03 t1n 3500 no boost

Godzills14

Godzillas14
03 sprinter 3500 148” high top.
I’ve inspected all my hoses, I have a new turbo a year ago 10k miles.. new boost converter new vac hoses. Even replaced my boost converter cuz I thought it was it again but no. My vane actuator moves freely, when I pinch the lower hose coming off my boost converter the linkage pulls down. It seems as if my converter is “making” vacuum but not enough to pull the vane actuator down. Vane actuator does Not move on start-up. The van will go thru all gears and I’m not limited to speed or rpm. My map stays at around 14 unless I get up in rpm but never reaches above 17.xx my air intake sensor is reading what the air outside would likely be minus some degrees as the intercooler is doing its job. Cleaned my maf as well, if I unplug my maf I’ll throw a code so I don’t believe it’s that. I also cleaned my egr. Was thinking of blocking it off to see if that helps...

I’ve also replaced my fuel filter and air filter.

I had boost for a year then all a sudden nothing. No cel. I do not have access to a sprinter specific scanner and the dealer near me cannot help as all their techs are too young to work on my rig.

Can someone point me to the thread with a how to on checking the brake lights and brake switch(my lights do work)

Any and all help is Greatly appreciated as this is my work van and it makes for a long day everyday driving around like a turtle.

I’m in southwest Michigan if there is anyone in my neck of the woods ie near the beach.
 
Last edited:

autostaretx

Erratic Member
"not limited to speed"?

This is going to sound silly, but what makes you think you don't have turbo?
What are your symptoms? (ScanGauge doesn't exceed 17 psi MAP, for example)

When my resonator cracked (hence turbo not working), i could not exceed 65 mph (110kph).
RPM was certainly happy to go as far as i was willing to push it, but power wasn't.

--dick
 

Zundfolge

Always learning...
The only thing that I'm thinking of, but would probably be making noise if it were the case is, can you spin the compressor wheel with your fingers and does it freely spin? If the bearings were seized in any manner and/or the wheels were contacting the housings you'd probably hear about it though...
 

Godzills14

Godzillas14
When everything was working I was able to see (with my generic scanner) 30+-psi from my map I can freely spin the compressor no cracks in res. My linkage never pulls down On start-up or driving that I can tell. I constantly drive around with my scanner to monitor my load%, tps, map, maf, iat and rpm for conditions that would lead to anything being “abnormal” or if it starts working I can check and see if there is any sensor that reads different than when it wasn’t working..trying to be prepared..

And if you drive your van it’s plain as day and night if your turbo is not working.
 

Godzills14

Godzillas14
I’m able to jump on the highway flat ground with tail wind and go 70 + it’ll just take me foooorever to get there any slight up hill or headwind and I’m losing speed.
 
Last edited:

Cheyenne

UK 2004 T1N 313CDi
Check the vacuum line which runs from the 'T' piece on the brake booster round to the heater recirc flap. If that falls off you lose vacuum and cannot generate full boost.

Keith.
 

Godzills14

Godzillas14
Check the vacuum line which runs from the 'T' piece on the brake booster round to the heater recirc flap. If that falls off you lose vacuum and cannot generate full boost.

Keith.
Bypassed it. No change. What’s the black ball looking thing that’s teed into where the boost converter is?
 

sprinter 316

Active member
I think that the turbo has **** itself if you have checked the boost solenoid and that’s fine too then I would have a closer look at your turbo. The front of your turbo compressor may be fine and move freely like normal. But he shaft at the back of the turbo may have snapped. Take the exhaust off and have a look mate.
 

sprinter 316

Active member
Basically m I had the same symptoms. When I took exhaust off and got the turbo off in the end I found the shaft that holds the compressor at the front was ok but at he rear it was broken. First I thought maf. Cleaned it all. Changed boost solenoid. I then found that the boost hose has a tear in it which I guess just overboosted the turbo and made it fail. I then had it re condondioned.
 

