Looks like the aftermarket has responded to the 2.1L timing chain issue...

Affordable clones of the specialized MB dealership cam-timing tools are now avalable for the independent garages and DIYers who need to replace an OM 651 timing chain or remove the head for any reason (head gasket, reconditioning valvetrain, etc).

This is of course in Europe only for now since many 651-equipped taxis and courier vehicles are out of warranty due to milage and a lot of owner-operators aren't too keen on paying dealership rates for repair work.

Unfortunately, the fact that a cloned dealership tool like this exists and is available lends credence to the concerns about the timing chain on the 2.1L engines being an inherent weakness in the engine design (at least for the passenger-car single chain versions, see post #2). The market responds to demand -- if an engine has no real weaknesses (or has very few examples in existence like a Ferrari), then the aftermarket has no reason to mass-produce specialized tools to repair it.

Once a sizable number of 4-cylinder Sprinters start passing the 100,000 mile mark in North America its likely that these tools will become more readily available Stateside as well. I'm going to guess that a set like this will cost around $100 shipped in a couple years, which will make maintenance more affordable for 4-cyl owners.

I have also found in some research (assuming that people on the largest German-language car forum are correct) it appears that the Sprinter variants of the OM 651 engines very likely have double chains, instead of the single chain like in the passenger cars. The chain is still in the back of the engine, but this is good news for 4-cylinder owners.

Post #6 on this thread (in German) says:

PS: Warum in den Transporter-OM651 Duplexketten verbaut werden, wird Daimler wohl niemandem beantworten .

Click to expand...

This translates roughly to 'Why the commercial duty-OM651 has a doubled chain, Diamler will never answer anyone.'

trz453 said:

Affordable clones of the specialized MB dealership cam-timing tools are now avalable for the independent garages and DIYers who need to replace an OM 651 timing chain or remove the head for any reason (head gasket, reconditioning valvetrain, etc).

This is of course in Europe only for now since many 651-equipped taxis and courier vehicles are out of warranty due to milage and a lot of owner-operators aren't too keen on paying dealership rates for repair work.

Unfortunately, the fact that a cloned dealership tool like this exists and is available lends credence to the concerns about the timing chain on the 2.1L engines being an inherent weakness in the engine design (at least for the passenger-car single chain versions, see post #2). The market responds to demand -- if an engine has no real weaknesses (or has very few examples in existence like a Ferrari), then the aftermarket has no reason to mass-produce specialized tools to repair it.

Once a sizable number of 4-cylinder Sprinters start passing the 100,000 mile mark in North America its likely that these tools will become more readily available Stateside as well. I'm going to guess that a set like this will cost around $100 shipped in a couple years, which will make maintenance more affordable for 4-cyl owners.

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Interesting post
Of course my first reaction is that this is Germany and not the USA! Where of course market conditions are different; hence service problems might in this case be quite different than what this is or could be experienced over there! Or here for that matter!

Obviously for me, you are writing this as a US resident maybe O/O, that sees the US perspective as opposed to the Euro one, where fleets tend to lease the vehicle with full service local dealer support, using of course the mantra "Fixing the vehicle is not my core business"! That's dealer work !

Nevertheless as market penetration occurs so will follow the specialty aftermarket tool sales to Pro's like me!
One that instantly comes to mind is Assenmacher Tools in Boulder.
www.asttool.com.
Now in some cases we simply make our own using a variety of sources.

As for weaknesses well all vehicles have some weak areas, it just that during the operating duty cycles the issues don't show up and believe me even Ferrari has them too!
Its just that owners don't drive the pee out of them like a MB engine in a business van doing 80K plus miles per year doing courier /expeditor work!

I own (well my business does) a Rolls Royce Ghost 2, under the hood sits a V12 BMW engine with the dreaded Vanos variable valve system; that is not a patch on the Ford/ Lincoln variable valve system used on their engines. Hence I take steps to mitigate possible service problems but in any case I don't use it for large trips rather for private exclusive passenger hire /chauffer rental plus a bit of swank driving from time to time. Consequently even such limo stuff the service cycles are som low and I don't expect to have to delve into it any time soon .
In any case how many Ferrari owners actually tear into their rides? Just like Roller owners it goes to the dealer. Where of course should be the hand tools not to mention that FACTORY scanner & where hopefully they don't use it as a code reader!
Lets see how the vehicle performs in US service first because the US market is completely different to Europe believe me!
Dennis

Dennis,
I definitely know that every car has its weaknesses -- (Ferrari too with their F1 style transmissions, but there's no market for coming up with any fixes for so few cars.) I'm a bit of a cultural mutt being european born but lived my childhood and formative years in California, but I call Germany home right now.

