Brainstormers
Expert Expediter
Greetings, All!
We're not expediters, actually. We're a touring educational theatre company that services public schools in the Midwest. Traditionally we've run E-series cargo vans, converted to high-tops and 4-passenger seating with cargo behind a bulkhead. I've been lusting for a Sprinter ever since I first saw them, but haven't been able to stomach the asking prices until just recently, when an 02 2500 158" with 277K miles on it became available for a decent price.
The body's mint, the engine seems to run happily, and I have a print-out of everything done on the van from the very fastidious exediter who owned it. If I may, I'd like to ask some idiot-level questions of those of you with Sprinters of this vintage:
1) What immediately comes to mind re potential weaknesses/repair issues when you hear of a unit with 277K miles, or any quirks in the 02's that I should know about? What should I have checked out and/or proactively swapped out? Time for a valve adjustment? Timing chain/belt?
2) It has a brand-new EGR, and according to the records it's the third one; I assume this is a function of the "can't idle much" issue. Is it true that one cannot idle even a few minutes every now and then without doing serious damage to the EGR?
3) A question to anybody running these vehicles in the cold latitudes (I'm in Michigan): how important is having an engine block heater in the dead of winter? The van doesn't have one, and the previous owner said that after swapping out the crappy OEM battery he has no trouble starting his Sprinters every morning, but they run their vans nearly 7 days a week; my usage would be more a Monday to Friday thing...am I asking for trouble after two days of sitting in near-zero temps without a block heater? Would you recommend any fuel additives for the wintertime?
4) How many of you with 02 Sprinters experience the "rumble strip" tranny noise problem?
5) What brand/wt/visc. oil do you like best for engine longevity's sake? Is synthetic worth the extra money?
6) I'm intending to put in a folding ramp on the tail end; I dont' need it to handle any more than about 600 lbs. max at any given time; what's the cheapest light-duty ramp available that you know of?
Thanks in advance for any collective wisdom!
We're not expediters, actually. We're a touring educational theatre company that services public schools in the Midwest. Traditionally we've run E-series cargo vans, converted to high-tops and 4-passenger seating with cargo behind a bulkhead. I've been lusting for a Sprinter ever since I first saw them, but haven't been able to stomach the asking prices until just recently, when an 02 2500 158" with 277K miles on it became available for a decent price.
The body's mint, the engine seems to run happily, and I have a print-out of everything done on the van from the very fastidious exediter who owned it. If I may, I'd like to ask some idiot-level questions of those of you with Sprinters of this vintage:
1) What immediately comes to mind re potential weaknesses/repair issues when you hear of a unit with 277K miles, or any quirks in the 02's that I should know about? What should I have checked out and/or proactively swapped out? Time for a valve adjustment? Timing chain/belt?
2) It has a brand-new EGR, and according to the records it's the third one; I assume this is a function of the "can't idle much" issue. Is it true that one cannot idle even a few minutes every now and then without doing serious damage to the EGR?
3) A question to anybody running these vehicles in the cold latitudes (I'm in Michigan): how important is having an engine block heater in the dead of winter? The van doesn't have one, and the previous owner said that after swapping out the crappy OEM battery he has no trouble starting his Sprinters every morning, but they run their vans nearly 7 days a week; my usage would be more a Monday to Friday thing...am I asking for trouble after two days of sitting in near-zero temps without a block heater? Would you recommend any fuel additives for the wintertime?
4) How many of you with 02 Sprinters experience the "rumble strip" tranny noise problem?
5) What brand/wt/visc. oil do you like best for engine longevity's sake? Is synthetic worth the extra money?
6) I'm intending to put in a folding ramp on the tail end; I dont' need it to handle any more than about 600 lbs. max at any given time; what's the cheapest light-duty ramp available that you know of?
Thanks in advance for any collective wisdom!
