Hey, all-

I've read with interest the threads on stuffing a Cummins into a Ford; what about the 5-cyl diesel M-B (dodge) Sprinter Engine?

Anybody thinking about this?

Cheers!

Ingalls

 

what are the specs of the motor? anything can be done if you have the money, but you just need to think will that motor be sufficient for the uses demanded of some of the super duty trucks?

 

Sprinter's engines are lower HP than those Ford puts in Superduties, but if you have the engine for free and lot of time in your hand the project might be rewarding since the MB engines offer 25 mpg pulling big vans.
Typical problem with newer generation engines is pulling all the computers that are married to the engine.

 

Not yet! Diesel is apparently still cheap enough.
Maybe at $5 or $6 per gallon?

 

We have a few 2500 sprinter vans, some regular high tops and some with a 500cube box on the back. The older ones fell apart before 150000, alot of transmission problems, some turbo and engine problems also. The newer ones seem to be better but only have about 60k on em at this point. They have some power but rev way higher than a psd or cummins type diesel. No low end torque and 2-3 seconds if turbo lag.

I would only take one if it was a different trans (ours have the auto with a shifter you push left/right to select gears not sure what it is). And i didnt plan to go over about 5-7k lbs with it

 

I have seen many older and newer sprinters have major engine problems. They are very expensive to repair and maintain and have only seen 2 make it to 200k miles. The engines cost about $18k new and 22 max mpg. Please nobody do this. We should be discussing a power stroke in a sprinter

 

Sprinters with cdi engine are on European roads for close to 15 years and seems still to be in high demand. I read about them reaching close to 2 millions km, or million miles on several occasions. Fact is that probably all of them in Europe are manuals.
BTW they run 20,000 miles oil changes

 

So ours that needed transmission rebuild at 60k are only on thier 3rd oil change and 2nd turbo... Great!

I know they have/had a good reputation overseas which is why they bought them idk maybe dodge out the us version together wrong but they are really horrible.

 

Do you work at Fedex Anomic?

Where I work there are about 15 sprinters from 05 to 08 and there is 1 2005 that has just over 500k. The only original piece is the rear end. It has had 2 transmissions and is on its 4th, yes 4th engine. All of the sprinters are maintained very well and probably keeping to local sprinter service shops in business. The parts take forever to get and are not cheap. Most of the sprinters are on the way out the door and replaced with chevy and ford gas or diesel vans. The GM and Fords cost less for initial expense, come with a 100k warranty instead of 36k and can be maintained at almost any shop for cheap.

 

The Sprinter engines make a fraction of the power even the 7.3l makes. There is no way I'd even consider putting them in any SD. If you want a diesel with good power and mpg for a SD look into a 12V or 24V Cummins.

 

Ups. Like i said ups is notorious for keeping vehicles forever. They just retired my early 80s gm p1000. But the sprinters where all crushed (literally smashed at salvage yard) within 7 years because they where just so expensive to keep on road.

But its not just the motor/trans falling apart but the truck falls apart around the falling apart motor. Freightliner makes a p500 -- about the same size as a "box sprinter" that is 1000 times better vehicle. On the cheap side the workhorse isnt to bad but not close to the frieghtliner

 

I've been at Fedex for 6 years and have owned 2 sprinters. I got rid of them before anything major and have 2 Fords 2 Chevys to replace any sprinters I would have needed. It's a little different when you have to pay to repair them too. I also have a p500 which is great, has a 6.5 GM diesel a Int P1000 and 2 1200s. I knew a guy who put a motor trans and lots of other stuff into a sprinter in one year and spent $32k on maintenance. And to put one of those motors in a pickup would just be terrible. So please nobody even try.

 

I guess the euro sprinters are built differently as i dont know anyone with first hand experience that feels different than chugster and myself!

I Got off that country route and have a international p1200 now. I love it! Great turning radius for such a long truck, has good power, have had 1400pkgs in it lots of room, only issue is the 444 is pretty dang loud.

 

I have a 444 a cummins and a MBE 900. The 444 is noisy but does good. The cummins has been very solid no complaints and the mercedes is noisy and good power with a few issues but will get 13 mpg if going out of town. The UPS guy brought me some nice new tires yesterday and he talked to me for awhile wondering about all my cars and what I do, kind of funny I guess