Zundfolge

Always learning...
I think that the turbo has **** itself if you have checked the boost solenoid and that’s fine too then I would have a closer look at your turbo. The front of your turbo compressor may be fine and move freely like normal. But he shaft at the back of the turbo may have snapped. Take the exhaust off and have a look mate.
That's a large jump to make. Turbos have extremely tight tolerances, if something that major had happened one you'd hear it, and two there would be zero boost (there'd actually be negative boost, or vacuum) while driving, and he gets about 3 psi. You could triple check this by just turning the van on for a few seconds with the air intake tube disconnected and watch the compressor wheel spin.

Sounds like somehow the vanes are open full time?
 

Godzills14

Godzillas14
A vacuum reservoir.
Could that reservoir be bad?


I don’t think my shaft is broke seeing If I pinch my lower hose on the boost converter it’ll move my vane actuator, I can take a drive and I’ll have 30+ psi of boost (able to monitor it with my scanner to make sure I don’t over boost since it’ll be full bore and won’t change the vanes..)
 

Cheyenne

UK 2004 T1N 313CDi
Could that reservoir be bad?


I don’t think my shaft is broke seeing If I pinch my lower hose on the boost converter it’ll move my vane actuator, I can take a drive and I’ll have 30+ psi of boost (able to monitor it with my scanner to make sure I don’t over boost since it’ll be full bore and won’t change the vanes..)
Sounds to me like either your boost solenoid is not working or you have a vacuum leak.

It would really help if you could get scanned for codes. When my boost solenoid failed I did not get a CEL but the stored code gave the clue as to what was wrong.

Keith.
 

sprinter 316

Active member
Maybe The boost solenoid is playing up mate. When I changed mine I bought it brand new and even that was faulty. I then returned it and got another one from the same place and then my van was perfect. The issue after changing my turbo was that when I put the new boost solenoid and then has turbo sorted the turbo had lag. Came on boost later in the Rev range. So swapped it and then it was perfect. If you was local to me I would have let you swap it with mine to check
 

Zundfolge

Always learning...
Do you have a mighty vac? I'd start testing vac lines and boost solenoid with one first. That would tell you if the reservoir or any other thing wouldn't hold vacuum...

Edit: a decent scanner that speaks Sprintish is a must have if you own a Sprinter. If you're on a budget folks here are seeming to be impressed lately with the Autel AP200 dongle thingy. Connects to a smartphone and seems to have decent functionality...
 

Cheyenne

UK 2004 T1N 313CDi
Do you have a mighty vac? I'd start testing vac lines and boost solenoid with one first. That would tell you if the reservoir or any other thing wouldn't hold vacuum...

Edit: a decent scanner that speaks Sprintish is a must have if you own a Sprinter. If you're on a budget folks here are seeming to be impressed lately with the Autel AP200 dongle thingy. Connects to a smartphone and seems to have decent functionality...
Totally agree!!!

I have the slightly older Autel MD802 and have been very impressed with its ability to diagnose faults from multiple vehicle manufacturers including my UK spec Sprinter, which is NOT OBD compliant.

The only downside with the AP200 dongle is it is really only a one vehicle dongle.

Keith.
 

Godzills14

Godzillas14
Yea I’ll look into I’ve never taken any of my rigs to a shop but this thing ... I want to just drop it off and pick it up working. I’ve replaced my boost converter twice now once when I did the turbo a year ago and just now, also checked ohms when I pulled my “old” one out and it was good (checked ohms via this forum compared the reading to the new one and were the same.) And it did not change a thing.

I have a mighty vac just realized it’s my brake bleeder... �� I’ll check some vac lines later and sprinter scanner is on my to buy list about to be on my purchased list cuz I need this thing back fully operational.

How would I check my boost converter...?
 
Last edited:

sprinter 316

Active member
That's a large jump to make. Turbos have extremely tight tolerances, if something that major had happened one you'd hear it, and two there would be zero boost (there'd actually be negative boost, or vacuum) while driving, and he gets about 3 psi. You could triple check this by just turning the van on for a few seconds with the air intake tube disconnected and watch the compressor wheel spin.

Sounds like somehow the vanes are open full time?
Your right mate. I guess there’s more knowledgable people here I just assumed it because of my experience. I hope it ain’t the turbo and just a cheap fix though
 

Top Bottom