16 replies to this topic

[justsam]

Hi folks,

I got this 2000 Merc Sprinter 311 CDI converted camper during the winter. Yes it was a dog I knew this but also seriously cheap! So on the way down to Mallory at the silly hours of Friday morning, the van started making a tapping noise, I thought please let it be something come loose and vibrating! But no, it got worse and turned into a real metallic loud knock. I pulled over, the engine still running but sounding like a bag of spanners and would barely tick over.

Friday was not a good day, lost TD fee, expensive recovery bill and god knows how much to repair?? After spending the winter doing up this van I was generally considering throwing the towel in, having a proper sulk I was
But having the most fun on a race track so far and leading the Thundersport 500's Championship, I need to get sorted!

I don't work in the trade or have any contacts, so my main concern is having my pants pulled down, again. I know it will be a dear do, but I just want it repaired correctly and not for silly money...

I few people have said it may be cheaper to have the engine rebuilt, even if its the bottom end which I think it is?

So if anyone has any advice, experience, good contacts or a spare sprinter engine lying about please let me know.

Sam Ludgate

[BobbyR1]

Hi Sam
It does sound like a bottom end problem but there is a slight chance you could have an injector that's knackered and is massively over fueling and therefore causing a diesel knock, did you notice any excessive smoke as the knocking started?
Cheers, Rob

[mickaldo]

had the same thing happen to my 2007 315 sprinter turned out to be the crank bearings or big ends not sure ended up putinga new engine in it. i was thinking thinking the same when the noise started please let it be something has come lose but it just got worse till eventually it went alltogether. hope yours is something less serious.

[justsam]

I know these are prone to injector issues but there was no smoke and the fuelling before seemed fine. I don't think it was a diesel knock, too loud and very metallic sounding. (like someone with a lump hammer cracking the bulkhead!) Would of been nice but think its terminal.

[BobbyR1]

Lack of smoke does not sound too good to be fair and if it's done the crank you'll be better off with another engine!
Cheers, Rob

[Robw]

They do suffer from injector seals which leak, filling the channel in the centre if the head to the top with carbon and do knock badly when injectors die.
Take off the cover in the centre if the rocker cover and see if you can see injectors.
Pig of a job to clean, no quick options other than elbow grease, if its bad tip a couple of litres of coke in there and leave to soak as long as possible.
Dump the oil and check fir metal if you think its bottom end ;-)

[mongo]

they do snap the cranks when they have a few miles on em pal..have a look at oil filter cut it open see if its full of bits of metal...

[dmitch]

Hi Sam

I've ran couple of 96' 412 Sprinters to 500,000 miles. These are the 5 cylinder engine, not sure if they changed in 2000 or 2001, Any way best advice is check cheapest easiest options of... like above drain oil, let it drain over a magnet & cut open your oil filter, check for metal, if there is.... not good.

Beleive it or not knackered fan belt sounds just like big end knock. Run engine & look at fan belt run from bottom pulley to power steering pump. If lots of slack could be this.

Injector blowing can sound terminal too. Spray where injectors go into head with wd40 or similar, start engine & point good torch at each injector, if you can see spray vapour on any, you just need a washer.
Let me know how you get on.
Mitch

[tootall]

Where are you?

If you're not sure of what you're doing (no offence meant lol), and its not something dead simple, then you're best bet will be to try and get a personal recommendation of somewhere to take it where you wont "get your pants pulled down".

Worst case scenario s/h or recon engines for those arent a fortune and it wont cost an arm and a leg to change either.

[Dicko]

you first need to determine if its a diesel knock or a base engine knock. Sometimes running them for to long with a diesel knock can also cause a base engine fault. If it is engine your probs best off just doing a straight swap with a recon engine, sometimes you will pay someone 8 hours labour to strip if for them to then say it needs a complete engine or its just more cost effective.

[justsam]

Cheers for the advice so far lads.
I'm working in Scotland but my local garage has had a look today and its deffo a new lump required. Metal bits came out the oil for starters and then after removing the sump its a good old mess.
So I have 2 options.

1 - £1350 for a re-con motor with 12 month warranty. I have to send my bare engine down so they can inspect and make sure its repairable. They will then send another motor out the next day. It comes completely bare. I or the garage would have to strip mine, gearbox, turbo, starter, injectors etc then re-build it on the new motor, hoping all that stuff is ok?

2. A used engine. I have found one locally, and its a 313, slightly quicker http://www.ebay.co.u...2c6477c637#ht_1
From a breakers only removed last week, 110k and running perfect, apparently???????? This would come come with everything including gearbox for a £1000 but with only 14 day warranty and no guarantee on mileage...

Ideally it would be the re-con engine. But financially I'm swaying towards the used one. Would have a gearbox and all the ancillaries to sell and try and claw back a few pennies. Plus at least half the cost for the garage work. It would certainly be a gamble for sure......

Sam

[mongo]

If it was mine I'd go for the used one..there the same engine the 313 has a different map in ecu and different valve springs..you'd have a lot of good spares..

[cowboy]

get on copart and buy a smashed up van ,has to have a decenct lump it was running pria to crash plus you have £300 worth of scrap to swap your rough panels,doors, seats, etc for, then weigh it in

[tarmacsurfer]

Buy a 2nd hand engine and try and get to the scrapper to hear it running if they've not removed it.

There's no standard spec for a recon engine in the car trade from what I've seen. If you do buy a recon then I'd want a job list and proof of what they've "reconditioned" otherwise it's probably just another 2nd hand engine

[bladerider]

+1 recon engines can be just cleaned up. the term isn't defined so you'd need to know what you were getting.

I'd go used, and as the other poster mentioend youd have a near complete set of spares to use or sell.

[justsam]

A few damaged ones on Copart but all miles away and not finishing for a week or so. Plus the engine on Ebay has sold. But after visiting the scrapyard I'm not too fussed...
But I have bit the bullet and ordered one from a reputable main salvage franchise. A 2004 lump with 76k on so they say... Got 4 months warranty anyway. Won't be done by next week for Mallory so I've now got to figure that dilemma out...

[justsam]

Apparently the engine I ordered has a seized Turbo! Doesn't sound good for the rest of the motor and I'll be steering well clear of that.
Back to square one...