ATTEMPTING TO START MY FLOOD DAMAGED ASTON MARTIN DBX

This video documents a complex, hands on project where Matt Armstrong undertakes a high stakes rebuild of a flood damaged Aston Martin DBX, aiming to start the engine for the first time after a long series of repair challenges. The opening segments establish the situation: the DBX arrived submerged, the engine seized, and the team discovers that the block has corrosion and parts are not readily available from Aston Martin. Early decisions focus on feasibility: purchasing a complete DBX engine would be £64,000, so the team explores alternatives, including salvaging a Mercedes GLC63 engine and attempting to mix components to rescue the project. The team quickly realizes that the Mercedes block differs in several respects, but the cylinder block remains a potential anchor, with the plan to re-use the DBX internals wherever possible to preserve performance characteristics. A meticulous cleanup of the cylinder block follows, with emphasis on bearing shells and clearances. They identify yellow bearings in the DBX block and decide to transfer them to the secondhand Mercedes block to achieve correct tolerances, a delicate step given the high rotational speeds and heat involved. As the rebuild progresses, attention shifts to the crankshaft, which bears a visible ridge from water exposure. The team debates whether to refinish the crankshaft or source a new one, noting the prohibitive cost of a new crank and the constraints of maintaining correct bearing sizes. They explore alternative crankshaft options, including the Mercedes unit, and ultimately seek a professional evaluation at KMBB Engineering to determine viability. The assessment with Kevin at KMBB yields cautious optimism: the current crank may be salvageable if refinishing can be controlled without excessively removing material, preserving crucial clearances. With a potential path forward, the crew continues assembling the lower end, installing thrust washers, oil squirters, and other essential components to create a stable, rotating crank assembly. The video then shifts to the top end, where timing becomes a critical challenge. The team discovers that the timing kit from the standard M177 engine does not fit the DBX’s camshafts, prompting an urgent search for compatible tooling, including involvement from Mercedes in Germany and potential cross-compatibility with E63 AMG parts. In the absence of a ready-made timing kit, the team advances other aspects of the rebuild, such as completing the second cylinder head, swapping piston rings, and reusing rings from the DBX blocks in combination with pistons from the Mercedes block. The process includes precise ring gap measurements using feeler gauges to avoid compression loss or oil ingress, and careful handling of piston installation to avoid damaging rings. As work progresses, attention returns to timing with the camshafts. The team documents the delicate process of aligning the cams, installing timing chains, guides, and tensioners, and attempting to lock the timing in place with a specialized tool kit. A setback occurs when the required timing tool is not available publicly; this leads to creative problem solving, including collaboration with Mercedes contacts to source an appropriate timing kit and the possibility of fabricating a makeshift solution at the machine shop. Despite the tool hurdle, progress on the bottom end continues, with the team pre-filling the oil system, mounting the oil pump chain, and preparing to assemble the timing components. The workflow then returns to the later stages of assembly, including mounting the cylinder heads, torquing head bolts in the correct pattern, and reuniting the two banks of the V8 engine. As timing edges closer to being set correctly, the team tests whether the bottom end and top end maintain synchronization during rotation, and they run a full crank rotation to validate motion before closing the upper sections, sealing the top end with cam cover seals, sensors, and wiring. The episode culminates with a major milestone: the engine is turning over, a sign that the rebuild has progressed from theory to a working, installable powerplant. With the engine upright and turning, the crew shifts to finishing touches, including installing the turbochargers, belts, water pumps, and wiring, and placing the engine onto the front subframe for the first time. The final shots capture the emotional high of achieving a running powertrain and the anticipation of dropping the rebuilt engine into the Aston Martin DBX chassis, with Matt and his dad reflecting on the journey and the possibility of finally seeing the car on the road. The video closes on a note of momentum and collaboration, acknowledging the immense effort from the team, the unpredictability of engine builds, and the ongoing quest to reconcile parts from two different engines into a single, functioning unit that can deliver the dream of a restored car.

Topics · car restoration · engine rebuilding · auto restoration · cars and engines · garage build · motorsport engineering