Fleet Sprinter DIY Camper Conversion

"nerd_racing" (nerd189)
03/21/2019 at 11:35 • Filed to: None

Alright guys, I know many of us have been thinking it, who has some advice as far as reliability goes? How many miles is too many for the old diesel gals? What years are better than others?

I mean, I already have the refrigerator in this picture.

DISCUSSION (36)

Future Heap Owner > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 11:41

I have nothing useful to contribute. But I really really hope you do this and provide plentiful updates w/pictures.

vicali > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 11:47

I like these guys;

https://www.exploringalternatives.ca/

and they are currently building a Sprinter.

nermal > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 11:50

Depends on your budget & intended usage.

If looking new, you can get a diesel truck and medium-yuuuuuuge trailer for the same or less cost than a converted van.

Same applies for used.

nerd_racing > Future Heap Owner
03/21/2019 at 11:50

I’m not that old, but I’d like to build something I could use for camping now, and eventually use for a retirement/suddenly unemployed minimalist alternative living rig. Sprinter seems to be the most plentiful, diesel means robust drive- train /decent fuel economy, and they can get quite large if I wanted to do as much as a high top, 170" wheel base.

HammerheadFistpunch > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 11:54

They are known to rust to hell, but as far as I know the mechanicals are pretty stout.

Is that fridge a compressor fridge (12v) or just an absorption cycle 2/3 way?

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 11:55

The S printers of the Mopar era are really scattershot, and some of the mechanicals/etc. are a real bear to replace or diagnose. Some elements are built to a budget or not held in common with the world market Benzos. A friend of my dad bought one years ago, and it’s been kind of a problem child since day one. A diesel! It’s currently stuck at my dad’s shop waiting for diagnosis/parts replacement money, due to ongoing fuel rail/injection and if I’m not mistaken, EGR system problems.

I believe the Freightliner ones are much better.

Ssfancyfresh > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 11:57

I love this idea. Have considered it myself. My only concern with the S printer, in particular, is rust. Everyone I see, even the newer models, has the cancer everywhere. But I live in a state that salts its roads in the winter.

Transit seems to hold up well. The older GM vans are good, but they don’t have the same narrow/tall form factor.

VincentMalamute-Kim > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 12:01

I’m very slowly converting a 2017 Transit, not a Sprinter. From the stuff I’ve read, the first gen Sprinter (T1N) diesels are great, reliable but if you live in salty climates, bodies rust out.

Emissions enabled 2nd gen diesels (NCV3) are not reliable. Same with Transit diesels.

Don’t know if 3rd gen diesels (from 2019 on) will be the same poor reliability or if they’ve fixed the issues. 2019 is the first time with gas engine option for the US so that might be fine.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 12:01

I was obsessed with adventure vans a few weeks ago. My limited research indicated that the Sprinters are pricey to maintain, although I wasn’t clear if that spoke to reliability or cost of replacement parts and regular maintenance. They also seemed to have slightly less typical sizes than the competition.

Some commentary from this CarsofFortLangely post might be helpful. Or might not. In general, it seems like maybe the Ford Transit might be the best platform compromise for an adventure van.

Bear in mind that there are van-based RVs available, but of course you pay a lot for that. Another thing I considered was a pickup with a truck-bed RV. Some of those are very nice, the truck could get most places with bad roads, and you could use the truck the rest of the time. I just don’t need a truck, but you might like one to tow cars or something.

Just don’t buy cbell04's former Ram ProMaster .

A t this point I’ve settled on just getting a very plush air/foam mattress and likely a bigger tent and camping next to the car, and not camping in the winter .

nerd_racing > HammerheadFistpunch
03/21/2019 at 12:03

it is a household fridge from what I was told and it looks identical to the one I run off 12 volt.

