Diesel newb

[Sarge]

OK I'm driving a 2003 Sprinter now and it's the first diesel I've ever owned. I drove one for a summer selling jackets, chaps and such to bikers but that's the most i've had to do with diesels before.

The total sum of my knowledge is:

1. Buy your fuel from somewhere with a high sales rate of diesel to avoid stale fuel.

2. Truck stops will have the better fuel with the right additives.

3. Operators manual calls for synthetic oil and I know enough to look for the MB ratings now.

4. Don't start until the glow plug indicator goes out.

What else should I know?

Sarge

 

[SCW]

OK I'm driving a 2003 Sprinter now and it's the first diesel I've ever owned. I drove one for a summer selling jackets, chaps and such to bikers but that's the most i've had to do with diesels before.

The total sum of my knowledge is:

1. Buy your fuel from somewhere with a high sales rate of diesel to avoid stale fuel.

2. Truck stops will have the better fuel with the right additives.

3. Operators manual calls for synthetic oil and I know enough to look for the MB ratings now.

4. Don't start until the glow plug indicator goes out.

What else should I know?

Sarge

Let it warm up COMPLETELY (!!!) before working it hard. Don't lug it, and don't over-rev it and it will last forever. They typically have a small-ish torque range where they are very happy but much time above and below will induce a lot of wear. They use a bare fraction of the fuel at idle that a gas engine will use, so don't be afraid to let it idle for a while. Starters are usually expensive too (have to bee big strong starters for high compression) so if you can idle for a while rather than constant starts you might be better off.

Also, you should have a water separator in/on/near your fuel filter, check it once in a while and keep it serviced. Oil gets black fast, but that doesn't mean it's bad.

Anthing else I can think of should be related to the application and I've never been in a Sprinter. Most bigger diesels are so "torquy" that you should have to milk the clutch to get started, doing so simply kills the clutch.
HTH-

 

[Sarge]

Cool, thanks. Auto tranny so no milking a clutch. Oil/water separator is easily gotten to. Oil is changed every 10,000 miles...should I check the separator more often? Love the idling thing. I can idle for a decent time and see no change in fuel level. On my old van you could almost watch the gauge go down! When you say wait for it to warm up completely, how arm is that? Normal operating temp is 180 and it takes a bit to get there. Much longer at idle in fact.

Sarge

 

[casm]

Disclaimer: I have no experience with the Sprinters, but have had diesels in the past. Anything I say here should apply to your situation, but YMMV.

Oil is changed every 10,000 miles...should I check the separator more often?

Yes. Once a month is usually about right, assuming you've got relatively uncontaminated fuel in your area.

When you say wait for it to warm up completely, how arm is that? Normal operating temp is 180 and it takes a bit to get there. Much longer at idle in fact.

My old Land-Rovers were the same way. What I'd usually do was give the glow plugs an extra couple of seconds after the light went out before starting them, then idle them out for about 30 seconds to one minute depending on the ambient temperature. Usually they'd hit full temperature after about (IIRC) 5 to 10 minutes' normal driving depending on the weather.

There's nothing quite like the sound of a 400,000-mile diesel Land-Rover starting at 5am in -10degC temperatures to make your neighbours love you...

 

[SCW]

Cool, thanks. Auto tranny so no milking a clutch. Oil/water separator is easily gotten to. Oil is changed every 10,000 miles...should I check the separator more often? Love the idling thing. I can idle for a decent time and see no change in fuel level. On my old van you could almost watch the gauge go down! When you say wait for it to warm up completely, how arm is that? Normal operating temp is 180 and it takes a bit to get there. Much longer at idle in fact.

Sarge

They warm up slow, but go ahead and let it idle for a while on cold mornings, then drive pretty conservatively till it's up to full temp. Just don't jump in and take off when it's cold. Treat it like a wife of 10 years...takes forever to get them heated up.....ahem.

