2002 mwb sprinter keeps dying!

spangle

New member
I am hoping for some advice, i have a 2002 mwb sprinter, kinda getting old. So about a year ago it had mercedes black death, i couldnt afford another van so i had to bite the bullet and replace the injectors and all that comes with merc black death, £2000 later allls well! The last few weeks the van would just die in middle of street without warning, then start maybe 20 mins later, normal temp, took to garage and they presumed fuel so replaced filter and fuel pipes injectors looked fine. So far so good, had for a couple of weeks and the same happened on way home, sudden loss of power engine not running, tried to start and started 15 mins later, so had job to do around london , driving all around, fretted all weekend then chanced it, drove east to west london with £££ of artwork i had picked up, sweated! Blackwall tunnell etc all fine, whole weekend all good! Back at West Sussex drove to my workshop then home and sudden blip of no power, fired up straight away again then it died at narrow busy junction blocking all traffic, nerveracking! Started about 20mins later got near home and died near to home, couldnt restart at all, risking flattening battery. Went there this morning to put broken down sign in window and tried again, guess what it started!! So now its at home and i am terrified to drive it! Any thoughts?? Thanks!!
 

rdtodd

New member
Sounds likely electrical if intermittent,assuming high mileage check out wiring harness for fraying ,where it crosses metal parts most likely to short thus causing can bus systems to shut down then recover on switch on again also brake light switch and courtesy light switches in doors,if you lack confidence with electrics find independent merc guys who will have experience of the causes and won't rip your wallet to shreds.
 

rimjaine

rimjaine
This happened to me repeatedly, after much frustration I took it to dealer, they determined I had gotten some contaminated fuel, they dropped tank & found in tank pump was full of sludge near it's intake screen. I told them that on various occasions the pump was real noisy, They replaced the pump & cleaned the fuel tank.
Contaminated fuel floats around in the tank, when it gets near the pump intake screen it more or less blocks flow of fuel and engine dies. The noise comes from pump cavitation, IMO.
It has run good after cleaning out the contaminated fuel about 2 years ago.
 

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