I have a 2007 Sprinter work van. Its been rock solid and dependable for the last 180000 miles. At the start of the summer, worst possible time of year for a mechanical problem in the A/C business, it started running like on low power. Did all the youtube vids, replaced all the common parts that would cause the issue but only had minor improvement. Its running like no or low boost as in the turbo is not doing turbo things anymore. Its leaking oil out of it so I know theres an issue there. OK. Few months ago I buy the parts. The turbo and a cat converter as its has to come off to get the turbo off, might as well change that while im at it. Set aside this weekend to tackle the job. Im about 83.735 % into the disassembly and it looks like the converter will not come out unless I drop the engine cradle. Have decided that is a bit above my pay grade and wont possibly be back together by Monday morning. Now Im sort of stuck. not going to put it back together only to have to or have a shop go back and take it apart again. I have a back up plan. In the spring I purchased a newer Transit 250 sporting the "Powerstroke" diesel. Going to have to spend the next day and half swapping all my service stuff into the van I'd set up to do installs. After 12 years working out of the Sprinter its going to be a big change but whats a guy gonna do?
I’ve read that the Sprinter (and other euro vans that end up here) are designed for countries that have very stringent inspections and other rules that take vans off the road when they’re not very old. The things like rustproofing, serviceability and repairability take a back seat to cargo capacity, fuel efficiency and price. I have a friend who uses one on a college farm; it was bought used and it’s a tired and flimsy box. Patrick
It is pretty flemsey built but just structurally sound enough to keep its shape. Fully loaded she weights around 7200 lbs and still gets 20 mpg when running right. Most of this summer it averaged around 14. Ya gotta be very careful where you place a jack as if ya try to lift it in any of the regular spots it just crushes the sheet metal. Even the center cross member is folded sheet steel. Its paid for and still running so I'd like to save it if possible. No rust anywhere. . Not sure but none of the vids I've found show that as an option then there is still the issue of replacing the cat. Its not showing any codes for that yet but if I'm in there why not.
They have all but replaced the old school service vans that get 10 mpg. Those sprinter style vans are everywhere. Lots of useable space and a comfortable ride.
I have/had two sprinter passenger vans at my work. Both a couple years older than yours Briz. Learn from my mistakes as I’ve spent 3 times what I paid for those two vans trying to keep them on the road. It it usually emission control where I have issues but also HVAC, turbos,DPF, almost yearly, the list goes on and on. My 2003 tall van died again in the summer and it’s staying dead. My insurance guy hates them but I love the old ford church vans. Easy to work on and parts readily available. On a side note most of my drivers only know how to turn a key and go. Bunch a idiots.lol. One guy actually said to me “the oil gauge went to zero so I figured there was something wrong so I drove it back to the shop” yea that needed a new engine.Grrrr! Another guy said after he scratched the crap out on one of my PU trucks.”If it was your truck I probably wouldn’t have done it” WTF? They are all mine. Sorry Rant over Cliff
GM still builds a real van-body on frame, solid rear axle, multiole engine choices including a big gas engine (6.6) that will tow well and gets decent mpg. It’s essentially unchanged since ‘96 except for improvements, and since they’re 2500s they don’t have AFM in the engines. Starc Traxler swears by them. https://www.gmc.com/vans/savana/cargo/build-and-price Patrick
Had a customer with a Mercedes motor home try to change his own transmission fluid and filter............trans pan only has like 6 or 8 bolts.......they are small like 6mm threads.......they all snapped off.........seems the ohio salt with tiny steel bolts into aluminum equals trouble.............shocker right
Our nearly new work sprinter has been at the dealer for 4 months with a “reduced power” issue. Says change fuel filter but that didn’t fix it apparently. It’s got maybe 1400 miles on
Well @Briz it sounds pretty typical…sadly. We know it’s not a new problem…I mean who thought it was a good idea to put long steel bolts through an aluminum timing cover, into the water jacket, to hold a water pump on. An item almost guaranteed to fail as an engine ages attached by long bolts that can either weld themselves into the cover or the block or both…How many Buick V8s were junked when the shade tree mechanic or even gas station mechanic snapped a few bolts…
Its got 215K total miles and other than the first DPF @ 80,000 miles I've not had any real trouble with it up to this point. I'll fix it this time and seeing as Im already "moved into" the Transit I might just make myself home there if it grows on me then relegate the Sprinter into the Install roll. Its weird but it feels like its a bigger van but I have less room. Trying to cram the office stuff into the area in front of the divider is cramping my style. I'd moved the bulk head back one frame in the Sprinter and made it into a finished office complete with a RV fold down couch, filing system and desk for the laptop and printer. Also a perfect spot for a quick old guy nap. I agree but I dont like new stuff! I love driving my 50 yr old cars.
I would not have thought they were that different, but I see the GMs max out at 283 cubic feet, and Sprinters can be configured up to 530-580. But you can pull a heavy trailer with the GMs. Even a big box trailer with things like Wildcats in them. Patrick
Brother... After driving that van 200 miles a day 5 days a week hauling a car to a show / race in it is the very last thing I'd wanna do!
