I previously posted pictures of the intake manifolds from my 2008 sprinter wagon 170. It was all clogged with what another poster called "black yogurt". I had to pay $4900 to have the mainfolds and turbocharger replaced.
The symptoms which led to that huge repair were power surges and power loss. Specifically, the sprinter had poor acceleration in the 30-50 range - intermittently. It had no problem reaching 70 mph...eventually. Another sprinter had just turbo go bad, and it couldn't hit 70. It would struggle along at about 65.
After the repairs, it went a couple thousand miles with no problems, but it is now showing the symptoms it showed before the massive repair: intermittent poor acceleration.
There are no engine lights. Last time, we didn't get a check engine light until the problem was already severe enough to require the $4900 repair.
I'm wondering if the dealer is focussing on the symptoms of the problem and missing the cause. Like maybe the particulate trap is simply not working, and it's dumping junk in the whole intake side. So the dealer replaces the intake and cleans the particulate trap and it works fine for a little bit, but it starts filling up with crap again.
Dealer will have to cover manifold & turbo if that has been messed up again as those are covered under warranty. But if the problem moved further downstream from the particulate trap, ie it has fouled the valves, that will not be covered by warranty. And all the damage I already paid $4900 for would not have occurred if the particulate trap is to blame and had been replaced initially. I want to avoide replacing $10k worth of stuff and then finally figuring out that the problem was something simple and inexpensive.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this mess? I don't know what to think. I'm worried that the dealer may be approaching the problem wrong.
Dennis
The symptoms which led to that huge repair were power surges and power loss. Specifically, the sprinter had poor acceleration in the 30-50 range - intermittently. It had no problem reaching 70 mph...eventually. Another sprinter had just turbo go bad, and it couldn't hit 70. It would struggle along at about 65.
After the repairs, it went a couple thousand miles with no problems, but it is now showing the symptoms it showed before the massive repair: intermittent poor acceleration.
There are no engine lights. Last time, we didn't get a check engine light until the problem was already severe enough to require the $4900 repair.
I'm wondering if the dealer is focussing on the symptoms of the problem and missing the cause. Like maybe the particulate trap is simply not working, and it's dumping junk in the whole intake side. So the dealer replaces the intake and cleans the particulate trap and it works fine for a little bit, but it starts filling up with crap again.
Dealer will have to cover manifold & turbo if that has been messed up again as those are covered under warranty. But if the problem moved further downstream from the particulate trap, ie it has fouled the valves, that will not be covered by warranty. And all the damage I already paid $4900 for would not have occurred if the particulate trap is to blame and had been replaced initially. I want to avoide replacing $10k worth of stuff and then finally figuring out that the problem was something simple and inexpensive.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this mess? I don't know what to think. I'm worried that the dealer may be approaching the problem wrong.
Dennis
