Kewl.........
2004 Sprinter Limp Mode
- Thread starter seekerman
- Start date
I was making a light hearted funny....LOL
The inline 5 turbo injected diesel engine is not your average old time truck engine. Maybe a gallon or so of #1 diesel (kerosine), but not gasoline. Even a small amount of gas in these Sprinters make the engine run incredibly rough. It's definitely not something you'd want to do if you have a busted motor mount, if you know what I mean.
Glow plugs are an easy and relatively cheap fix. They're about $20 each ($14 from Rock Auto, $15 from Europarts, $48 at a dealer). The glow plug module (under the battery, behind the headlight assembly) will probably have to be replaced, unless it's already been replaced with the new one before you bought it. The original module has a fuse in there that can be replaced by soldering a new one into it, but the new one is solid state. If you replace it with a new one, then you should not have to replace it again when another glow plug blows and takes out the module. You just replace the plugs that are bad and reset the computer code and you're good to go. The ones that haven't gone bad don't need replacing until they do, although with three already gone out, I'd probably just replace all five. The module is $165 ($250 at the dealer). It's something you can do yourself, or a mechanic can do it in half an hour. But, the glow plugs are prone to snapping off, so you'll want the engine as hot as it can get, and make sure the mechanic knows how to get them out if they break. I've replaced all five of mine, and they came out easily, though.
Next time you have the transmission fluid changed, have then clean the conductor plate and speed sensor, and the circuit board up inside the transmission. Drop the pan and there it is. That can get contaminated, cause faulty reads from the speed sensor, and can cause the transmission to go into a more severe LHM were you only get reverse and second gear. You can reset it by turning the key on and off, but you only get about 5 of those resets before it's permanent until cleared by the DRBIII tool.
Motor mounts are $25-$30 each. Replace both of them. Labor will be between $400 and $600 depending on where you have it done. You don't need a Sprinter guy to do that, as any competent mechanic can do it, as long as he can independently raise and support the vehicle while also raising the engine inside the engine compartment a couple of inches with an engine support. Seems kinda pricey, but it's dirt cheap compared to having to replace all the stuff that can be damaged by long term excess vibration.
seekerman
Expert Expediter
The inline 5 turbo injected diesel engine is not your average old time truck engine. Maybe a gallon or so of #1 diesel (kerosine), but not gasoline. Even a small amount of gas in these Sprinters make the engine run incredibly rough. It's definitely not something you'd want to do if you have a busted motor mount, if you know what I mean.
Glow plugs are an easy and relatively cheap fix. They're about $20 each ($14 from Rock Auto, $15 from Europarts, $48 at a dealer). The glow plug module (under the battery, behind the headlight assembly) will probably have to be replaced, unless it's already been replaced with the new one before you bought it. The original module has a fuse in there that can be replaced by soldering a new one into it, but the new one is solid state. If you replace it with a new one, then you should not have to replace it again when another glow plug blows and takes out the module. You just replace the plugs that are bad and reset the computer code and you're good to go. The ones that haven't gone bad don't need replacing until they do, although with three already gone out, I'd probably just replace all five. The module is $165 ($250 at the dealer). It's something you can do yourself, or a mechanic can do it in half an hour. But, the glow plugs are prone to snapping off, so you'll want the engine as hot as it can get, and make sure the mechanic knows how to get them out if they break. I've replaced all five of mine, and they came out easily, though.
Next time you have the transmission fluid changed, have then clean the conductor plate and speed sensor, and the circuit board up inside the transmission. Drop the pan and there it is. That can get contaminated, cause faulty reads from the speed sensor, and can cause the transmission to go into a more severe LHM were you only get reverse and second gear. You can reset it by turning the key on and off, but you only get about 5 of those resets before it's permanent until cleared by the DRBIII tool.
Motor mounts are $25-$30 each. Replace both of them. Labor will be between $400 and $600 depending on where you have it done. You don't need a Sprinter guy to do that, as any competent mechanic can do it, as long as he can independently raise and support the vehicle while also raising the engine inside the engine compartment a couple of inches with an engine support. Seems kinda pricey, but it's dirt cheap compared to having to replace all the stuff that can be damaged by long term excess vibration.
Turtle....There comes a time in every businessman's career when the decision has to be made whether to expand his business or to remain stagnant. I have decided to expand by bringing on a technical consultant. After careful consideration of the many qualified applicants, I would like to offer you the position. I should tell you up front though, that the fleet is limited to one vehicle at this time and that the time frame for bringing additional vehicles into the fleet has not been developed. Thus your compensation package might not be in line with what you are enjoying in your present position. However, until such time as I can meet or exceed your present package, you will enjoy many perks, not the least of which is you will have the benefit of knowing that you are working for a company that appreciates and respects the talent and work ethic that you bring to the table. What do you say?
