Thanks…Great article…BUT…..any advice please

Managed to replace the copper washers on the first 2 injectors and replaced the stretch bolts….all back together……only thing is she just won’t start.

Bled the fuel to the injectors.
Tried easy start and tow starting.
Used battery pack for starting.
Already replaced glow plugs and tested for power to glow plugs.
Already replaced seals on the fuel bar.

When tow starting she fired a little, abit like when you start the van with the key without the chip in (we weren’t using the wrong key)

So….if anyone has any advice, it would be most welcome…..we couldn’t run diagnostics because we don’t have the right connector for OBD port…..

Hi just getting mine done by a guy who said he has been a mechanic for 20 years, he removed all 6 injectors on my sprinter 319 without damaging any of them….however while he was in the process of putting everything back together he realised that the engine would not spin 360% by hand…he had unknowingly dropped a piece of the black gunk into the combustion chamber. Now I am waiting for him to finish the job that has turned from a one week job to coming up to 3 weeks now. Decided to get the 2 heads machined and tidied up while they were off. BIG lesson here..MAKE SURE NOTHING gets loose and fall into that little hole.

Hi Chris,
Glad you found the info useful, thanks also for the very kind words! If only I had more time to add more information, life has a habit of throwing obstacles in the way of that one – but I do enjoy keeping it rolling as and when I get the chance.
All the best
Steve

Hi Mike, the regulator seals on as you identified correctly as the regulator (I called sensor) will give problems and also the sensor itself can realise issues without flagging any EDC or fault codes ! Its a common problem and I would make a few enquiries as to what you are being told about the two version as I thought they both have a plunger and piston arrangement that carries O rings. Perhaps the dealer actually meant that the later part was not available with separate O rings as spare parts. Worth enquiring anyway.
What did you find with the leak down test on the injectors, I am assuming this is all OK?
Don’t forget the cam sensor in the back of the rocker cover.
All the best
Steve

Mike, this is most probably due to failure of the small O rings that live on the fuel rail pressure sensor. The fact it is worse at starting when warm/hot is a common tell tale. Also you must check and swap out the cam position sensor on the top of the rocker as this some times has heat related faults purely because of the fact it spends its life running from hot to cold. My money is on the O rings!! (Pop into your local dealer and get a couple, they will be used to selling them !)
All the best
Steve

Ps Will do a leak of test today to rule out the injectors

regards

Mike

Hi there Graeme,
Wow! what an ordeal… I would imagine if the glow plug lamp is on all the time (or does this only light in conjunction with the EDC lamp when the fault occurs?) I will assume that the fault is there from turning on the ignition and both the EDC and glow light are illuminated. If this is the case it is my view that you have a wiring issue. If you were to say that the ECU had not been replaced then that would have been my knee-jerk suggestion as problems are not uncommon here. However I think it is safe to assume that the fault would not be present in two ECUs ! So my suggestion still stands – Wiring/cable fault.
First I would investigate the wiring around the glow plug relay as this is known to be troublesome, especially with body bonded earths and supplies. Check the condition and connectivity within the connectors of the red and black wires respectively.(include the thinner control wires in your inspection too)
It is unusual in itself for Glow faults to cause an EDC limp home condition and this is why I err toward a wiring issue, perhaps a sensor is grounded to chassis or shorted to another one somewhere on the engine loom.
You must check the wiring by the engine mounts, John reported that if your van has had the fuel pump replaced or work been done in that area is has been known to trap/damage a wire to the boost actuator where the mount has been removed/replaced. Well worth a look!
It may be that the EDC limp home scenario and the Glow plug lamp are not related and this must not be discounted, although the wiring needs careful inspection. Depending on your viewpoint (and wallet) you may wish to buy a good code reader that will give you insight into what is going on – This is really an essential tool as it will give you pointers as to where to look for problems. Obviously this will involve some investment but if you choose the Autel 702 Elite you can maybe look toward recovering some of your investment by offering to read other European cars in the covered range, I suppose these would be labelled in some cases as ‘specialist’ in the US:

Covered Range Autel MD702 Elite

Benz, Smart, Sprinter, Maybach, BMW, Mini, VW, Seat, Skoda, Audi, Opel, Land Rover, Jaguar, Volvo, Porsche, SAAB, EU Ford, Vauxhall.

