jmoller99
Own a DAD ODB2 Unit.
If you allow your Sprinter to sit and idle for hours on end, you can easily clog up the EGR valve. This is not specific to Sprinters, but all Diesel engine vehicles since around the 2000 model year.
There is a cleaning procedure write up in the NVC3 area for the V6 (as there is one for the T1N's in their section) - you won't have been the only one to encounter a clogged EGR valve.
There is a cleaning procedure write up in the NVC3 area for the V6 (as there is one for the T1N's in their section) - you won't have been the only one to encounter a clogged EGR valve.
sailquik
Well-known member
The EGR valve is covered under the emissions warranty!
It could be the way you are driving your RV.
If you just put it in Drive (D) and leave it there your engine may never be revving
high enough and your % of Engine LOAD may be very high all the time.
This leads to issues with the EGR and other emissions control devices.
It could also be traceable to the motor oil you are using.
Do you use Mobil 1 ESP 5W-40 Formula M oil per MB BEVO 229.51?
As suggested, do you idle for long periods of time to keep the AC on
or to charge the RV batteries? Not so good for a Sprinter.
Have you considered as ScanGauge II or other performance monitoring gauge
system so you can track what the engine management systems in your Sprinter
RV are actually doing?
Makes a huge difference when you know what the % LOAD is, what RPMs, accurate
MPH, fuel GPH or MPG through the engine, turbo boost level and a myriad of other things
that may affect how well your Sprinter OM-642 V6 is performing.
Roger
It could be the way you are driving your RV.
If you just put it in Drive (D) and leave it there your engine may never be revving
high enough and your % of Engine LOAD may be very high all the time.
This leads to issues with the EGR and other emissions control devices.
It could also be traceable to the motor oil you are using.
Do you use Mobil 1 ESP 5W-40 Formula M oil per MB BEVO 229.51?
As suggested, do you idle for long periods of time to keep the AC on
or to charge the RV batteries? Not so good for a Sprinter.
Have you considered as ScanGauge II or other performance monitoring gauge
system so you can track what the engine management systems in your Sprinter
RV are actually doing?
Makes a huge difference when you know what the % LOAD is, what RPMs, accurate
MPH, fuel GPH or MPG through the engine, turbo boost level and a myriad of other things
that may affect how well your Sprinter OM-642 V6 is performing.
Roger
jdcaples
Not Suitable w/220v Gen
What lead to that diagnostic conclusion? Did it start with engine performance/drivability issues?
-Jon
Rather than start a new thread...
Similar issue on a 2011 2500 cargo van purchased new in April 2012. 5000 miles on the rig with 95+% highway miles and no idling other than at stop lights. Mobil Sprinter service indicated that if I had a dealership in town and taken it in they would have just replaced the EGR. Given my lack of a dealership the 'recommended' option was to pull it and clean it when the symptoms begin to occur. Code was present indicating the EGR was fouled. Cleaning the very sooty EGR seems to have rectified the issues for the moment.
Not sure how I will approach this in the future to ensure documentation of the issue if/when it continues since I am sure the cooler will need cleaning at some point as well. While under warranty I am fine with the 10 min EGR cleaning but the dealership can deal with the more time consuming issues.
Similar issue on a 2011 2500 cargo van purchased new in April 2012. 5000 miles on the rig with 95+% highway miles and no idling other than at stop lights. Mobil Sprinter service indicated that if I had a dealership in town and taken it in they would have just replaced the EGR. Given my lack of a dealership the 'recommended' option was to pull it and clean it when the symptoms begin to occur. Code was present indicating the EGR was fouled. Cleaning the very sooty EGR seems to have rectified the issues for the moment.
Not sure how I will approach this in the future to ensure documentation of the issue if/when it continues since I am sure the cooler will need cleaning at some point as well. While under warranty I am fine with the 10 min EGR cleaning but the dealership can deal with the more time consuming issues.
Mrdi
Active member
Sailquick Says:
"If you just put it in Drive (D) and leave it there your engine may never be revving
high enough and your % of Engine LOAD may be very high all the time.
This leads to issues with the EGR and other emissions control devices."
Sailquick, this may be a good place for you to recommend good driving tips for the Sprinter.
