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S55 Engine Assembly

2K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  SChalmers 
#1 ·
So the I am almost ready to start assembling the S55 engine. The heads took forever to have serviced. I actually emailed them on Friday to say I would be picking them up.
I went up to the machine shop this morning and they had the heads almost ready.
The heads were in great shape. I was told they could not even get a one thousand of an inch feeler gauge in anywhere on the head surface. The cams are 100% the clearance to the cam and the rocker bridge well within specs. They actual said if I did not already buy the valve seals they would have just lapped the valves, clean up the top of the valve stems and called it a day. Only one issue was a valve had a slight issue. They figured it could have been from the heads not stored properly. So I had to drive back up a valve. I do believe this shop did full check the heads as they work on more specialized cars top fuely drag cars, Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari, Rolls Royce etc. Sitting next to where my heads are being worked on was Bentley engine being assembled. You could eat off any surface in the shop. Happy about dropping them off on February 22 and they are almost done now, no. They told me that all the machinist are working overtime to keep up with the workflow. They have been swamped since January and will not catch up till July.

With this said the engine assembly will start next week. So I decided that I will take picture and actually set up some lights so the pictures will be decent. My big issue about taking pictures on any project was I never wanted to bring my Nikon D3x or Phase One medium format set up to the garage as these used to make me money. Did not want to be handling the cameras with greasy hands or them just being around grease. So I went out and bought a craptastic Nikon D3100 with a kit lens for this project to document the process.

So the first set will be cleaning the engine bay and prepping the car for the installation. Then moving on to cleaning all the engine components to assembly, install, first start up and so on.

My main task right now is cleaning the garage and making it the right environment to reassemble the engine.

I pick up the heads tomorrow or Wednesday depending on what kind of running around I have to do.
 
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#10 ·
I am looking forward to this. Taking my time and double checking everything, hope all goes well. Only time will tell.

Subscribed! Can't wait to see the pictures!

The cleaning started!


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Same here. Good luck Scott !!
I have been reading/researching this engine assembly so if I follow the steps and do not take any short cuts all should be fine.

The car is my second car so I am not in a panic to have it on the road. I will double check everything then move on to the next part, following the steps on how to assemble and not jumping ahead. I think the biggest thing is not being scared to ask questions.
 
#5 ·
Heads are here let the build up start

So picked up the heads, machine shop said that everything was great on the heads.
So they are ready to install. Total with tax and a bottle of assembly lube $459. Canadian.
What they did:
Disassembled heads
De-greased heads
Checked cams
Checked lifters
Checked cylinder surface
Dress tops of valves
Replaced valve seals( I supplied was over charged on these by 10 times hoping that supplier will correct but it has been months)
Checked valve angles
Checked valve seats
Lapped valves
Replaced one valve(I supplied used)
Checked valve to lifter clearance
Checked cam to bridge clearance
Reassembled heads
Took them way too long but the heads look nice. It is nice when everything checks out and all within spec. Finally something on this car going right.
Would I called them rebuild no, serviced and cleaned yes. Came with warranty.

Order last two missing parts. WIS states that the cam bolts can be reused but the being torque to yield and costing $4.00 each I am not risking anything over $8.00.

So all the gaskets and seals are OEM even the exhaust stud nuts.

The list of parts:
Head gaskets
Intake gaskets
Air box gaskets
Shut off valve gaskets
Exhaust gaskets
Valve cover gaskets
Timing cover seals(how this whole thing started)
MB sealant for cover and oil pan
New crank bolt
Timing chain sprocket bolts
New rocker arm bridge bolts
New head bolts(WIS state can be reused if within spec, another gamble I am not into)
Fuel injector "O" rings
ABC gaskets and "O" rings
Heater hose from left head to fire wall
Oil filter x 2
Oil cooler "O" rings
Oil filter housing seal
Transmission input seal(engine is out for $15 replace it)
Crankshaft seals
Motor mounts
Air filters(bought earlier before I pulled engine)
New spark plugs
Exhaust nuts manifold to head
Exhaust bolts manifold to down-pipes
Serviced heads
Assemble lube

Reusing these parts:
Starter Orig engine
Alternator Orig engine
Water pump 3000km engine
Thermostat 3000km engine
Harmonic dampener 3000km engine
Exhaust manifolds Orig engine
Water pump pulley Orig engine
Tandem pump Orig engine
Rad Orig engine
Double idler pulley new billet aluminum
Valve covers Orig engine
Coil packs Orig engine
Supercharger Orig engine
Air box Orig engine
Engine drive belts(just bought before engine was removed) Orig engine
Crank Position Sensor Orig engine
Cam Position Sensor Orig engine
Knock sensors Orig engine
Oil level sensor 3000km engine
Oil pans 3000km engine
Motor mount dust cover Orig engine
Temp sensor 3000km engine
All these parts will be cleaned painted after all this work I am not putting it back together dirty/looking like crap. I would really like to stay somewhat clean on this part of the job.




I hope this is it.
This is a big endeavor, tons of research, tons of post, tons of questions asked, tons of pressure testing and time/money. So everything will be checked rechecked and tested before the engine goes in. Fulling WIS to the TEE!

