316 CDI missing on one cylinder

bobmac

Member
A week plus ago I noticed my 2002 4x4 was running rough. As if one cylinder was missing under load. I was keen to get the last ferry 'home' to Bruny Island so continued on.

Didn't make it to the ferry before a cloud of smoke came up from the bonnet/hood. The lube oil filler cap had come off and the resulting oil spray immediately combusted when it hit the exhaust. A good fire extinguisher cured the fire, and next morning the cap was found and a litre or two of oil replaced. No obvious damage so the engine was run. Definitely missing. Is the oil filler cap designed to blow out if the engine is over pressured??? The cap showed now sign of damage. My wife found it in the engine bay.

The vehicle was towed to an obliging general repair shop next morning. The shop removed the recently replaced injectors and determined no. 5 cylinder was 'washed' with unburned fuel. Shop cannot work on it further for another week or so but spoke with M-B folks who tell them a problem with no. 5 cylinder is not uncommon. I'm not sure what the purported problems are. A cracked head also is not uncommon they say, but the shop feels the head is okay. When they get shop space they will start dismantling to look for the fault.

My question is has anyone had a problem with no. 5 cylinder? I don't know what might be different or special about one particular cylinder. (Except it might be more difficult to access in situ! :) )

Any thoughts or theories will be appreciated!
Bob M, long and tall dead in New England
MWB 4x4 low roof misbehaving in Tasmania
 

Nautamaran

2004 140” HRC 2500 (Crewed)
No personal experience (touch wood), but yours is not the first such tale I have read. Often prefaced with either high milage or sometimes “new” injectors which have over-fueled and burned a piston and scored cylinder are the result.

The #5 cylinder jacket is somewhat isolated, and Dennis @ lindon engineering has written many times of finding coolant passages obstructed with various slimes and gunk, mostly attributed to coolant neglect or incompatible fluids used to top up the radiator reservoir. This can be problematic and lead to the head overheating and warping, gasket failure, etc., but will not of itself cause piston or cylinder damage.

Sorry for your troubles... hopefully you are in good hands.

-dave
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
Sounds like a bad injector nuked one cylinder. It could also have been an overheat event. Does this van have any history of coolant changes?
 

bobmac

Member
Sounds like a bad injector nuked one cylinder. It could also have been an overheat event. Does this van have any history of coolant changes?
I have zero history on the vehicle, but I changed the antifreeze with recommended fluid last year.

I trust the shop which SUPPLIED the injectors, and the shop which did the replacement is owned by an M-B trained mechanic. However, after the injectors were changed I had fuel consumption slowly increasing and it turned out to be the common rail take offs being 'tight, but not tight enough'.

I suggested that an apprentice had worked on the unit and it was not refuted. I'm all for apprentices, but with supervision.

Good info, thanks!
Bob M
 

bobmac

Member
No personal experience (touch wood), but yours is not the first such tale I have read. Often prefaced with either high milage or sometimes “new” injectors which have over-fueled and burned a piston and scored cylinder are the result.

The #5 cylinder jacket is somewhat isolated, and Dennis @ lindon engineering has written many times of finding coolant passages obstructed with various slimes and gunk, mostly attributed to coolant neglect or incompatible fluids used to top up the radiator reservoir. This can be problematic and lead to the head overheating and warping, gasket failure, etc., but will not of itself cause piston or cylinder damage.

Sorry for your troubles... hopefully you are in good hands.

-dave
Mileage is not high for a Sprinter. 270kkm. BUT I don't know it's maintenance history. The previous owner was defined as 'flaky' and I'd agree with that. I don't know how long he owned the vehicle but I THINK he was the first post-ambo owner.

Will look for the lindenengineering posts, thanks!
Bob M
 
This is just in response to the title of this thread:

If any of you EVER go to a vehicle repair facility and describe your Complaint by saying that the engine is missing, and the Service Consultant actually writes "Engine missing" on the repair order, do NOT sign the R.O. (Repair Order) or verbally authorize any money.

A sharp technician will flag his diagnostic time and return the RO to the Service Consultant with notes to the effect of "After a brief search, located engine under hood."
 

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