2004 Sprinter OM647 Sprintshift low speed rumble

mokoko

New member
A hearthy hello to you all from Finland! Firstly what an excellent community you seem to have here! Pleasure to join.

So let's get straight to business. I went out and test drove a late 2004 MB Sprinter. It has the Sprintshift semi-auto transmission, OM647 engine and it's 2500 weight class. It's the long and tall version, wheelbase being 158". It has clocked a respectable 224k miles.

The car worked fine, but what I did notice was a quite prominent vibration and rumble around 18mph to 25mph. It didn't seem to mind whether I was accerelating or coasting or doing constant speed. The transmission seemed to change very fluently both up and down and performed well under high load as well as very light acceleration. It didn't have problems while coasting to traffic lights and trying to hold to a gear too long.

What could be source for this vibration? Quite frankly the vibration felt like rumble strip noise, but please correct if I'm wrong, but isn't the famous real rumble strip noise -problem only affecting cars with the regular automatic transmission? Wouldn't prop shaft present itself more likely while accelerating?

Thanks already in advance.
 
My sprinter with 95000 Miles do that sound rsn in the tranny under light loads. My sprinter 2005 with 80000 Miles do not do that sound. The sound is in the transmisión and affect some Cars of this brand that have this new automatic Gearbox.
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
I would personally avoid the Sprint shift. The 5 speed auto is fine though.

Did the noise also occur coasting in neutral?
 
it could be the dual mass flywheel clutch assembly
although when ours was shot it vibrated the engine all the time, idle, slow speed and faster speed
maybe not the same as your situation
 

Sockeye770

Active member
If you do not already own the van with the sprintshift trans. Do not buy it.
Get proper auto or manual
I endorse this advice.

A few years ago, we had the local Mercedes stealership fix the oil leaks from the sprintshift transmission on my business partners 2001 316. Over $9k later, including a replacement clutch at $3.3K (the clutch was worn but still operational, but in the long term, cheaper to replace it while the transmission was out).

If I knew the outcome cost before the 316 went in for the maintenance repairs, I would've written the van off, and bought another one without the sprintshift.
 

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