HammerheadFistpunch > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 12:04

so it does run off 12v? You would probably know because any compressor fridge that runs on 12v is like 6x as much money as a 110 fridge

VincentMalamute-Kim > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 12:05

See my other response. Emissions enabled diesels have a bad rap for reliability. ( Ford doesn’t even want you to idle the Transit diesels) . I think Transits are going to beat Sprinter in popularity. The campers like Sprinter because of the factory 4x4 but 2020 Transits have AWD as an option.

yeah, I’m biased. But other concerns - high cost and limited availability of Mercedes service centers . Especially if you’re camping out west.

Future Heap Owner > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 12:06

One of my best friends bought a new full-size Ford T ransit van (gas, 2WD) for this purpose, that he now lives out of. He went Transit because he wanted to buy new, and Sprinters were out of his price range, but he’s had no trouble softroading it on forest service roads all up and down the Sierra Nevadas.

MonkeePuzzle > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 12:07

fridge within reach of bed sound perfect

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 12:12

Some links if you haven’t already gone down the rabbithole:

https://gnomadhome.com/build-your-van/#choosing

https://www.curbed.com/2018/4/13/17234364/camper-van-vanlife-diy-build

My favorite build page was Far Out Ride .

Jake, Yes, wearing khakis > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 12:13

You could do an old conversion van like we are doing now. I don’t have any interior pics on me at the moment, but here is a crappy potato pic, ignore the snow blower. We picked it up with 140k on it with the 4.6l for 750$

Kinja'd!!!

Granted we wont have a built in sink, fridge, or pooper but its for camping not turning into a second house. Its got AC, heat, and a TV so im good :D

RallyWrench > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 12:15

Year? If it’s an option where you register it, delete or otherwise disable the EGR system. It’s the root of all evil on OM642s and every other modern diesel. The engines themselves will quite easily exceed 300,000 miles, and I’ve heard half a million or more in fleet use like Sprinters often see. But the intake carbon buildup is hell to deal with. They also leak oil badly at the oil coolers, which are in the vee of engine and requires removal of turbo and intakes, so it ends up being really expensive to set right. The 722.6 and .9 transmissions are good if serviced every 40-50k, I’ve seen them do over 300k too. I really want a Sprinter to do exactly this with, for a family camper. T here’s a shop near me that just opened to outfit them so I keep seeing really cool ones around.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RallyWrench
03/21/2019 at 12:19

On that note, another friend of my dad bought an R320 with OM642, and had to replace the EGR valve and pretty much the whole intake swirl flap setup... and I had to order the parts. WHEEE.

Had to buy a used manifold because the little swirl flap bellcrank broke and apparently isn’t sold separately, as well as the swirl flap motor and the everybody-fixes-this linkages.

PowderHound > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 12:20

Depending on how much actual off roading you actually plan to do with it, I don’t think 4x4 is necessary. It just adds even more weight and complexity. The transits and pro masters are much cheaper and the added weight of a build out should help to keep traction. I would think Maxtrax would be nice to have and possibly a winch but even that might be overkill unless you are doing some gnarly roads.

nerd_racing > PowderHound
03/21/2019 at 12:32

I’m thinking the worst off roading I would do is gravel/dirt roads.

shop-teacher > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 12:40

Stick with 2wd then. Keep a set of Maxtrax and a shovel handy.

RallyWrench > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
03/21/2019 at 12:40

Yeah. That shit is ‘spensive. There are aftermarket solutions for the broken arms, but we often end up having to replace the lower intakes anyway because they’re too worn or jammed by carbon internally to make their commanded positions as read by the potentiometers , and turn on the MIL. And if you just do one, you’ll have to take it all apart again to do the other not far down the road , which we learned the hard way a few years ago . Also, the EGR actuator effectively welds itself into the left intake with hardened soot (as happens with glow plugs sometimes) , making it unremovable. Give me that good old time OM617 or 603. As an aside, I saw somebody kill a 617 yesterday, the poor thing. The starter failed from connecting rod intrusion after the kid ran it out of oil.

shop-teacher > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 12:41

Stay away from anywhere that uses road salt, if you’re buying a Sprinter. Those things rust like it’s their job.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RallyWrench
03/21/2019 at 12:55

