wtf Untimely nightmare

This past week I had the parts, thanks Europarts SD, to change out the idler pulleys and belt tensioner on my 06 2500 after my serpentine belt got shredded last week.

When the local garage removed the pulleys the aluminum threads came out with them.

Now, helicoil sp? threads need to be installed in the aluminum block. The bill has just doubled.

Next up, the mechanics removed the radiator to provide better access. Guess what?

One of the steel tubes connected to the plastic side tanks of the radiator, wtf is that about?, broke off. They tell me I now need a new radiator, plus they can't replace the steel tube screwed into the plastic side tank of the radiator for a couple of weeks.

I have a longed plan trip to Baja this coming week with friends flying into SD and all my reservations have been in place for five months to secure the dates we need. During the gray whale birthing season, reservations fill up months ahead of time. I digress.

Now I am stressing whether I can drive my van down at all.

If there is a source for these hard steel lines that screw into the radiators side plastic tanks, I need them yesterday.

Because they broke the steel tube on the radiators side plastic tanks, why do I need a new radiator? Shouldn't a replacement tube solve the problem? Of course that would depend on finding a replacement tube in a timely manner to install. I was told it would take a couple of weeks to get that part in. What a cluster **** this has turned out to be.

The fault is not entirely on this local garage because whoever dealt with this before I bought the van did not use anti seize, thus, the breaking of the point where this tube connects to the plastic, wtf, side thanks on the radiator.

What can I do now? This long planned trip down to make direct contact, as in petting them by their own choice to interact with us humans, with the gray whales cannot be cancelled.

Reservations have filled up months ago, and do so every year.

Where can I get the steel tube that mounts to the radiator?

As an aside, my main passenger is looking to buy a sprinter in the near future, and we were looking forward to having her see what these vans are about in a practical real life road trip. That seems doubtful at the moment. She is looking to me to help her find a sprinter later this year.

If I cannot have this remedied in time for this trip, especially with the recent suspension upgrades fromAgile Offroad that has this van handling better than factory. Adding the sound proofing I did with the whole front cab area and footwells, the driving experience is improved dramatically. Music can be listened to at a lower volume, conversation can be held without raising voices.

This van is better than ever, if it can be used at all, later this week. Help! There are two steel tubes that mount in the radiators plastic? side tanks. One of these came off without snapping it off at the mounting point.

What to do now? Thanks to all here.
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
Sounds like you need the trans cooler hoses. Europarts sells them.

Your issues can be caused by driving in salted winter conditions, or by ham-fisted mechanics.
 

lindenengineering

Well-known member
All this is very straight forward.
Yes the radiator has to go, its done for !
The hard steel lines are available from any MB dealer.
In fact we keep stocks of all of this for the the very same contingency as you describe & often encountered. (Its called giving max service turn around)

Its eases the frustration of prolonged wheel stop time by out of state passing through Sprinter owners such as yourself.
Don't forget to obtain new coolant hoses and include the ones to the aux pump and cooler to block for peace of mind.
All the best
Dennis
 

220629

Well-known member
Not that he needs my support, but what Dennis said.

The plastic tank insert fittings on the radiator have dissimilar metals which corrode. The radiator is toast. Even if aluminum tank radiators were available it probably wouldn't be an upgrade.

The good news is that once you have the new radiator, trans lines, hoses, etc. the install of new parts should be uneventful.

The stripped threads...
:idunno:

Which threads? For an idler or anti-flutter pulley, or the tensioner? One fastener is a trilobular self thread into the water pump. If it is the one tapped into the water pump a new water pump is probably the best answer. For others a helicoil repair should work.

Good luck.

vic
 

Patrick of M

2005 T1N 2500 (NA spec)
Btw you can move the radiator out of the way without cracking into the hardlines. You just have to loosen all the adjacent tie downs clamps etc. A new radiator and hoses is a beautiful thing and because of breakage can be a part of regular maintenance.
I would bite the bullet and giterdone, reliability comes at a cost.
Seems weird that your mechanics stripped out all the aluminum threads, is someone a little ham fisted over there?
If I strip one bolt in an aluminum block, I will then use heat and great care to avoid breaking the other ones (but I don’t usually strip aluminum threads because I’m scared of them stripping!).
 
Thank you one and all. Hope springs eternal.

The steel supply lines need a couple of weeks to come. argh!!!!!

I will be there first tomorrow morning to present these sources to the management for what I need. I am grateful.

To be clear, when the pulleys were removed, aluminim in the threads from the engine block were plainly seen, thus the need for the heliocoil sp?

Removing the tubes from the radiator was another story. One of the two broke off at the radiators plastic side tank.

I feel a little better knowing these steel supply tubes can be acquired in time. For that, thanks for going me hope the van can still be ready to go later this week.