This tool will be your ‘eyes’ in finding any problems and although may not point directly to the fault it could help lead you to a solution. Often without this tool frustration and uncontrolled money disposal result very quickly – probably enough of that pain has already been experienced I would imagine. My money is on a wiring fault between ECU and one or more sensors in the engine bay (this could be intermittent. The repairing garage/shops will have reset the ECU and cleared codes before you had the vehicle back,the fault would then occur again after a short period of driving. Once triggered some levels of faults cause EDC Limp home operation and can only be reset by using a ‘code reader’ and any fault logged would remain until cleared) and perhaps an unrelated ground wire/corrosion problem with the wiring to the glow relay.
Let me know what you find.
All the best
Steve

Hi Tyrone,
Sorry the tool link didn’t work out, they must have changed the pack contents or original link I posted to Laser tools. I will amend that now. I realise you say you can select gears while stationary OK but I wonder if you have looked at the selector cable alignment/adjustment, you will find the MB details on setting this on my website here. This is well worth a look before moving on. The garage will likely tell you the vehicle will need a clutch as spinning clearances of plate and flywheel do reduce as wear takes place. This drag can cause the issue you are seeing – from experience and the reports of posters on here, this is not a definite cure. A few people have had the clutch replaced on recommendation, only to find the synchros internal to the gearbox were worn and needed further work.
Before ‘signing on the dotted’ line just be aware that this could be the outcome even if the clutch is replaced then make an informed decision.
Please let me know how you get on.
All the best
Steve

Hi there,
Indeed you are correct, the terminology may be slightly different but the device is the same. Glad you found the article of use.
All the best
Steve

Hi there, sometimes when using a code reader other than the MBStar it throws some generic codes, often for faults that do not in reality exist! Just to be aware as I am unsure what you are using to read/clear codes. I think the issue is without doubt electrical and not in any way mechanical or directly related to the turbo actuator or its control transducer. You will have to check the location out, but there is a supply fuel pressure switch located before the low pressure pump (its like a brass T piece in the fuel line with a single 2 prong electrical connector) I have known this be faulty or the connector bad and does immediately set the ECU to Limp Home. Check it out although its exact location is unknown by me on your model. Remove the electrical connectors from the ECU and inspect the connection pins for corrosion, rectify if an issue. I fear P0107 would have been expected if there was a possible MAP issue but these are a common fault component and if possible worth substitution to be sure. I am assuming the vehicle idles and starts OK – but if not check injector connectors/wiring and also cam position sensor plug and wiring although neither seems indicated as an issue by the absence of their respective trouble codes.
Please let me know what you find.
All the best Steve

Hi Karina,
It sounds likely as if the antenna has become disconnected in some way, this could either be a simple disconnection at the rear of the set in the dash or the connection to the screen antenna has broken or elements corroded (if you have a screen antenna). There is a chance the cable/connector has become damaged faulty. Its worth pulling the radio and having a look behind. Once removed from the dash, you can always push a length of stripped wire directly into the centre of the radio antenna connector/socket and see if you can get a radio station – this will test the radio receiver in the head unit is functioning OK before any further fault finding.
Good luck, Steve

Hi Dan,
There is a chance that the fuel rail pressure sensor is giving problems. If its not the sensor itself then there is a couple of very cheap O ring seals on this sensor (sealing it to the rail) that perish and start to leak past giving pressure reading problems. Usually this is diagnosed as poor or none starting but I suppose could not be unheard of as a cause of intermittent stalling due to incorrect fuel pressure feedback. Its also worth looking at the wiring on the loom on the right hand side of the engine as if looking into the bonnet as it stretches from the block to the bulkhead it is known to be troublesome with chafing or broken wires.
First port of call is to change the O rings, only a few pence and well worth a try!
All the best
Steve