breakinwind
New member
Hello everyone,
I have been following this Forum for many months now. I bought my 2006 hi-top 2500 long wheelbase sprinter about 2-3 months ago with a scary 270k miles on it.
I didn't expect to keep it very long, but I just seemed to keep sinking money into it and at this point I will be buried in it.
Besides a ton of work to the body and a slight, very light build-out of the cargo area to include a shower and sleeping area.I have done the following repairs:
new shocks
Tires
Brakes/rotors all around
wheel bearings
3 injectors
harmonic balancer
serpentine and all pulley's
fuse box
ac/heat controller
transmission and rear fluid/filter change
150 amp alternator
New rear doors if that can count as a repair
Fuel filter/air/oil
umm I know there is more, but can't remember off the top of my head.
At this point I feel like I might as well keep the van.
However...I got into the Sprinters for 2 reasons.
1. I could almost stand in them (I am 6'6")
2. the fuel mileage
From what I read most 2002-2006 were getting 23-27 mpg.
I am not seeing this myself.
I can rarely break 19 on the highway. I have a scan-guage but don't trust it. I use it mainly for regulating my foot weight.
I tried a nice long drive at 55 mph (I hate driving this slow on a 70mph highway) I did manage about 20mpg.
On the next trip I decided that 55mph took way too long and I drove at 70 mph. I then got about 19mpg.
If I push it to 75-80 I am down to 15-16mpg.
At that rate I might as well go back to my maintenance free E-350. Never did a thing but change the oil(rarely) on that van. She won't quit.
The mpg thing is part challenge to see how high I can get and also a finance thing. I am planning a cross country trip florida-NY-oregon-CA-FL and I would be SOOO happy to see 24mpg. It would save me about $500 on one trip.
Is this realistic? or is something still wrong with my sprinter?
I do have a strange noise that I can not figure out and it drives me crazy. I dont know if it would affect the fuel mileage. It sound almost like an exhaust leak. I only hear the "TICKING" while under load. Accelerating from a stop and on the highway it is a fast light tick, tick, tick. I thought it was injectors so I changed 3. The other 2 did not leak and when I did the injector test they showed ok(clear hose,crank for 10 seconds).
I listened to the EGR to see if that where it was coming from, but I don't think that is it either.
I also have 2 codes. PO341 and PO380.
My tire pressure is to the max the tire will take.
I have hardly anything as a load. maybe 400lbs over empty stock weight.
No rear AC
When I let off the throttle the van quickly decelerates, unless I slip it into neutral.
Can anyone suggest anything or comment on their mileage?
BTW, I love the way the sprinter drives. Its comfortable, stops on a dime, turning radius is great. I just want better mileage.
Thanks for your help!!
Brett
I have been following this Forum for many months now. I bought my 2006 hi-top 2500 long wheelbase sprinter about 2-3 months ago with a scary 270k miles on it.
I didn't expect to keep it very long, but I just seemed to keep sinking money into it and at this point I will be buried in it.
Besides a ton of work to the body and a slight, very light build-out of the cargo area to include a shower and sleeping area.I have done the following repairs:
new shocks
Tires
Brakes/rotors all around
wheel bearings
3 injectors
harmonic balancer
serpentine and all pulley's
fuse box
ac/heat controller
transmission and rear fluid/filter change
150 amp alternator
New rear doors if that can count as a repair
Fuel filter/air/oil
umm I know there is more, but can't remember off the top of my head.
At this point I feel like I might as well keep the van.
However...I got into the Sprinters for 2 reasons.
1. I could almost stand in them (I am 6'6")
2. the fuel mileage
From what I read most 2002-2006 were getting 23-27 mpg.
I am not seeing this myself.
I can rarely break 19 on the highway. I have a scan-guage but don't trust it. I use it mainly for regulating my foot weight.
I tried a nice long drive at 55 mph (I hate driving this slow on a 70mph highway) I did manage about 20mpg.
On the next trip I decided that 55mph took way too long and I drove at 70 mph. I then got about 19mpg.
If I push it to 75-80 I am down to 15-16mpg.
At that rate I might as well go back to my maintenance free E-350. Never did a thing but change the oil(rarely) on that van. She won't quit.
The mpg thing is part challenge to see how high I can get and also a finance thing. I am planning a cross country trip florida-NY-oregon-CA-FL and I would be SOOO happy to see 24mpg. It would save me about $500 on one trip.
Is this realistic? or is something still wrong with my sprinter?
I do have a strange noise that I can not figure out and it drives me crazy. I dont know if it would affect the fuel mileage. It sound almost like an exhaust leak. I only hear the "TICKING" while under load. Accelerating from a stop and on the highway it is a fast light tick, tick, tick. I thought it was injectors so I changed 3. The other 2 did not leak and when I did the injector test they showed ok(clear hose,crank for 10 seconds).
I listened to the EGR to see if that where it was coming from, but I don't think that is it either.
I also have 2 codes. PO341 and PO380.
My tire pressure is to the max the tire will take.
I have hardly anything as a load. maybe 400lbs over empty stock weight.
No rear AC
When I let off the throttle the van quickly decelerates, unless I slip it into neutral.
Can anyone suggest anything or comment on their mileage?
BTW, I love the way the sprinter drives. Its comfortable, stops on a dime, turning radius is great. I just want better mileage.
Thanks for your help!!
Brett