You open the hood of your Sprinter and there’s oil where oil shouldn’t be — collected in the valley between the cylinder banks, running down the back of the engine, sometimes dripping onto the bellhousing and burning off with that unmistakable smell. On...
A Sprinter van is only worth what it can haul, and a diesel that’s leaking oil or stuck in limp mode isn’t hauling anything. Whether you run a work van, a delivery route, or a camper conversion around Santa Cruz, these Mercedes-built diesels need a shop...
You hook up the trailer, load the family, and point the Sprinter toward Highway 17. It is 88 degrees; the climb over the hill to San Jose is bumper-to-bumper, and halfway up, the temperature gauge starts to climb while the van feels down on power. Bad sign. That is a...
Quick Takeaways: VW and Audi EA888 engines use an integrated water pump and thermostat module with a plastic housing that cracks and leaks with age and heat cycling. The sustained climb of Highway 17 in summer heat is one of the toughest cooling-system tests a Santa...
Quick Takeaways: Volkswagen 1.8T and 2.0T TSI engines have a documented history of timing chain stretch and tensioner failure on early production models. A metallic rattle on cold startup that clears within seconds of running is the most consistent early warning of...