Anyway, I brought this up because eventually all rode-hard-and-put-away-wet fleet vehicles eventually end up either scrapped due to accidents and rust, or if they're still in decent enough shape to find a bit more life in private hands.

Look at the 3-valve Ford 4.6 and 5.4s. A few years ago, half of the trucks and vans with those engines were traded in when they were due for spark plugs that were stuck worse than Han Solo in carbonite. At first they were considered a nightmare when 6 out of 8 plugs on every engine would break off in the head. After a while, the market matured and now there are a half-dozen tools and methods specifically designed to deal with removing the electrode and porcelain from the soft aluminum heads that someone can do on a saturday afternoon by themselves.

I hope that when the four cylinder Sprinters get up there in age that it will be the same situation with indy mechanics and DIYers--ideally the aftermarket will figure out a few more economical ways to keep them running. There are already very nice upgradable $1000 Harbour Freight scanners that sure beats spending fifty grand on some proprietary dealer equipment.

Sprinters are complicated, but they're nice vehicles overall and I always find it a terrible shame when a car gets scrapped because there's some exorbitantly expensive repair that nearly exceeds the value of the vehicle at 150,000 -200,000 miles.

trz453 said:

Dennis,
I definitely know that every car has its weaknesses -- (Ferrari too with their F1 style transmissions, but there's no market for coming up with any fixes for so few cars.) I'm a bit of a cultural mutt being european born but lived my childhood and formative years in California, but I call Germany home right now.

Anyway, I brought this up because eventually all rode-hard-and-put-away-wet fleet vehicles eventually end up either scrapped due to accidents and rust, or if they're still in decent enough shape to find a bit more life in private hands.

Look at the 3-valve Ford 4.6 and 5.4s. A few years ago, half of the trucks and vans with those engines were traded in when they were due for spark plugs that were stuck worse than Han Solo in carbonite. At first they were considered a nightmare when 6 out of 8 plugs on every engine would break off in the head. After a while, the market matured and now there are a half-dozen tools and methods specifically designed to deal with removing the electrode and porcelain from the soft aluminum heads that someone can do on a saturday afternoon by themselves.

I hope that when the four cylinder Sprinters get up there in age that it will be the same situation with indy mechanics and DIYers--ideally the aftermarket will figure out a few more economical ways to keep them running. There are already very nice upgradable $1000 Harbour Freight scanners that sure beats spending fifty grand on some proprietary dealer equipment.

Sprinters are complicated, but they're nice vehicles overall and I always find it a terrible shame when a car gets scrapped because there's some exorbitantly expensive repair that nearly exceeds the value of the vehicle at 150,000 -200,000 miles.

Click to expand...

TRZ453
Well yes the Titan engine spark plug saga is quite sage prompting me to exclaim "what bright spark came up with this idea"!
But in most cases its all to do with cost cutting in manufacturing.
Sometimes successful, often a financial disaster!

In any case the trend is to force the customer to the dealer for repairs and eventually force trade in which in turn generates sales.

It will not be too far into the future where a car/vehicle will get scrapped due to the fact that a control module has gone down. Currently the control modules in most vehicles are scattered all over the platform, BUT with the advent of interactive cars ALL electrical functions are being compressed into a Command Center Module. In short everything within the vehicle's functioning are located on several control boards within the master center console controlling all vehicular functions. So if your radio infotainment system goes down it might well take down the engine functioning control as well.
I can think of one make (Not MB yet!) that has the rudiments of the future system on board today!
When we inquired about a new unit the price was $9000 but there are some recon units for $4500 if you order today came the nice man at the dealership!

So we are close to the disposable car as predicted in the 1970's. In short when a serious electrical fault occurs there will be few specialist people able to repair it, and it will be more economical to scrap it!
After all as a kid in the 1950/60 my dad use to fix valve TV's and radios in the kitchen. Today who fixes the tele even a Sony ?

When it goes phutt you toss it in the trash and visit Best Buy!
Another 25 years and we will be there!
No fixin"
Dennis

Interesting stuff Dennis, I just might keep my sprinter forever, in 10 years it will seem like a simple old fashion van.

My neighbor is a mechanic and runs a private repair shop and he was telling me in 10 years there will be very few if any independent repair shops left operating. Pretty much what you described Dennis it will be all dealer exclusive stuff. I thought there was some legislation out there for manufactures to properly make service information etc more open and transparent, but I guess there is no law saying a manufacture can't make the most complicated car either

Shanemac
Unfortunately yes he's right!

The repair trade took a hit in the last recession and although has recovered its just bounced along on the bottom.
The costs to fix a lot of stuff has the general motoring public buying new with very attractive car loans even for those with less than good credit (nondocs).