Shifting, RPMs , idling, etc.
Many could benefit from those those tips .
"If you just put it in Drive (D) and leave it there your engine may never be revving
high enough and your % of Engine LOAD may be very high all the time.
This leads to issues with the EGR and other emissions control devices."
Sailquick, this may be a good place for you to recommend good driving tips for the Sprinter.
Shifting, RPMs , idling, etc.
Many could benefit from those those tips .
Or the EGR system is not a perfected system. ( yes EGR has been around for more than 30 years and it's been a problem since day one)...........many other manufactures have EGR system fouling on both diesel and gas engines........it can be nature of the beast given the nasty environment the EGR system operates.
BUT MB has more than their fair share of EGR problems and some of those problems are with low miles..........while other manufactures have problems with higher miles with fouling.
BUT MB has more than their fair share of EGR problems and some of those problems are with low miles..........while other manufactures have problems with higher miles with fouling.
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No-one has mentioned the PCV - am I right in thinking that if you have one it will be somewhere along the breather between the rocker cover and the turbo?
If this fails you can pull oil out through the breather, into the turbo and then distribute it around the air intake system, which the EGR is attached to (indirectly but I guess an eddy will cause the oil to be deposited).
So it makes some sense for the EGR to fail as a result of the PCV failing, except that at so few miles I would think it would just need a clean rather than replacement - but if it's under warranty why not let them replace it?
For what it's worth I don't think either my diesel car* or my sprinter have a PCV valve, or if they do it is not working, both get a fair amount of oil in the air system and whilst I haven't had the sprinter long enough to say, the car just needs the EGR cleaning now and then. I have recently become aware that Wynns make a cleaner specifically for diesel EGR valves, which might be worth a try.
The common advice for PCV failure is either to replace it (it may be the plastic elbow on the rocker cover?) and/or fit an oil collection tank to the breather line - I quite fancy doing the latter but haven't yet worked out what parts I need or where to get them.
*now I think about it the car rocker cover has internal baffles which are supposed to trap the oil instead of using a PCV valve
If this fails you can pull oil out through the breather, into the turbo and then distribute it around the air intake system, which the EGR is attached to (indirectly but I guess an eddy will cause the oil to be deposited).
So it makes some sense for the EGR to fail as a result of the PCV failing, except that at so few miles I would think it would just need a clean rather than replacement - but if it's under warranty why not let them replace it?
For what it's worth I don't think either my diesel car* or my sprinter have a PCV valve, or if they do it is not working, both get a fair amount of oil in the air system and whilst I haven't had the sprinter long enough to say, the car just needs the EGR cleaning now and then. I have recently become aware that Wynns make a cleaner specifically for diesel EGR valves, which might be worth a try.
The common advice for PCV failure is either to replace it (it may be the plastic elbow on the rocker cover?) and/or fit an oil collection tank to the breather line - I quite fancy doing the latter but haven't yet worked out what parts I need or where to get them.
*now I think about it the car rocker cover has internal baffles which are supposed to trap the oil instead of using a PCV valve
To the best of my knowledge NAFTA Sprinters don't have a PCV proper, but it can have issues related to crankcase venting. vic
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?p=55408#post55408
talkinghorse43
Well-known member
PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) in a gas engine means fresh air is drawn through the crankcase by vacuum in the intake manifold. My '02 doesn't have PCV, just a breather (blowby vent) ducted to the turbo inlet, so no fresh air in the crankcase (except any blowby before combustion commences).
I am intrigued! I have seen several references recently to PCV failure allowing the crankcase oil to be drawn into the air ducting, yet when I tried to look up PCV all the references were about petrol (gasoline) engines, EXCEPT....... Dodge list one as a spare for the Sprinter and the OPs dealer has told him his needs changing! Wait a minute, there is a petrol engine for the sprinter - does the OP have a petrol engine?
I guess it explains why my diesels don't have one - do a search there is a great Q&A somewhere where some poor 312D owner is advised by a supposed MB mechanic to check his PCV valve, several responses from both sides about where to find it, I'm glad I never looked - I have had the breather off so know there is no valve in it.
I am still going to fit an oil catch tank, I defintely get a vacuum in the breather and it sucks oil through.