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I would say that a case of beer and some brats is gross overcompensation for my level of expertise.
zorry
Veteran Expediter
I would say that a case of beer and some brats is gross overcompensation for my level of expertise.
Man, don't say that !
He may counter offer with used beer/recycled brats !
Take the first offer, pleeez...
seekerman
Expert Expediter
It's back. Took a load to Florida from Ohio during the snow and ice fiasco just so I could enjoy some sunshine. Spent 3 days in Jacksonville then DH back up to Orangeburg. No limp mode during any of that time. Took a load to Grand Rapids yesterday and when I hit the NC mountains it went into limp. I said to heck with it and finished the load in limp mode. I called ahead and found an intercooler hose at a dodge dealership up here, or at least I think I did, but I'm confused. The OEM part numbers I found for the intercooler hoses are 5104449AA and 5120147AA. The dealer thinks the one I'm describing to him is the 5120147AA which he is holding for me. Let me get it right....is it the hose behind the radiator and sticking up in the air..one end has a metal sleeve, held by a spring clip, which fits into the same aluminum housing that the EGR valve is mounted to and the other end goes to something (I don't know what it is) right below the brake fluid reservoir and is secured by a regular clamp? The hose on there now looks pretty good but the retainer ring that holds it up against the manifold is pretty beat up and not precisely flush with the mouth of the manifold. I wonder if air is escaping that way. It had a little oily material on the male metal piece that fit into the mouth of the manifold and at the mouth of the manifold and I wiped it off. Help me Wanda.
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Your guessing now?.....
seekerman
Expert Expediter
Kinda dazed and confused last night. A long drive with no power will do that I guess. I'm currently at Courtesy Dodge in Grand Rapids. They're going to scan it in a bit.
seekerman
Expert Expediter
Incidentally, many congratulations on your quitting smoking. I just can't seem to get it together this time. I hope I haven't given up.
thank you..it is a constant struggle even now....not as bad and getting better all the time....
Now about that scan?......
westmicher
Veteran Expediter
You should ALWAYS go to K & M Dodge in Grand Rapids. They sold more $printers than anyone else in the Midwest and they still have 2 factory ( Germany) trained full time techs along with th most $printer parts in the midwest! Always quick service at a fair price...
ebsprintin
Veteran Expediter
With the help I get at Hoekstra's in Grand Rapids, I haven't had to check out the Dodge dealership.
eb
eb
seekerman
Expert Expediter
Courtesy came up first in search, so I called them. Found out they had a sprinter tech, so I thought I got lucky on the first try. Big mistake. He was able to read the DBRIII enough to show me that there was a EGR code and O2 sensor code. But that's it. He had no knowledge at all about the problem and just wanted to replace both parts. They're just a parts joint. They wanted a small fortune to replace the parts so I told them no thanks. I had them clean the EGR valve in hopes that would at least temporarily solve the problem. No joy. So....I called Jim Cogdill Dodge in Knoxville where I live and spoke to their tech. He's pretty good. He told me that the EGR problem would cause the O2 sensor code to come up, but that he would recommend replacing it as well since I had never done it. We talked about the issue at length. We talked about the resonator as well. I replaced the EGR valve 250,000 miles ago and have never replaced the O2 sensor, so ... I ordered OEM parts online, saving a bunch of money. I'm back in Knoxville and will let Jim Cogdill replace the parts on Monday. I'm also having the motor mounts replaced by someone else, as Turtle suggested. The miles I'm putting on this thing are catching up with me. I Needed some home time anyway. The good news is that I'm having all of the parts mentioned replaced for less than that route step outfit Courtesy wanted. We'll see.
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You are on the right track tho..,
seekerman
Expert Expediter
It was the EGR valve. After I left Courtesy Dodge, I started losing coolant and I couldn't locate the leak. When Courtesy took the EGR valve off to clean it they stripped the threads on two of the mounting holes in the manifold putting it back in. Coolant was leaking from the base of the EGR valve. Rusty at Jim Cogdill in Knoxville helicoiled the hole so the new EGR would tighten down properly.
To us, a mechanical problem that puts us down is akin to a health problem that does the same thing. Getting it fixed makes the world bright and new again. Sincerest thanks to you all for your help.
To us, a mechanical problem that puts us down is akin to a health problem that does the same thing. Getting it fixed makes the world bright and new again. Sincerest thanks to you all for your help.
that doesn't make sense, the time line.....you had the problem BEFORE the EGR cleaning...going into limp mode....you had the limp home problem? ...then a coolant leak problem?