Turbo failure in normal winter driving conditions

Our turbo turned off on the Alaska Highway near Ft. Nelson, BC. The engine light appeared and the Scan-Gauge II showed the error code PO299.
We had been driving in normal winter conditions with a temperture of -10F. Not snowing, but dry-snow dust being kicked-up off the roadway by passing traffic (which is pretty sparce in that part of the world; about 5 vehicles per/hour).
We continued the next 600 miles under non-tubo operation at reduced power.
In Whitehorse, YT we found a Sprinter dealer (Metro Chrysler); I assumed we would have to wait for a Turbo-resonator to be shipped-in. It turned out that we had a snow-clogged air cleaner. The clogged air cleaner reduced boost and, as with the all too common failed resonator, the computer was fooled into a turbo deactivation.
The Whitehorse dealer said the same problem occured with Sprinters they sold in the area. Indeed, the dealer had devised a fix for local Sprinters that re-routes the snorkel so as not to pick-up dry blowing snow.
Sounds like a design defect to me and I will be doing battle with Chrysler in the comming months over warranty coverage.
The highway conditions that led up to the filter clogging were not at all unique to the far-north. In years past I have encountered simmilar road conditions in New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Iowa and Minnesota.
If you ever drive in dry, blowing-snow conditions, be alert to a possible turbo failure. If you drive regularly in such conditions it may be wise to reroute the air-intake snorkel; dealing with a clogged air filter on a dark, cold highway may not be safe.

Thanks for the information.

I have read about this some time ago about snow building up after entering the passenger side fender opening.

KL2BE said:

It turned out that we had a snow-clogged air cleaner. The clogged air cleaner reduced boost and, as with the all too common failed resonator, the computer was fooled into a turbo deactivation.
The Whitehorse dealer said the same problem occured with Sprinters they sold in the area. Indeed, the dealer had devised a fix for local Sprinters that re-routes the snorkel so as not to pick-up dry blowing snow.

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Do you have a pic of the fix? ( that you could share?) or a 500 word essay before Christmas??

I saw a community play of "The Christmas Story" this weekend

Is the snow different in Alaska than in Germany? Since the Sprinter originates in Germany you would think this snow-clogging possiblity would have been taken care of.

OH! I see. It wasn't even in Alaska. BC. Maybe someone of our German members can respond to this?

Where along the route of the air induction was the clog located? input, snorkel, filter box, or filter itsself?

Thanks,
KenB

I second the request for pictures.

Thanks for the confirmation that you were able to drive 591 miles (952 km) in limp-home mode and that Whitehorse, Yukon Territory has a competent dealership.

If you've not made it home yet, safe travels to you, KL2BE.

This was discussed last winter on the Sprintervan yahoo group site. Herr Pierce has a link there now- to that post. Same Alaska highway scenario-that poster mentioned other diesel vehicles on side of road with same problem. Doktor A

abittenbinder said:

This was discussed last winter on the Sprintervan yahoo group site. Herr Pierce has a link there now- to that post. Same Alaska highway scenario-that poster mentioned other diesel vehicles on side of road with same problem. Doktor A

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Spooky. Alaskadans's filter clogging was in the same general area, give or take a few hundred miles (which is nothing in that area of northern Canada).

BaywoodBill said:

Is the snow different in Alaska than in Germany? Since the Sprinter originates in Germany you would think this snow-clogging possiblity would have been taken care of.

OH! I see. It wasn't even in Alaska. BC. Maybe someone of our German members can respond to this?

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Since the forum has at least two examples and the Whitehorse dealer has another, I suspect there are some in Europe as well.
There is a possible distinction. It seems to be a cold-dry snow issue of snow blowing off the highway; clouds of dry snow getting sucked into the gills on the right front fender. It is not going to happen with snowfall alown; it is not going to happen with wet snow.
So it is more of a problem for lonely rural highways than for urban centers.

KenB said:

Where along the route of the air induction was the clog located? input, snorkel, filter box, or filter itsself?

Thanks,
KenB

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Sorry no pics. Metro Chrysler of Whitehorse, YT told me of a modification they did to the snorkel of a local Sprinter, but no changes where made to mine...yet. I'm about to leave for Trinidad for the rest of the winter so it's a next summer project for me.
The snow was packed into the intake side of the air filter and the air-box was mostly full of snow.
The condition may be rare enough (several hours of driving in snow-dust) that mere knowlege of the problem is enough for most. A power loss in such conditions should include an inspection of the cleaner-box. A cleaning-out of the air box and possible temporary removal of the cleaner should get one home with full-power. It would be a great advantage if your Sprinter is equipped with a gauge that signals a clogged filter; I understand some Sprinters are so equipped.

KL2BE said:

It would be a great advantage if your Sprinter is equipped with a gauge that signals a clogged filter; I understand some Sprinters are so equipped.

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Yes, some are. But I have never seen mine work. Further, I wonder if the gauge would continue to work in at the tempertures you were describing.

...(i posted this request to the YahooGroup as well...)

anybody out there with modified snorkels?? i have been a little nervous spending hours on dirt roads behind a line of trucks and was thinking about this at the end of the summer... i've seen pics of sprinters with snorkels up the b-pillar but haven't found any resources... curious what's been done...

Not suprising about dry, light snow particles ending up in air cleaner box...I have changed my air filter at every 12-15000 miles and have always found lots of dirt/dust/leaf/insect etc...residue in the airbox.

During my college years I had a nice ole 1964 chev pickup and during one trip thru a nasty blizzard I noticed that my left arm was getting colder than normal...looked at my door and saw that a small snow drift about 3" long and 1" tall had formed on the inside just by the door window on the sill. The fine snow was making its way around the window thru the weatherstripping and onto the window sill. That dry fine stuff can go just about anywhere!

Ed

Bulbasor is one of the 2004 Sprinters with the little guage on the air filter box with an electric sensor that zaps the dash computer readout if the guage goes over 3/4.

I'm still not confident though because Bulbasor is going on 4 years old and I have been in a lot of dusty desert cross country driving and I have never seen that thing light off.

It could be that Dan Robbins at the dealer has been changing out filters when I bring it in but I'm going to go open up that air box this weekend anyways and do my own inspection because of the things I have read here.