313 Motor History

[Fanny]

I am driving a 2001 Sprinter 313CDI. In the process of preparing for the ‘big trip’ I arranged to get a Carnet de Passage. As one of the requirements of the CdP is I needed the MOTOR NUMBER.

With a bit of work, and a camera, I got the motor number from engine. Surprisingly, it turns out that the motor number ON the motor is NOT the same as on the what is listed on the MB workorders. The previous owner says he knows nothing.
So maybe the motor has been changed. I have had discussions with three different MB dealerships (France, Germany and Russia) and have not received any help. It seems that while they need the vehicle registration to order a simple fuel filter, they cannot seem to search their database for information on this motor.

Instead of the original OM611 motor it seems I have an OM 646.989 (51-838464) series motor.

Can anyone tell me:
1. The date of production of this motor
2. The provenance of the motor – a crate or another sprinter
3. The proper oil for this motor is MB228.51 or MB229.51
4. Does this series of motors have a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)?
5. This motor series is EURO3 or EURO4 or EURO5 spec (which will affect my trip as I plan to go into Uzbekistan, known for really poor diesel…)

thanks
Chris

[Epeg]

Also wenn ich das richtig sehe, ist der Motor der Nachfolger von deinem 611er.

Den 646 haben wir in unseren älteren NCV3 Sprinter`n verbaut. Zum Beispiel als 315CDI.





Also hast du einen Austausch Rumpfmotor verbaut. Wenn der nicht von einer Mercedes Werkstatt eingebaut wurde, können die es natürlich auch nicht wissen.

Frag doch mal im www.sprinter-forum.de nach. Da gibt es viele kompetente Leute.

[Fanny]

Danke Epeg

[Schrauberlein]

Hallo Chris

Hier gibt es Informationen zum Motor.

https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercede ... 647/OM_648

Mercedes Sprinter 2006-2009.

Viele Grüße

Armin

[chase4food]

I am driving a 2001 Sprinter 313CDI. In the process of preparing for the ‘big trip’ I arranged to get a Carnet de Passage. As one of the requirements of the CdP is I needed the MOTOR NUMBER.

With a bit of work, and a camera, I got the motor number from engine. Surprisingly, it turns out that the motor number ON the motor is NOT the same as on the what is listed on the MB workorders. The previous owner says he knows nothing.
So maybe the motor has been changed. I have had discussions with three different MB dealerships (France, Germany and Russia) and have not received any help. It seems that while they need the vehicle registration to order a simple fuel filter, they cannot seem to search their database for information on this motor.

Instead of the original OM611 motor it seems I have an OM 646.989 (51-838464) series motor.

Can anyone tell me:
1. The date of production of this motor
2. The provenance of the motor – a crate or another sprinter
3. The proper oil for this motor is MB228.51 or MB229.51
4. Does this series of motors have a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)?
5. This motor series is EURO3 or EURO4 or EURO5 spec (which will affect my trip as I plan to go into Uzbekistan, known for really poor diesel…)

thanks
Chris

Hi Chris,

Since you have a 4x4 JC, your OM646 engine may be a part of the drivetrain (4x4 and together with the engine) transplant a previous owner did to your James Cook. I am not aware that Westfalia ever build James Cook with 4x4 Sprinter, but I can be wrong. Do you know how many owners owned this vehicle? If there is only one before you the previous owner has to know.

[Fanny]

Hello Vince
You are correct, the Westfalia guys did NOT install the 4x4. This came afterwards via Iglhaugt-Allrad located in Germany.

Turns out that I am the third owner of the car, the Iglhaut 4x4 conversion was done by the first owner. I have the Iglhaut data sheet and the original workorders and there is no mention (as far as I can tell - I don't read German) of a motor change.

Also I have come to understand, that if a motor is changed on a European vehicle, there is some sort of process required to declare the change and have the manufacturer change the details in the 'system' to reflect the new motor number. Currently my workorders at MB still carry the original motor number, meaning, it was NOT LIKELY changed in Europe.

The Second owner (Austrian) had the van just a short time, maybe a year in total of which he did Austria-Mongolia-Austria in, he says, 3 months. Furthermore, he doesn't know of the motor change but is also a bit vague of some mechanical problem he had in Russia that caused a change in his travel plans. Mechanical problems are a fact of life on the overland trail, but to cause an early return? While we talked about mechanical status of the van, he never did actually describe the problem he had.

From MB dealer in Paris, France I was able to get a printout data of the actual motor, with the only interesting detail was the motor was produced in 2010. No information of where and when or where it went.

Before embarking on my own Central Asia tour (currently in Siberia) I stopped by the Iglhaut/Mercedes shop in June 2015 to do some simple general maintenance and ESPRESSLY to have the Iglhaut team give the 4x4 a look over and verification. During that time, I mentioned the new motor and they (with very little motivation and grace) were able to search the motor number and they came up with one detail: the motor came from a RUSSIAN Sprinter 415; which was later denied by the head Iglhaut manager as being impossible as the motor/sprinter combo never existed. Full stop.

That is as far as I got. No MB dealership is willing or interested to provide any details - either of the actual motor, or the tech specs of the motor series.