(That of course was the cause of the actual recession in real estate loans.)

In fact even with up to 7 years to buy that new ride, the car loan business is doing very well on the interest they are charging for those with less than stellar credit. Everybody rides!

In 5 to 7 years the public will be ready for the next new machine offerings, their casts off's being only suitable for the crusher in most cases!
Take a look at a 5 to 6 years old Kia or Hyundai if you re not convinced.

The only area with some promise is the very specialist or specialty repair area like auto electrical /electronics.

Take a current 2008 Sprinter and call around Denver for a brake quote !
I bet you can call in the Metro around 1000 shops and you will get 1000 quotes all within 50 bucks of one another. Its something they can handle I call that dumb sh#$@ts work!
With not much profit you have to punch through the shop a lot of this type of work to make the daily quotas /keep the doors open, lights on!
Cut throat competition will drive a lot of these types of shops from the High St. In fact go down Colfax St in Denver all the way from east to west and count the empty repair shops boarded up for years now!
You can see this repeated in anytown USA

Now on the other hand try calling the same shops saying you have a severe electrical problem and nothing lights up!
That 1000 shops will hang up and only around three will respond with any modicum of confidence.

Expand that out to the whole of the USA and you see a distinct pattern; no-one wants a to fix complicated electrical problems on cars. They don't have the training nor platform experience. Yet most of the problems on Sprinters discussed on these forums are basically boiled down to electrical problems and communication within the vehicle. In fact MB products together with their other German counterparts have awful wiring and connector/communication issues!

It actually prompts several other Euro specialty shop owners I know to often mention (behind closes doors that is ) that if it wasn't for the American love of crappy German cars we would all be out of business!

Crap or not, fixing them electrically is a good profit driver at the moment, but it won't last!
The industry will get the message and the product will improve to where nothing gets touched for 100,000 miles and then we will all be in trouble.
Only the dealer will be getting post sale prep/warranty work!
This is not crystal ball stuff its happening as we speak!
The trick is to keep evolving and don't be a Radio Shack or a Sears!
Dennis

Thankfully electric cars (and vans, pickups eventually) are on the way and will eliminate most maintenance and repair costs. Bye bye dealer service shop rackets. I believe it will happen sooner than people think. Especially with the rapid growth of home solar and people figure out they can get rid of the power co., gas station and dealership all with one relatively economical investment.

Yes, like T-Montana said, electric cars are getting better. The bottleneck right now is batteries (high weight, low capacity, slow charging, not enough life cycles, expensive to build and expensive to recycle), and to a secondary degree, it would be reallllllyyyy nice if we got even halfway as efficient at harnessing solar energy as plants do.



Regarding what Dennis and Shanemac were saying, I get that about the rapid rate that cars are becoming complicated with centralized ECMs that control everything. But I think we're more likely to run out of fossil fuel, or just make ourselves extinct through dystopian means than we are to get to a point where most mass-market cars have to be thrown away because the ECMs go bad.

Truth be told, just because an ECM costs $9000 doesn't mean its got more than $20 worth of legitimate technology in it. You can get crappy Android phones that would run circles around a $9000 32-bit ECM from Bosch or Visteon or whoever makes those lumps if both processors were given equal computing tasks with code that is optimized to their hardware.

The market behavior of the automotive electronics industry is almost as bad as Texas Instruments and the way that they've cornered the graphing calculator market. Everybody taking high school geometry through doctorate-level math has to use TI products, so what does TI do, they build units for like $5 and sell them for $100. TI is using chipsets that were cutting edge in the late 80s and selling it for 2015 smartphone prices.

Computing power is getting so cheap already that ten years from now, if there is a problem with too many cars dying early deaths because the four-figure ECMs stop working or a car goes into limp mode because someone was bold enough to replace a defective OEM crank position sensor with a generic one, some clever company is going to just start building full-fledged emulators that replicate the functionality of the ECMs, and the only thing one will need is an adapter dongle to connect the universal ECM emulator to the car's wiring harness. Sure, the code used by automakers is closed-source, but if a company has good datalogging abilities, all they need to do to emulate an ECM is collect input-output data from a working car driven in varying conditions, and teach it monkey-see-monkey-do how to manage the electronic features, immobilizers and touchscreens on the car. It will work in much the same way a universal remote control can be programmed to emulate and therefore replace any IR remote, just (quite literally) a million times more complicated.

When was the last time any of us threw a computer away because it quit working? They don't break, we just outgrow them.

Electric cars will become platforms that you buy with interchangeable bodies. You won't buy a new car, you'll bring it in for a body refit when you grow tired of the old style.

