Solution found to fuel efficiency loss in Sprinter

seekerman

Expert Expediter
Several day ago I posted a question regarding my "Puzzling loss of miles per gallon in Sprinter" and I really appreciate the responses and Potential solutions I got. I even called a dealer who services sprinters and he said that it was probably just the fuel I had been using and that he had been getting lots of the same complaints and not to worry about it. I didn't, and the rubber fuel line literally burst in the middle of the night on a load. Apparently I had a pinpoint or hairline break in the rubber hose connecting the filter to the metal fuel lines under the vehicle and it finally gave way. It was apparently losing fuel at such a slow rate that I didn't smell anything but was enough to cause the drop in mpg. Expensive lesson in preventative maintenance cause the service people that came out robbed me.

It feels good to finally be able to contribute, however meagerly, to the forum as I have only been asking questions up to this point. I hope that my lesson may at some point help someone else prevent the same issue. To see the other possible solutions to the problem, you may want to read the initial thread, "Puzzling loss of miles per gallon in Sprinter." Thanks guys.
 

zero3nine

Veteran Expediter
Wow.... it sucks you had to find out that way. Thanks for sharing, that bit of info could definitely save somebody else a major hassle!

fired at you from my Droideka
 

danthewolf00

Veteran Expediter
carry extra fuel line because it can happen if you kink the hose to much while replacing the filter or the clamp over tightend.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Several day ago I posted a question regarding my "Puzzling loss of miles per gallon in Sprinter" and I really appreciate the responses and Potential solutions I got. I even called a dealer who services sprinters and he said that it was probably just the fuel I had been using and that he had been getting lots of the same complaints and not to worry about it. I didn't, and the rubber fuel line literally burst in the middle of the night on a load. Apparently I had a pinpoint or hairline break in the rubber hose connecting the filter to the metal fuel lines under the vehicle and it finally gave way. It was apparently losing fuel at such a slow rate that I didn't smell anything but was enough to cause the drop in mpg. Expensive lesson in preventative maintenance cause the service people that came out robbed me.

It feels good to finally be able to contribute, however meagerly, to the forum as I have only been asking questions up to this point. I hope that my lesson may at some point help someone else prevent the same issue. To see the other possible solutions to the problem, you may want to read the initial thread, "Puzzling loss of miles per gallon in Sprinter." Thanks guys.


Thanks...In another thread i posted i changed my fuel lines just the other week just because they had nearly 600K on them...a preemptive strike...
I also changed out my alternator at just over 550K as well....

a little PM goes a long way...
 
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