Things I still need to pick up
Transmission fluid
ABC/power steering fluid
ABC filter times x2


So here is plan of attack in a nutshell.
Clean engine bay
Flush rad, coolers and heater core
Clean all parts I am reusing
Clean block
Assemble
Verify
Fill engine oil with just none synthetic oil( as it will be drained pretty quick)
Install
Turn over engine no fuel
Start engine if everything above sounds good
Run engine with ABC/Steering pump just recycling into container not through the system. Do not want any load on system on first start up but want water pump turning. As ABC will be sitting low when I firs start.
Bring up to operating temperature
Check for leaks
If everything above is fine hook up ABC/Power steering. bleed/charge ABC tank as per WIS. Change filter.
Check transmission level.
Drive
Check for leaks again
Drive for 500-700km drop oil cut oil filter see how everything looks
If good
Mobile 0w40 new filter
Change ABC filter

I will post picture and write up as I go for those interested. At the end I will do a proper write up.

I will be selling a ton of parts
OEM double idler pulley (3000km)
Harmonic dampener
Cam shafts
Block
Timing covers
Supercharger
Exhaust manifolds
Pistons/connecting rods
Heads
Motor mounts
Valve covers
Oil pans
Oil pump
Crankshaft
Possibly more. Pictures and prices to come at the end of build up.
 
#8 · (Edited)
on my V12 I measured every single head bolt, and everyone was in spec as new.
these bolts are torqued to stretch, not yield, and so on advise of my MB guy I reused all.

The cam sprocket bolts on your engine I don't know, but on mine they too are torqued to stretch, not yield (not for the faint of heart @ about 100nm plus 180 degrees.).

Don't use the chain and a blocked crank pulley while torquing these, use a proper cam holding fixture (otherwise you may/will bust the chain guides).

Interesting observation: any reduced shank bolt (intake manifold etc.) should be replaced, as they are torqued to yield.

I would run & drive the engine for 200 - 300 km on regular oil, and then change filter & oil (SOP at MB after jobs like this).

My $ .02 contribution.
 
#11 ·
The reason I went with new head bolts was the left head was off once before, so not sure if they were reused. The cost of them was not that bad, just gives me a bit of insurance.

The rocker bridge bolts cannot be reused. I have them. The camshaft sprocket bolts, I looked at the torque plus the 180º for $4.00 each they are new. The main reason I bought them is the left cam sprocket sheered the locating tab. So I am not taking any chances.

I have the locking plates for the camshafts and a flywheel lock which slips in where the starter mounts.

That for the point on the intake manifold bolts. Will get new bolts.

Using regular motor oil was my plan as well for the first couple hundred kilometres.

I think the one big thing that is over looked is cleaning before reassembly. The engine will not go back together unless everything is cleaned properly. Also the work area needs to be clean. I have been reading with the cylinders being aluminum the scratch easy. So any little particle can cause damage to the cylinder walls, then there is have crap being moved through the oil galleries etc.

My first task is the engine bay it should be cleaned up tomorrow. Then I am moving on to valve covers, oil pans and timing cover. Once the heads are on I want these installed to keep dust etc out. Then when the engine is sealed up all the other parts starter, alternator and so on.

With everything clean finding leaks will be easy if there are any.


How long did it take you to do your engine?
 
#12 ·
Cleaning has started

So I went down to get this project going. I have started the engine bay and it is coming along. Did not realize how filthy it was. The painted areas are 80% done and the sub-frame and all the greasy bits had a rough cleaning. Still need to be properly cleaned but at least I made a dent in them.

All gaskets, bolts, seal etc laid out for inventory(make sure that I did not forget something).

So tomorrow finish the engine bay, clean valve covers, oil pans and timing cover. This way they will be ready to go for the installation of the heads.

Then it is onto the block so it will be ready for the above parts and installation of the heads.
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#13 ·
about 35 + hours; about double that checking very step and then ticking it off on the WIS.
Getting the chain rail pins out of the heads was painfully slow.
About worst was the removal/installation of the exhaust connections; the V12 has 2 manifolds per 3 cylinders per side, connecting to 2 cats per side.
No room for anything, and you need 2 guys working pretty well blind (one from above, one from below).
 
#14 ·
Did you just remove the heads or did you completely disassemble the whole engine?
I was thinking a good two weeks to have the engine back in and hopefully running. That is with cleaning, painting parts, assembling the engine and all the other things that go along with what I am doing. Working at comfortable pace.

I was actually going to do like you say and double check my work and cross off the procedures/steps as I went. This way there is no second guessing. I will tell you one thing there will be no good enough, close enough or I guess that is how. If I am unsure and cannot figure it out on the spot it is stop what I am doing and look it up etc. Once it is solved then I will proceed.

If this works out I will be into the engine replacement for about $2500 Canadian. That includes the purchase of the low KM bottom end, all gasket seals, bolts, heads serviced, cleaning supplies to date.

If it does not work out you will be seeing a listing for a complete part out of a 2003 S55 in the classified.

I hope it is all back together and in the car by the 18th of June as I am helping my brother in law out at the Chrysler dealership from June 20th to July 8th

If you think of anything else that might help out please post or PM
Cheers
Scott
 
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