Which is more reliable m156 or m157

[Aleksejs]

The most expensive malfunction in m157 engine can be cylinder coating. I don't know why mercedes made twas coating in m156 and bloody alusil coating in m157.

 

[Cyclone1]

The most expensive malfunction in m157 engine can be cylinder coating. I don't know why mercedes made twas coating in m156 and bloody alusil coating in m157.

How has that manifested itself as a malfunction and how many have been affected?

 

[Alex]

The most expensive malfunction in m157 engine can be cylinder coating. I don't know why mercedes made twas coating in m156 and bloody alusil coating in m157.

Alusil is not a coating. It's what the entire engine is made out of. It worked well in tens of thousands of engines before the M156 (aka "we will do everything different") came about. So they just returned back to the same formula.

 

[Aleksejs]

Alusil its coating. And very sensitive.

 

[Cyclone1]

How has that manifested itself as a malfunction and how many have been affected?

??

 

[Alex]

Alusil its coating. And very sensitive.

Fair enough. Perhaps you can demonstrate how it is applied to the bores then?





Let me save you the hassle and quote Kolbenschmidt, the company behind the technology:

ALUSIL® allows cylinder blocks to be cast monolithically without cylinder liners or subsequent coating of the cylinder bores.

Page 2, at the bottom.

More here.

 

[Steve84N]

He's probably thinking of Nikasil which is a coating.

 

[grober]

The terminology employed by Mercedes is confusing- pehaps deliberately or suffers in translation? Here both schools may be correct in a way. ALUSIL appears to refer to an entire engine block made of an alumina-silica alloy. SILITEC appears to refer to an aluminium block engine with alumina- silica alloy cylinder liners -[ just like cast iron liners but lighter.] This would be a slightly different approach to the nanoslide plasma arc bore lining [ not liner] in situ deposition used in the M156- a possible explanation of the confusion----- alusil & silitec- similar metalurgy but different mechanical implementation? and not to be confused with Nanoslide.
NANOSLIDE TECHNOLOGY.

Cylinder sleeves, or liners, in the crankcases of newly designed V6 and V8 [ M157?] engines from Mercedes-Benz AG in Stuttgart, Germany, are made of a special aluminum-silicon alloy that enables piston-ring tension to be reduced by nearly 50 percent. The new low-friction alloy composition also improves heat transfer in the housing, and provides greater stiffness and lower weight for the aluminum blocks.

A new low-friction aluminum-silicon alloy in the cylinder sleeves of Mercedes-Benz production engines reduces piston-ring tension by half.
In addition, the reduction in cylinder distortion (higher dimensional stability) that is possible with this alloy results in less noise and friction; engine-oil consumption and exhaust emissions are thus reduced. Mercedes-Benz is the first automaker to use the innovative Silitec material in production. Aluminum die-cast engine crankcases are normally fitted with gray cast-iron cylinder sleeves or cylinder barrels with a galvanized nickel coating to avoid high friction from surface pores that form on the cylinder walls produced in conventional die-casting operations. The new liners are manufactured from a hypereutectic aluminum-silicon-copper-magnesium alloy that is spray-compacted while it is cooled in a nitrogen-rich atmosphere, producing billets with an optimal microstructure. The billets are then formed into cylinder liner blanks in an extrusion press.Finally, the blanks are specially treated in an environmentally friendly process, aqueous exposure. The resulting smooth surface structure improves friction characteristics and cuts the engine's oil consumption and hydrocarbon-emissions levels. The new cylinder-barrel finishing technology, which includes both the material composition and the surface treatment, was developed by Mercedes-Benz with a partner company.

Mercedes-Benz New V6 and V8 Engines are More Powerful and More Efficient | eMercedesBenz

 

[badgx]

Thank you so much for fantastic response .

Based on what I can manage I'm sold to m156. Ive fallen in love with the IP exhaust note, an a few of my grease monkeys say they feel more comfortable with M156.

From the VRM, could any UK dealership confirm as to whether a car has had its head bolts changed to the upgraded one?

 

[John]

From the VRM, could any UK dealership confirm as to whether a car has had its head bolts changed to the upgraded one?

Could be done aftermarket but I would want to see evidence (invoice etc.) or confirmation from reputable inde.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Thank you so much for fantastic response .

Based on what I can manage I'm sold to m156. Ive fallen in love with the IP exhaust note, an a few of my grease monkeys say they feel more comfortable with M156.

From the VRM, could any UK dealership confirm as to whether a car has had its head bolts changed to the upgraded one?

Given the age of the car, very few head bolt replacements will have been done under warranty, more likely to be a repair. Given the cost, it’s more likely to have been done outside the dealer network.

 

[Skd884]

Thank you so much for fantastic response .

Based on what I can manage I'm sold to m156. Ive fallen in love with the IP exhaust note, an a few of my grease monkeys say they feel more comfortable with M156.

From the VRM, could any UK dealership confirm as to whether a car has had its head bolts changed to the upgraded one?

Superb choice! ( The correct choice ) ;0)

 

[E55BOF]

Mercedes-Benz New V6 and V8 Engines are More Powerful and More Efficient | eMercedesBenz

That's the M157, not the M156. Enough said...

 

[badgx]

An awesome video to watch if anyone hasn't seen it.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[rOckyAMG]

I've had three M156 engined cars and not one issue.

 

[st13phil]

I’ve had two M157 engined cars and still have one with an M152. None have crapped out.

Your point is?

 

[rOckyAMG]

I’ve had two M157 engined cars and still have one with an M152. None have crapped out.

Your point is?

AMG makes reliable engines?

 

[cheddar]

I recently parted with my car with a M156 engine. 2008 with full Mercedes history from new. It worn away both intake cams, and a hydraulic tappet decided to turn itself inside out after 79k.
I don’t know how the previous owners drove it but in my eyes these issues shouldn’t happen on any car.
Put me off having another, the parts are a bit steep, good job I could and did do the work myself.
The newer M157 just seemed to complex when I looked at one, ended up scaring me off as I don’t have huge cash reserves. Decided to wait a few years till I can have a new or nearly new one. If you also are concerned about things like this I’d urge you to do the same, a small issue can quickly escalate into a £5k job.

 

[C36fan]

I recently parted with my car with a M156 engine. 2008 with full Mercedes history from new. It worn away both intake cams, and a hydraulic tappet decided to turn itself inside out after 79k.
I don’t know how the previous owners drove it but in my eyes these issues shouldn’t happen on any car.
Put me off having another, the parts are a bit steep, good job I could and did do the work myself.
The newer M157 just seemed to complex when I looked at one, ended up scaring me off as I don’t have huge cash reserves. Decided to wait a few years till I can have a new or nearly new one. If you also are concerned about things like this I’d urge you to do the same, a small issue can quickly escalate into a £5k job.

I had a 2008 C63 that i bought with 45k on the clock I've stage3 supercharged it ragged the hell out of it sold it with 110k and never missed a bit , then moved on to a 2012 cls 63 m157 which I had a stage 2 710hp and 930ftlb that shat itself after a while and now own a 2015 cls63s that been a dream of a car.
so long story short they both can be trouble but if you find the right one it will make you a very happy man.

 

[C43AMG]

As above.

I have had my CL63 M157 for three years with 700bhp + 850ftlb after Acid of MSL fame had waved his magic wand and has never missed a beat