Later on there will be a market for left over 'vintage' and 'retro' body kits.

We sure won't be worried about cam chains and crank position sensors.

Guys
A trade publication from Motor Age

Shop owners from coast to coast are realizing the competitive world of the automotive repair industry is heating up like never before. The new car dealerships are becoming increasingly focused on taking the independent repair sector’s business away from them, and doing their very best to keep it.

Based on what I see out there, however, I don‘t think the new car dealership strategy ultimately will work in the long run because of the following factors:

• New car dealers run their business focused on cost, which means they view, for example, all technicians as a cost to their business. Consider that competent employees make a business money; they create a great return on investment for the business. Dealerships, however, control costs by paying flat rate to technicians without regard to building long-term career orientated business/personal relationships with their technical team.

History has proven the lack of respect for technicians is strong at the dealership management level. Many independent shop owners have confirmed this as many have come from working in a dealership environment. Due to the shortage of competent technicians, dealerships now are starting to guarantee a set amount of hours per week to their technicians, however to control costs, they have fewer of them in the bays. We know of many examples where a dealership with 10 to 15 bays will only have two or three licensed technicians and the balance of staff are basically support staff or helpers.

This lack of knowledge base will backfire over time, as quality control of the services being performed for the consumer becomes an issue. Lack of quality work and service works against the consumer. It’s an attitude in running the dealership type business.

• New car dealerships do not have enough bays to service the total current fleet on the road, which means a definite further inconvenience to the consumer in the future as scheduling service appointments increase in the waiting time. They also don’t have as many dealerships locations therefore the consumer is going to have to drive much further for vehicle servicing.

• New car dealerships are trying their utmost to keep vehicle technology information away from the independent sector. The next battle ground will be telematics information and ownership of that information. As the public becomes more informed about this issue the backlash against dealerships could be very strong. The consumer owns their vehicle information, not the manufacturer. The consumer has a right to choose where their information goes. Monopoly style concepts within the capitalist system do not work in favour of the consumer.

• New car dealerships go out of their way to imply innuendos to the consumer that their warranty will be void if services are not performed at the dealership and with OE parts. Innuendos are implied to the consumer but they will not put those statements clearly in writing to the consumer.

Looking at the Dealerships
Now I will be the first one to say that not all new car dealerships conduct their affairs this way. I know of some excellent new car dealerships across the country that work well with certain independent shops. However, they are definitely in a small minority. Too many dealerships will just sell parts to the independents, creating additional dealership profits for themselves, but they do not respect the independent as can be confirmed by the above mentioned issues. The best dealerships desire a full professional relationship with the select independents because they do recognize and respect the independent business in understanding the best independent works on all makes and models, requires more training which produces a more in-depth of quality staff and more equipment is required in their location to meet and service the consumer’s needs.

These issues create opportunity for the entire automotive industry, if only everyone could step back and think things through.

Consider the objective is to have a bottom-line profitable business with a satisfied consumer enjoying, as much as possible, their experience with the servicing of their vehicle.

Consider that there are many excellent independent shops across the country, and yes there are many lousy ones too, but let’s focus on the best. The great shops are focused on service and quality to their client base. These shop owners understand professional business relationships and the importance of a win/win business relationship to the success of each parties business.



Consider these above average independent shops now judge the type of relationship they have with local new car dealerships in terms of help and support on technical issues when it comes to serving their client base. They are now actually advising their clientele on which type of new vehicle to purchase based not only on the quality of the vehicle but also whether the dealership will work with the Independent to serve that particular client’s needs.

Consider the power of this business relationship when fully executed in a professional manner.

Consider the best independents are as good as anybody else, but to have an equal chance of working with a new car dealership they have to do much better than the average dealership. The saddest thing I have seen over my career within this industry with competitive businesses, is to see a business competing because he or she is required to compete, not because they have a desire to compete. When someone is required to compete, his or her main focus is only on price. When someone has a desire to compete, he or she focuses on a standard of how to do something with a great deal of value-added. This elevated standard enhances bottom-line profitability. This would be great for our entire industry to embrace.

History, world-wide, has always proven that protectionism attitudes have only served the master who started the idea in the immediate short-run, but never served the master in the long-run. Protectionism certainly won’t serve the end consumer. So answer this question honestly, “Who are we in business to serve, the master or the consumer?”


Makes good reading as a shop owner.
It confirmed to me that currently only Toyota sees this respective based upon the last and very comprehensive course I took fixing and diagnosis the Prius and Toyota hybrid drives.
The same goes for their factory scanner (Techstream) which gives full factory info access, scan/flash capabilities for a yearly subscription as if you were a dealer.
Enjoy the article or contemplate upon it at least!
Cheers Dennis