Mercedes 2.9 Turbo, 5 cylinder, 120BHP Sprinter1999

[chaucer]

hi,i am looking to buy a Mercedes 2.9 Turbo, 5 cylinder, Sprinter 1999,it has 325500 mile on the clock,engine sounds fine,new mot with no major advisories...what i am wondering is as it has so many miles on the clock,how long do these engines realistically last and what are the common know issues that i need to look out for?any advice gratefully received :bounce:

[chaucer]

or any issues with the chassis that i need to look out for?many thanks in advance.

[mean_in_green]

The model is a little earlier than the majority discussed on here, perhaps the reason for limited responses.

It's generally regarded as being durable with correct servicing (i.e. more frequent than the post 2000 model). It has the top power for it's kind, and it still looks good today - I love the headlight shape.

I used to drive one not belonging to me very hard indeed, it was astonishing how much abuse it took. If it's had substantiated servicing I'd use the mileage as a negotiating point but not let it put you off the purchase.

Check with DVLA's online vehicle compliance checker, it may be Euro 2 emissions rating, so if you need to use it in the Low Emission Zone the cost is £100/day. If that's the case be aware that the fine for non-payment is £500/day. Plus the Congestion Charge of course...

[chaucer]

thanks for your reply and heads up on the emission thing,we will be using it for camping trips so will be avoiding london like the plague :) found loads of info on this forum once i started reading around a bit,as you said mostly newer vans,but good tips on what to look out for i think and a great resource if i buy the van..decisions decisions!:thinking::bounce:

[Dingo]

Hello Chaucer , your engine is easily able to exceed 400,000 miles without any major problems , I have seen 600,000 + models . Obviously oil & filters go without saying , spoken to several people when i got mine & run 10w-40 multifleet oil . As the engine is not a CDi motor all these poncy oil specs are not such a great problem . 5w-30 or 10w40 diesel grade semi synthetic is fine DO NOT use 20w50 , things will turn bad really quickly . Mine used to get oil & filter every 6,000 miles when tramping the motorways daily ( that meant changes every 2-3 weeks ) . Buy only Genuine merc fuel filters no matter what anyone else tells you , had several aftermarket ones , kept getting power loss problems , these went away when gen fitted .

Injectors are pretty reliable , but if you do remove them .... refit them haveing smeared the lower section with ceramic grease only , nothing else will do , read up on black death & pulling injectors !!!!!!!!! . An odd problem is the wires on the sensed injector failing & causing LHM ( Limp Home Mode ) you will soon know that when it occurs , wiggle leads & it goes away fro awhile . just resolder wires to injector sorted .

Oh & crawl underneath & grease thehandbrake quadrant thingie , if you do not handbrake jams on , signs of impending doom lack of spring pressure pulling hamdbrake lever to floor when released , followed by warning light on dash & foul burning smell when you stop .

Glad to see you will avoid london like the plague , no offence to londoners , but the costs of driving it through london is taking the piss . 2.9 sprinters do not meet these tossy new emission regs , nor do the kero burning monsters passing overhead at all hours . so sod them & go somewhere nicer like lancashire , cumbria , anywhere but london .

Hope this helps you , if you need nay tech info , i have a manual with torque settings etc , glad to help if neccessary


Steve
312 mwb in yellow ( son calls it spongebob ):professor:

Actually at the year you are looking at it might actually by 127 BHP not 120 , sorry to be nerdy , Oh & they will run bio diesel quite happily and respond very very well to remapping of ECU without ruining fuel consumption , longer runs might actually improve mpg

[chaucer]

hi dingo, thanks for your reply.i am off now to look at it with our mechanic...fingers crossed..i bring it home!!..will keep you posted :)

[chaucer]

tee hee hee we bought it !!! wish us luck ..:cheers: kinda hope i dont ned you all too much!!and glad i found you :thumbup:

[mean_in_green]

Wondered whether you did or not after reading your post from yesterday afternoon - congratulations on the new purchase.

Maybe there's potential for a new sub-forum(s) for some of these earlier models, it was officially a "Sprinter" back in 1999 after all?

[Dingo]

Ah well , welcome to the world of Mercedes owning & the world lazy driving style . You will very quickly learn you do not need to thrash these engines , just let them get going in their own way & then you can Whizz past nearly everyother van . Sprinter was a statement rather than a name choice for these vans .

Used to use one for High speed runs under blue light escorts to various sites in UK , had two police men show me VASCAR readings after one run . 117MPH on a slight downhill slope , no more revs left & blistered rear tyres . Thankfully the "company " we worked for just sent a mobile tyre fitter & gave us 4 brand new tyres for free . Nowadays it's 60 MPH & 32MPG , i'm paying these bills , lovely engine for towing with due to the torque curve . That extra piston flapping around makes all the difference .

OOH OOH , check your serpentine belt & pulleys as these can fail , way better to do this at home than when its pissing down or snowing on the hard shoulder of the motorway .

Still meet drivers who wished they still had a mk1 sprinter , especially those with the latest models , one owner driver actually sold his 316 & went back to a rebuilt 312 , he felt it was by far a better sorted motor

Anyway off you go & get grubby learning all about your new toy and my final thingie , if your radio does not work properly ( drifts off stations or does not find them ) replace the aerial and lead , a well known problem . Do not buy from Stealership just wander into Halfrauds , about £20 job sorted , er stiff rear doors , rub some grease onto the little wheel in the hinge assy , right thats it . I'm off to get mine ready for the ministry robbery test (MOT )