Thanks to all here.
 
Ham fisted mechanics is my feeling at the moment Midwestdrifter.

Then again, whoever dealt with this connection in the past before I bought this van obviously did not use anti-seize on those connections. My current mechanics know better, so next time removing these should not be a problem.

Thanks for giving me hope that this should be wrapped up this week in time. Fingers are crossed.
 

lindenengineering

Well-known member
Galling of threads on radiator pipe adapter fittings being steel and alum are not uncommon problems to encounter. The same goes with A/C fittings etc etc

.Besides the previously installed activity could easily have over tighten the fitting and destroyed the thread which in the ultimo will mean the next guy who tries to remove the fitting will simply sheer it off.
Its really just like "mechanic broke my glow plug off"-- "mechanic broke my head stud off during a head torque down" --"mechanic tore out the threads in my injector hold down bolt" what now!!!

This is all part of risk repairing vehicles and planes and boats and anything in out modern world --In short crap happens its the fog of fixing stuff!

In the worst case scenario all those pipe issues can be resolved with overnight deliveries of parts from an MB suppliers &, we do it every day to reduce wheel stop time. Frankly I can understand the down time issue if you were broken down half way up the Khyber Pass but you are in the USA where there superb overnight logistics even from the USPS guarantee you have parts the next day or in some cases a few hours !
VOR'd for 48 hours max isn't bad you know !
Could be 48 days stuck up the Khyber Pass as an alternative with Ali & Rashid .
Dennis
 

vanski

If it’s winter, I’m probably skiing..
Thank you one and all. Hope springs eternal.

To be clear, when the pulleys were removed, aluminim in the threads from the engine block were plainly seen, thus the need for the heliocoil sp?
**WARNING HACK JOB:

To save some money and time (therefore money) I've had good luck throwing in a SLIGHTLY larger bolt.. if the radiator is out and you can get a good straight angle on it you don't even need to tap first.. put some wd40 in the hole, cut notches in the slightly larger bolt such that it self taps, back it out, clean the bolt bore out and the bolt, throw some blue locktite on the bolt, torque it to spec, call it done.
 
B

billintomahawk

Guest
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35114

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58962

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=67416&highlight=radiator+pivot

I didn't use a MB Beyer radiator but the aftermarket fit fine. I think the source is in the thread.

I tried to buy lines from Europarts sd, they were not sure what was what, they had the correct parts but there is confusion over correct part numbers because of the MB updates on lines. Mine came through ID parts but they got them from MB once we figured out part numbers, they were non returnable.

MB or Linden are your best shot.

Maybe Linden Engineering would supply you with a correct set for the right price?
When a good MB parts guy looks them up he sees the updates.

I had planned to be in Baja for the whales this year but I fell out of the back of my van and broke my right hip.
Things can always get....

bill in tomahawk
 
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Earlier Steve from Europarts SD sent me photos of the tubes. I am waiting get confirmation that they have them in stock. If so, I will drive over and pick them up and get back on the road.

Thanks to all here. Whew!
 

lindenengineering

Well-known member
Well to put a bit of humor on all this, I have actually had to repair or recover downed stuff half way up the Khyber pass or similar places where there are NO PARTS !

So let's call it adventures in fixing stuff!


So you get Ali in Jalalabad to make you a radiator, he brings it hanging off the back of a donkey. Then you get Rashid in the Souk to manufacture some pipes to get all it to fit! As they make it for you sit on a carpet and slurp hot chi and munch in flat bread (maybe with some wild honey) food all served "backshish" and always be respectful of the Muezzin call to prayer.

In the end it might not look pretty but it will work and get you to Tehran, Istanbul or Ankara for a proper fix.

So it was that a university group from the UK driving passenger van. They tore a tooth off the ring gear in Kabul. Stranded for a week a local Afghani blacksmith ultimately welded the teeth back on!
Didn't do a bad job of it either!--It lasted until they got into Mashad and I had to send up a wrecker from Tehran.
Since the van had a high speed axle I couldn't find a ring gear & pinion of the "right" ratio in the bazaar --but did I find a van lower ratio gathering rust & dust in an old Morris BMC rundown workshop off of Ghazvin St . Purchased for a ridiculous price from the Ali Baba Armenian vendor)
Twenty four hours later they were on their way to the UK running like a new van none the worst for wear !
Allah be praised !:thumbup:
Alls well, that ends well I suppose !
Dennis
 
Shout out to Europarts SD this morning. The two radiator supply tubes were on the counter top when I walked in.

I gave the repair place a few of their cards for the next time they need parts for a Sprinter. A few more hours for them to put it back together and I will be on the road again in time for the trip later this week.

Without Europarts SD, I would be looking at a couple of weeks. So happy to have them a half hour away. Thanks Steve and Son.
 

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