I only have minimal experience with glow plugs, all the diesels I used in my previous life were too large for glow plugs, but they had to be pluggedin overnight if the temps got to 30 degrees.

 

[Big Hank]

Cooling Down is probably just as or more important then warm up.

If I am heading home and have no load, I don't create boost or get the revs up very high for the last 2 or 3 minutes of driving, Depends on how i was driving up to that point

If pulling on flat land and get to the destination, I will take it easy for the last couple of minutes, and still let it sit, for 3-4 minutes.

Hilly conditions and building boost with trailer, I will let it sit for the entire time I am unloading the jeep, 10-15 minutes.

I own an 01 Cummins with an Auto. Trans. In my case I also let it idle to cool the trans. I find a flat spot and set the parking brake with the truck in neutral. On the Cummins trucks, the trans pump will not move fluid if it is in park, so you just bake the tranny when you let it sit idle in PARK.

Exhaust Gas Temp, and Tranny Temp. gauges <--worth every penny.

I would say the above should apply to anything turbo charged.

Gene MJ



I

 

[Sarge]

Sweet, thanks for the info!

Sarge

 

[SCW]

High exhaust gas temps are associated with lugging and over-revving the engine. They usually drop pretty fast after you work the engine though-

Does the Sprinter even have a turbo?

 

[Sarge]

Yeppers. A Garrett. I'm thinking a 2.7 would just not be cool without a turbo in a van this size. 9.5 foot tall with a 158 wheelbase.

Sarge

 

[casm]

Yeppers. A Garrett. I'm thinking a 2.7 would just not be cool without a turbo in a van this size. 9.5 foot tall with a 158 wheelbase.

Yeah... No turbo, no go

What you might consider is fitting a turbo timer - basically, this is a delay switch for the ignition that keeps the vehicle idling for about 30 seconds to one minute after you remove the key from the ignition; this gives the turbo bearings time to spin down while remaining adequately oiled. If you just kill the engine you risk cooking the bearings, followed by the turbo grenading. I know they exist for other turbodiesels, and would be surprised if they weren't available for the Sprinter (possibly in Europe, since it's a Mercedes, after all) - may want to check the Sprinter forums and see if anyone knows.

 

[Matthew Currie]

As far as glow plugs are concerned, if this is like most Mercedes, definitely wait until the light goes out. These days they glow pretty fast and start pretty well. Even my old 240D with slow series-wired glow plugs would start reliably down to about 20 degrees with a good battery. After that you'd better be plugging it in. Battery condition is vital. A battery that seems good and cranks for a long time will not work if it doesn't crank fast enough.

I don't know whether this is an entirely new design, but previous MB diesels have used a combustion prechamber with a ball in it. If it's one of those, ether starting is a complete and utter no-no. It can blow out the prechambers. Roll it down a hill, light a fire under it, put gasoline in the engine oil (no kidding, it's one of the extreme measures endorsed by MB for cold weather), but don't give it that standard "my john deere won't fire" little squirt of snicker juice.

I never worried too much about warming up my MB - just wait for the knocking to calm down, and then drive off gently. Remember that diesel knock is not like gas engine knock. It is not precombustion but late combustion. If the piston descends before all the fuel has finished its burn, it makes a bang like a firecracker in a barrel, and that's what you're hearing. Diesel knock doesn't do any damage. Usually it will subside when the cylinders warm up.

As a long time MB diesel car driver, I've found that the best fuel came from a truck stop that uses an additive package called "OTR." My local Citgo truck stop has this. Look for it on the pump. It seems to knock less, starts better, etc.

As noted above, let it idle rather than shutting it off for short periods. A diesel uses almost no fuel at idle, and you'll probably use more for a restart than you do idling for a half hour.

General turbo wisdom is not to shut down until you're sure the turbo has spun down and cooled off a bit, because its bearings are pressure lubricated.

My son drives one of these for work (auto parts route) and likes it a lot. Good luck with yours.