As an editorial:
I am very impressed with the solidity and capacity of the Iglhaut 4x4 system. I am however very disappointed at the level of interest and service of the Iglhaut staff. For what it's worth, this '4x4 kit' cost over 30 000 euro in 2007 to install! I asked them to check on the locking rear diff (electric/pneumatic) as the 'engaged' light does not come on. During my time at the shop the best they could say is they checked and confirmed that it is working, the light is not working. I have proven via offroad experience that the rear diff lock is NOT working. Here in Irkutsk, I am sitting in a MB dealership with a motor vacuum related problem (that was present since the day I bought the van, I just didn't know, resulting in a failed turbo) and in fact there is are several vacuum leaks, including one at the rear diff switch, proving that, in fact, Iglhaut didn't actually confirm or repair anything. Furthermore, Iglhaut refused to accept my VISA and i had to pay a shockingly hefty bill - for a service that ended up being one wheel bearing, oil and filter change, and gear oil change in the diffs in CASH (or PAY 20% more on the visa to cover the visa charges Iglhaut pays to VISA). Imagine that business model?

I'd like to add a Iglhaut 4x4 system on my next sprinter, but I am not sure I will as I am not sure I want to deal with the Iglhaut guys again.

I do recommend that you should get your sprinter repaired in Russia. Cheaper, and it seems they are able to find the problems other MB dealers have 'missed'. The Russians are much easier to deal with, despite the language issue, than any of the other European MB dealers I have visited.

[chase4food]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for sharing the detail of the colorful history of your 4x4 JC. It is a special vehicle despite the trouble you are having. That is quite an overland journey you are taking and I am envious. It seems you have done a good job uncovering the mysterious history of the OM646 4 cylinder engine you have. From what I understand, installing a much later year engine from the facelift Sprinter into the previous T1N would involve a lot of hacking knowhow of the ECU, and of all the countries, Russia has the most amount of these industrious folks. The bits and pieces of your discovery strongly suggest the work is likely done in Russia.

In the risk of calling someone a lier, from what you shared, the second owner is the most likely the person that was involved with the engine swap. Should the event unfold that you need to establish this, I am sure there are evidences (such as the manufacturing dates of various parts required to carry out this swap) that can be traced as to the approximate date of the conversion - hence which owner is responsible.

The OM646 is a very good engine from what I read. My number one concern of such engine swap would be the drivability should the hack of the ECU was not done well.

Sorry to hear about your vacuum leak problem and the lackluster service from Iglhaut. They obvious failed in the service professionalism and I am very surprised given what they tout on their website. They claim that their 4x4 conversion is supported by MB dealership worldwide. I serious doubt this is the case if you driving your 4x4 JC into any MB dealership in USA . Most MB dealership here in the US have enough challenges service a plain Jane Sprinter .

Finally here in the US, MB begins (2015 model year) selling the Sprinter with the 4x4 option. I have not done research as who supplies the 4x4 drivetrain. My initial thought was some company in Austria. May be it is Iglhaut in Germany.

[Fanny]

Thanks Vince
Yes, my wife and I are indeed very happy with the JC. I say to her over and over again just how comfortable we are in this camper. There is not much I would change in it. More insulation perhaps...its getting cold here in Siberia!

And for that matter, the Sprinter (my first) is a beast in itself. The motor is very powerful and pulls our loaded, full-time 4x4 system and the oversized tired, wind-stopping vehicle along very well. The 4x4 has pulled us out of places my old Mitsu Delica van wouldn't go, I am sure of it, despite our tall profile and heavy load.

We've been in Irkutsk now for almost two weeks (sleeping in the van in the MB dealership parking!) while we are diagnosing the Turbo issue. Diagnosing hasn't been such a large problem, mostly waiting for parts from Moscow that is eating time on our visa. We have verified and corrected the various vacuum leaks (easy, first response action) and have replaced the Turbo actuator electric vacuum control valve (common problem I hear) and finally the turbo itself. We still are still suffering an engine controlled LIMP mode (not a mechanical limp caused by something sticking or blocked). The latest test shows that the LIMP is being caused by engine overheat, despite the fact that our motor temp gauge still reads a proper 80deg- it could be true as we start every morning with hair-straight-back power and after 5 min we drop into LIMP. The poor techs are at their wits end. They have finally unbolted the whole front-end and are now cleaning the dust and bugs out of the rad and intercooler. YOU should see the amount of dirt being blown out of the rad - I have never seen such a thing, had no idea it was possible to pack a rad like that WITHOUT going for a mudbath. Hopefully we can be on our way soon!

Coincidentally, we sleep here at MB Irkutsk next to a 2015 MB sprinter 4x4. I have spent a few minutes underneath the MB built 4x4 and it is different from my Iglhaut version. Some parts, like the front suspension, including the front inverted leaf spring and supporting superstructure and lower A arms appear very similar. The transfer case, Transfer case to Front Diff propeller shaft and the Front Diff itself appear much smaller, lighter and less strong. But I am no engineer. Iglhaut offers as part of their package front, center and rear diff locks which are a very nice option. MB probably does too.

[Fanny]

Still stuck in UlanBaatar with turbo issues...when a Westfalia JC with an Oberaigner 4x4 system drives in. We talk, blabla, and I peak underneath at the 4WD system. The system on the Oberaigner is remarkably similar to the new MB 4x4 system. That is to say, seems less robust than the Iglhaut system. Here is the Oberaigner link: http://www.oberaigner.com/en/vehicles/sprinter4x4.html
and some close-up pics of the JC running gear:
https://4x4westfaliajamescook.wordpress ... ning-gear/


Further on the 313 motor issue: Is it possible that the previous owner simply changed the BLOCK (using a 646 block to replace the 611 block) while keeping all the original head, bits and pieces of the 611 motor?