Sprinter Vans

KandS2 · Oct 21, 2003

We are just about to purchase a sprinter, when we spoke to our company's person that keeps track of us O/Os. He said our company's fleet has 15 sprinters signed on, and two have needed new engines after reaching 100,000 miles (one at 150,000 and one at 130,000). Obviously, as an expediter, this could pose a problem in a bit over a year. We don't want to have to get an engine in 18 months.

My question is, has anyone else heard of or had this problem? Any other problems we should know about?

This is posted also under the truck area here.

Thank you!

KandS2

OntarioVanMan · Oct 21, 2003

Yes, I've heard buzz of this while talking to the reg's at the Detroiter and the most popular reason being... a 2.7 liter engine is too small as this model is an import from Europe, 70 to 80 MPH over here plus the weight takes a toll on these small engines. JuJu and I are waiting to till they see the error of their ways and put in a bigger North American size motor, so far we're leaning toward the conventional Ford or Gm with that Unicell body at a much lower asking price about $27,000 U.S. One of our O/O's has logged over 150,000M and still going strong also payloads 4 & 6,000 lbs! Much better than the Sprinter.

Wish ya's luck Ken & JuJu

teacel · Oct 22, 2003

FDCC as a whole bought the first 19000 made here is the US. It would be interesting to get some info from the mechanics that service all of them. Do I smell a task for Jeff J. And to think!!! I almost bought one of these tin cans??????

Whiterabbit · Oct 22, 2003

For sure theyll have to prove themselves to me ! They may be fine for around town but OTR uses im skepticle. The tires to me seem undersized,they may hold the weight but thats not all to take into consideration. Im not impressed with the width to height ratio either,(topheavy?) Around town ok but for the long haul, time will tell ! (the tire diameter affects rpm,s, etc, etc.) I do wish them well tho

KandS2 · Oct 23, 2003

Thanks for the info! I had many doubts, then the dealer kept pushing my husband to sign on the dotted line *immediately*, which scared him off. x(

We are going with a Ford with a Unicell body. It appears to be better, but we shall see.

KandS2

redytrk · Oct 24, 2003

I will pass on a "truck Stop"rumer. and we all know how reliable they are. The story was that one of those Fedex drivers with one of the very first units brought into this country said the Sprinter is really mean to handle on snow and ice.He was supposed to have said."you just cant control it.You jus have to let it go where it wants to go".This does not seem surprising,givin that it has a very high center of gravity.

FLYNSCOT · Oct 27, 2003

OUR SPRINTER HAS 275,000 MILES ON IT WE HAVE HAD IT FOR 2 YEARS THIS NOVEMBER IT HAS WENT THRU 3 EGR VALVES 2 SETS OF TIRES AND 2 SETS OF BRAKES A HEATER AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER AND 2 WINDSCREENS AND THAT IS IT. IT RUNS GREAT WE MAINTAIN IT EVERY 10,000 MILES WITH AN OIL CHANGE. IT IS STARTING TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE SELECTOR IN THE TRANSMISSION WE ARE GETTING THAT CHECKED THIS WEEK BUT OTHERWISE IT HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD INVESTMENT 2002 140 INCH 64HIGH CARGO VAN.

E7mack96 · Oct 31, 2003

Our sprinters are trouble free so far.

I run Delvac 1 in the engines, and change approx 10-12 K miles.

Ours run dedicated lanes from Ky area to Michigan.

They run full tilt all the way up and back.

The speedo is off by about 5 so at 88 we really are going 80-83
(drivers do not run this fast - I do on occasion)

We haul 2000 - 5000 lbs. per load.

My only concern is how small the rear end is.

Looks like it belongs under a chevette.

As for tires, we have the 2500 series but with the 16" wheels

Weave · Nov 1, 2003

I liked Flynscot's report. If you look at it closely, the only thing that was not routine maintenance was the heater blower. EGR's are emissions equipment covered under warranty. The complex auto tranny in the Sprinter has been my primary concern with the van. I find it very hard to believe a MB diesel, even at 2.7L maintained to spec would only last 100 to 150k miles unless defective, or not maintained right. The Sprinter engine requires synthetic oil to be used in it, so it must be used.
Flynscot's 275k Sprinter report has been the best report on the van I have found yet, and I hope he can talk a bit more about it.
-Weave-

pellgrn · Nov 1, 2003

How many quarts does it take and what weight oil? thanks for the update, i am waiting to hear how they hold up at 500,000 miles a friend of mine has one and showed me his weight ticket 4600 with him and the sleeper set up,oh is a 25000 ext.I forsee problems on a icy road on a windy day, i have a for e350 that weights 5900 and it can get diecy under those conditions.

