife wants a paddle shifter. I kid you not, she has told me she would love a manual as long as she didn't have to use the clutch.

So some sort of sporty manumatic will have to be in the future. Between the Ford and the MB guess who has that?

more GRRRRRRRRRR

So it is either a VW Golf/Jetta DSG or the MB with the DCT if we want to go with something with some sporting pretense.

GRRRRRRRRRR

mazdeuce wrote: In reply to Mad_Ratel: I had almost convinced myself to push it into the Grosh and take it apart myself but Mrs. Deuce talked me out of it. Worst case scenario is the whole engine is dead. Best is intake gaskets and a cleanup of the oil coolant/mixture. If I did it myself, even if I can correctly diagnose it as just the gaskets, can I convince myself that I can clean things up enough not to eat the bottom end? If this was the truck that's what I would have done because 5.3's just don't cost THAT much, but 63's are expensive by nearly an order of magnitude. So I'm leaning on the professionals to see if they can maybe actually save me money by doing it properly. Hopefully.

Oh i'm not faulting you not at all. This was just a PERFECT opportunity to use that meme. Though dad did say berkeley it and rebuilt his 911 engine when he only had sbf and sbc (70's) experience.

mazdeuce wrote: In reply to Harvey: The painfully obvious link between a nine year old AMG minivan and a tow truck ride is not lost on me.

Sorry man. I've been there.

Dealer diagnosis is head bolts pulled from the block. The only dealer option is a new engine from MB at $57k installed. That particular option isn't an option.
It'll come home tomorrow and I'll figure something out.

Oof. How does that happen in the first place?

No idea. I guess I've got some time to read up on it.

Ouch. Between this and Boxhead Tim's Porsche thread, I think I'll continue to play with the "cheaper" toy options. Sorry about the bad luck :(

wait, the bolts pulled from the block? Isn't that exactly what bolts are used to do, hold those things together?

So I'm cured on wanting a cheap exotic now.

Didn't the northstar suffer from this as well?

Seems that head bolt problems are not that uncommon in this engine

MBWorld thread

Still sucks for you, but hopefully you can get it sorted out.

Bummer deal. Thats a hard one.

Helicoils?

son of a bitch. Sorry man

This could become the most awesome LS swap in history...

Time to talk to whoever I need to at MB about this. Not a guaranteed failure with these engines, but very well know to MB and it really sucks that it struck a car that is so rare.
This is not my best day as a car guy.

Yeah, head bolts shouldn't pull out of blocks.

That isn't supposed to happen in stock situations.

$57k installed. Holy balls.

How much of that is parts vs. labor if you know? That's a ridiculous number either way, but still would be curious.

I guess chalk this one up to my grandfather, who is wayyyyy smarter than me- "Son, if you can't afford it new, you sure as hell won't be able to afford it used."

Being able to afford it isn't the issue, it's just that for $57k I could source a whole new R63 and use this one as lawn art. It's not a good use of resources.
They made enough of these engines that there are used ones out there. They obviously need the head stud update that MB has available, but it's just a matter of finding a shop that I feel comfortable with and is willing to take on something of this scale.

Double down and replace with a Cayenne?

Karacticus wrote: Double down and replace with a Cayenne?

Lol. At this point I feel like I should find a running Biturbo, my bad luck should be used up.

mazdeuce wrote: Being able to afford it isn't the issue, it's just that for $57k I could source a whole new R63 and use this one as lawn art. It's not a good use of resources.

If that's the case, can you pay your insurance deductible and get a different R63?

Dang. Well that's no fun. Seems like the bolts should stretch before ripping free of the block.
Got any machine shops in the area that can fill weld and tap for new head bolts? 57 large whooboy.

Ouch, now i remember why i like cheap old cars. Probably the second coolest minivan ive ever seen and looks like a blast too drive but 57k for an engine. Yikes.

There are lots of options. I'm not in a huge hurry now. I need to work on things with MB. I'm pretty upset that a known engineering issue is the cause of death of collectable rare car.
I've got grief and anger and a whole pile of emotions to work through.

mazdeuce wrote: There are lots of options. I'm not in a huge hurry now. I need to work on things with MB. I'm pretty upset that a known engineering issue is the cause of death of collectable rare car. I've got grief and anger and a whole pile of emotions to work through.

I guess now you know why they've been so nice to you.

I wonder if they would do an engine swap for you if you provided the engine and they provided the labor.

The concern would be they would not be able to warranty any of it.

I'm so sorry :(

Ouch, not fun news. One of those Carmax warranties would be pretty handy right now.

On the upside you have plenty of cars to use for getting around giving you plenty of time to think, seek out and weigh options.