T1N Cargo Conversion

Colorado_Al

Well-known member
Glad to hear there are other friendly Sprinter drivers out there! Wasn't me though. I haven't been in "wacky town" ( as my friend Brian from Colo Spgs calls it) since the 17th.
 

Colorado_Al

Well-known member
Replaced the EGR valve this weekend as the old one crapped out.
The one that came with my 03 Sprinter when I bought it from the dealer was from a salvage engine and had unknown mileage/usage. It leaked oil like mad and I had cleaned it several times but it was clear that it was not doing well. When it finally broke, the van went into a mild form of Limp Home Mode where it would not deliver full power. I was able to shift into any gear and was able to drive at highway speeds but it just took a while to get up to speed.

Anyhow, after installing the new EGR valve it is now running great!

Also, I changed the oil and sent it in to Blackstone Labs for analysis.
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

Report is attached below. Shows slightly high Aluminum which "shows wear at the pistons" according to Blackstone. I wonder if it is partly due to malfunctioning EGR, or WVO use, or perhaps just wearing pistons?

Anyhow, I will report back with the next used oil analysis in 10k.
 

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Colorado_Al

Well-known member
Thanksgiving weekend project - RUST REPAIR!!

I've decided to bite the bullet and go after the rust!
My T1N does not have nearly the rust problems that I have seen on some posts, but there are the usual problem areas. Rust spots in creases in the body panels below the windows, below and above the rain gutter, in the hood cowling. It doesn't appear to have rust in the windshield surround, but I won't know for sure until it is out (which I am not doing at this time).
I will be looking under the door step covers and I'm a bit afraid of what I might see there.

Anyhow, the product of choice for me is Rust Bullet Automotive. I have seen many post here about POR-15 but only one about Rust Bullet. I'm going to give it a try and then use some trusty Krylon gloss white to cover it over.

I'll report back with progress.
 

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flman

Roadrunner, Genius of Birds ALWAYS WINS! NO FAILS!
Thanksgiving weekend project - RUST REPAIR!!

I've decided to bite the bullet and go after the rust!
My T1N does not have nearly the rust problems that I have seen on some posts, but there are the usual problem areas. Rust spots in creases in the body panels below the windows, below and above the rain gutter, in the hood cowling. It doesn't appear to have rust in the windshield surround, but I won't know for sure until it is out (which I am not doing at this time).
I will be looking under the door step covers and I'm a bit afraid of what I might see there.

Anyhow, the product of choice for me is Rust Bullet Automotive. I have seen many post here about POR-15 but only one about Rust Bullet. I'm going to give it a try and then use some trusty Krylon gloss white to cover it over.

I'll report back with progress.
Good luck, I washed my T1N with iron out and the entire van disintegrated. :laughing:
 

220629

Well-known member
... I'm going to give it a try and then use some trusty Krylon gloss white to cover it over.

I'll report back with progress.
FWIW. I've found that Rustoleum Appliance "Epoxy" has good gloss, matches the Sprinter Arctic White pretty well and holds up well for small repairs. It is a bit thin so you need to use multiple coats and be careful to avoid sags.

Now that I think of it I believe that Krylon makes a Appliance Epoxy white also.

Your paint doesn't appear too bad to me either. I bet that tiny speckle area and scratch will respond well to a cleaning with Orange Hand Cleaner followed by a good paste wax. That will be easier than trying to match and touch up. If it doesn't work you'll have lost nothing. I'm 99% certain the results will be fine though.

RearDoorLeft.jpg

RearDoorLeftClean.jpg

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?p=51179#post51179

Good luck. vic
 
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General Disarray

2012 NCV3 170" Hightop
I had those rust spots, in those exact same places, actually. I didn't worry about them until I side swiped a dumpster at 1/4 mph and gouged passenger side from slider to rear end. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I sanded with a 3m Scothbrite/drill and primed with rustoleum white auto primer. I did the touch up with Rustoleum gloss white and a foam roller. Took 4 coats, and is a perfect match. There is a little bit of an orange peel effect that I'll eventually buff out, but you cant tell standing back which panels are original and which I did. I did have to do entire panels cuz just doing spots looked wierd. But,for instance on the door I did from window down to the natural crease with the 2500 logo in it. And I did between the false widow blank down to the slder rail, but not below the mid section crease. I swear no one can tell, except there is a huge gash that now is pretty white instead of gray rusting metal.
 

Oilburner

2004 2500 140"cargo l/r x 2
I used epoxy on my appliance, about 1/4'" square and turned yellowish after few months.

I also recommend to use etching primer as step #1 to cover rust spots.Here is example of one of this:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...uct_point-etching-primer-duplicolor_7140110-p

In order... metal, etching, sanding primer, sealer, base coat, clear coat.
And last, maybe consider to buy something like this?
http://www.paintscratch.com/touch_up_paint/Dodge/2005-Dodge-Sprinter.html
Some time ago I was able to get on ebay matched arctic white and after clear coated, it went pretty well.
Zig
 
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Colorado_Al

Well-known member
I should have taken pictures, but I was too busy painting. I sanded all of the rust spots and then washed and dried. I painted on Rust Bullet automotive Automotive Formula and let it dry. Lightly wet sanded and after dry I sprayed Rustoleum white gloss enamel. A decent color match but not perfect. Anyhow, bye bye rust (for now)!
It got me into the idea of painting more of my T1N so I went after the grille today. I saw someone who had posted a white MB grille for sale and I liked the look of it, so today I painted mine.
I removed the grille (5 screws) and brought it inside.
I carefully pried the chrome MB logo off of it by inserting a small screwdriver between it and the grille taking care to only break one of the tabs!!!:bash:
Then I removed the 316CDI badge by using a small pen body to compress the round retaining clips in the back.
Washed and dried the grille and then used Rustoleum Paint for Plastic which has an adhesion promoter mixed in:
http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=373
2 coats and it looks nice!
Drying now. I will post finished pics this afternoon.
 

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Colorado_Al

Well-known member
Dry and reinstalled. I like it! Next warm day we have, the bumpers and fenders are getting the same treatment. Perhaps the mirrors as well.
 

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