Marty · Nov 8, 2003

Hi Kands2,
I am leased to LEA. We have had two Sprinters that have had blown engines. In both cases the problem was broken timing chains that tore apart the engines. Also I saw a UPS owned Sprinter at the Dallas,Tx Freightliner dealer back in the spring that had a blown engine in it, also due to a broken timing chain.
Both units at LEA had approximately 140,000 miles on them but the UPS unit had less then 10,000 miles on it.
You stated that you are now buying an unicell van. I was wondering if you could get one with a gvw of less then 10,000lbs.

Marty

teacel · Nov 8, 2003

Hi Marty,
The unicell is only a cut-a-way van, with the unicell body. GVW 9600 - 9800, on the Chevy 3500, or 7600 - 7800 on the 2500. If that isn't the exact number it is close to it.

Weave · Nov 9, 2003

Thanks Marty, these are the first horror-reports I am getting on the Sprinter diesel. Let me guess- the timing chain breaks and the engine eats up all its valves? Boy, if this starts happening to the majority of the units with FedEx and UPS, there will be a major recall, believe me! That will majorly trash an engine.
-Weave-

Marty · Nov 12, 2003

Hi Weave,
Any advice at not becoming the next victum of a broken timing chain?

Weave · Nov 13, 2003

At this point I wish I had an internal view of the Sprinter's 2.7 Diesel. MB typically keeps things secret, thinking their products are too good to fail. Taking a guess, the 5 cylinder engine is an interference type with an overhead cam. That means if the timing chain breaks, the valves go out of time, and the pistons come up and bend or break the valves. With 4 valves per cylinder, that can mean up to 20 bent valves and damaged pistons, plus for sure a shot cylinder head as the valve guides get damaged too.
I have no clue if the engine has any type of timing chain tensioner. If not, I would guess routine 75-80k mile timing chain replacements would be the only way to be safe from catostrophic engine damage with this design.
Another problem is valve loading- the engine might have too small a displacement for the work it is doing, which is placing undue heavy compression in the cylinders, which in turn puts too much stress on the valvetrain, causing its drive chain to break. It might simply be too wimpy of a drive chain.
Best I can do for now.
-Weave-

E7mack96 · Nov 13, 2003

I can post a pic of the chains if you like. They seem plenty strong to me.

Weave · Nov 15, 2003

I have been looking for a cutaway diagram of the engine itself. MB truck diesels in the past have last nearly forever. But I think the Sprinter engine is based on the diesel design for MB 300 series diesel cars, but have yet to find any solid proof. I am almost ready to take a bet on it though, and I'm not much of a gambler. I can't even figure out if that engine is an OHC or a pushrod job with info available. Either way, it must be a valve interference design, usually in the case of pushrod engines one just gets bent pushrods with a cam chain failure.
-Weave-

New info- Yes, the Sprinter diesel is right out of MB C and E class cars. Just won my own bet. Found that info on Edmunds of all places.
-Weave-

pellgrn · Nov 15, 2003

It sounds like you need to change the chain at 60,000 miles, i had a Honda like that it even said it right in the owners manual.I think the Honda had a belt,it had a ovhc and if the belt went it caused damage to the engine.I would hope MB is using a chain,i bet it's a 400-500 dollar job at the dealer.

E7mack96 · Nov 15, 2003

The engine is a DOHC design. The chain is plenty beefy.

The service manual does NOT say anything about timing chain replacement.

They specify a axle fluid change every 60,000 miles, and to change the Auto trans fluid/filter at 80,000 miles.

Don't be scared of Sprinter vans. They won't bite you.

pellgrn · Nov 15, 2003

I will wait to see in the next 2-3 years how they hold after 4 or 5 hundred thousand,if they hold up i would consider one.The fact they are so light does scare me.