Talking of 603s, I really need to get around to ordering that vacuum pump from you. That, and either from you or the site that specializes in them, the turbo rebuild kit. My Benz hasn’t seen much love lately because of the noisy pump, a battery that was allowed to run down, the total lack of power, and the Galaxie being so darn fun.

nerd_racing > HammerheadFistpunch
03/21/2019 at 13:48

It’s definitely not 12v then.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > Jake, Yes, wearing khakis
03/21/2019 at 14:24

Nice price! I’d be interested if you made a post sharing about the condition and work needed - that seems like a pretty low price to be based solely on the miles.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
03/21/2019 at 15:31

We do these all the time. The little arm pivots on the intakes wear out because of carbon. It's dumb. We do intakes, the motor, and oil cooler all at the same time. It's a few grand.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 15:39

I don’t work on sprinters, so take this with a grain of salt. I know absolutely nothing about ones pre-OM642. That engine, in normal Mercedes, can have timing chain issues, specifically Bluetec versions. They’re all prone to oil cooler leaks and carbon build up, but there’s great info about that down below already. I think turbos can be an issue on the sprinters, particularly if they’ve idled a lot or had poor service history.

My suggestion would be to save up and get one with the OM651 4 cylinder diesel. I love that motor. The early ones had water pump issues because they had plastic housings. But newer ones, and replacements are aluminum. Other than that they've really been fantastic. They doing need more power. They get great mileage.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
03/21/2019 at 15:40

Yeah, my dad and his henchman were not entirely thrilled with the whole setup. If I’d posted on here what he was up to, I might have forwarded the tip on doing the oil cooler while he was in there, but it was a favor-for-a-friend fixing-only-straight-busted-things-because-money kind of thing.

Same thing with my brother-in-law’s Tiburon and its self-destructing dual-mass flywheel. There are just too many quirky (doug?) vehicles in our set of friends and family, I tell ya.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
03/21/2019 at 15:55

For the cost of the oil cooler seals (20$?) And the amount of extra time it takes to do them with the intakes out (5 minutes), and how often they leak, it's dumb for us not to recommend everything together.

SpeedSix > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
03/21/2019 at 18:09

And more on:

http://www.doityourselfrv.com/

https://www.buildagreenrv.com/

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > HammerheadFistpunch
03/21/2019 at 18:41

Actually, according to my read of the Danfoss catalogue a few years back, all 110/240 volt AC fridges have a transformer power supply in them so that the compressor can be run at its required 12/24 volt DC supply.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > nerd_racing
03/21/2019 at 18:55

I’ve run a 2.5 TDI VW Transporter dual cab since 2001. It’s AWD and very effective. It’s coming up on 300,000 kilometres now and it is mostly still okay.

AWD is nice to have from a dirt road handling pov but not essential. The gearing that goes with theses vans is not ideal for actual crawling anyway plus the open diffs mean that even lifting one wheel means you are getting stopped.

More modern diesel vans like the ones you are interested in do have carbon issues but mostly because they spend too much time idling or moving at a crawl in suburbia. If you are on the open road...not really an issue as the DPF frequently regenerates under these conditions.

Either way...ignore the recommended service intervals (especially for oil changes) and stick with 10,000 miles or better still 6,000.

Personally, I'm looking with interest at the new Transit dual cab chassis with AWD in the hope that it comes to Oz. Might have to get a job again though just to pay for it....

HammerheadFistpunch > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
03/21/2019 at 19:38

now that is interesting. i guess you'd I'll have to look into it because i would loooove to replace the absorption cycle fridge in my trailer with a compressor fridge

RallyWrench > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
03/22/2019 at 16:35

This. People are not stoked on a $3-4K bill but we only want to do it once.

RallyWrench > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
03/22/2019 at 16:38

I can’t get turbo rebuild kits for any better than the internets, but let me know on the vacuum pump, that I can just ship you for my cost . I can’t blame you for Galaxie>300D, I’d choose the same.

Also

https://slo.craigslist.org/cto/d/grover-beach-1964-ford-woody-wagon/6847389416.html