2017 sprinter 2.1 limp mode 165 thousand miles l

[Scoooby1989]

Van is going into limp mode.

Fault codes showing:

• P0263 Cylinder 1 contribution/balance

• P0266 Cylinder 2 contribution/balance

• P0272 Cylinder 4 contribution/balance

Coolant has a glitter/sparkly look in it. I tested with a magnet and it doesn’t stick, so thinking block sealer rad sealer may have been used by a previous owner.

Heaters are blowing out hot air, and the van starts and sounds completely normal with no obvious misfire. Idles smooth.

No injector knock or rough running, which is what’s confusing me given the balance codes.

Before I start throwing parts at it, has anyone seen this exact issue before or got advice on what to check first?

Any help appreciated

[E-bmw]

Is it possible to reset/recal injectors on those?

How difficult are the injectors to get at?

If it were me I would obviously be thinking either injectors or compression.

To try to eliminate injectors, can you get a new copper seal (assuming those use copper seals obvs.) and swap 3 for A.N Other and see what happens to the codes.

[stevieturbo]

VAG diagnostics offer info on injector flow that can help identify which injectors might be flowing more or less to assist with diagnosing a problem

I'd imagine the Merc stuff should do similar ? So look at the data for each

[Doesitdrive]

Scoooby1989 said:

Van is going into limp mode.

Fault codes showing:

P0263 Cylinder 1 contribution/balance

P0266 Cylinder 2 contribution/balance

P0272 Cylinder 4 contribution/balance

Coolant has a glitter/sparkly look in it. I tested with a magnet and it doesn t stick, so thinking block sealer rad sealer may have been used by a previous owner.

Heaters are blowing out hot air, and the van starts and sounds completely normal with no obvious misfire. Idles smooth.

No injector knock or rough running, which is what s confusing me given the balance codes.

Before I start throwing parts at it, has anyone seen this exact issue before or got advice on what to check first?

Any help appreciated

Given you think sealer has been added to coolant and that usually happens for head gasket failure, wouldn't it be wise to start with a compression test before the injectors ?

[E-bmw]

Doesitdrive said:

Scoooby1989 said:

Van is going into limp mode.

Fault codes showing:

P0263 Cylinder 1 contribution/balance

P0266 Cylinder 2 contribution/balance

P0272 Cylinder 4 contribution/balance

Coolant has a glitter/sparkly look in it. I tested with a magnet and it doesn t stick, so thinking block sealer rad sealer may have been used by a previous owner.

Heaters are blowing out hot air, and the van starts and sounds completely normal with no obvious misfire. Idles smooth.

No injector knock or rough running, which is what s confusing me given the balance codes.

Before I start throwing parts at it, has anyone seen this exact issue before or got advice on what to check first?

Any help appreciated

Given you think sealer has been added to coolant and that usually happens for head gasket failure, wouldn't it be wise to start with a compression test before the injectors ?

100% wouldn't be suggesting changing injectors at this point, hence why I said to swap if possible as if it stays the same then that helps point the compression diagnosis that I also mentioned.

Although, unless it was catastrophic (which would also be showing other symptoms) then it would be less likely to have lost compression on 3 cylinders with a CHG, but not beyond the realms of possibility obviously.

[Scoooby1989]

Went and done a sniff test and it failed unfortunately, I don’t know the best route to go down now

[E-bmw]

Compression test, with a suspected head gasket failure being the diagnosis.

[paul_c123]

New head gasket - and check the head for cracks/.

[Richard-D]

Before you start stripping the engine down I would be putting a boroscope into each cylinder whilst pressuring the coolant system. It would be a real shame to pull the head and find nothing because your egr cooler has a leak.

Compression test isn't much use for diagnosing head gaskets so please don't waste your time.

Also don't go swapping injectors. You won't know whether or not generated codes are just down to coding/trim figures messing with your results.

[Doesitdrive]

paul_c123 said:

New head gasket - and check the head for cracks/.

Might be wise to at least change the tensioner and maybe the chain too while it's apart.

[E-bmw]

Richard-D said:

Before you start stripping the engine down I would be putting a boroscope into each cylinder whilst pressuring the coolant system. It would be a real shame to pull the head and find nothing because your egr cooler has a leak.

Valid point I didn't mention but covered in my suggestion of compression test.

Richard-D said:

Compression test isn't much use for diagnosing head gaskets so please don't waste your time.

Well, it is, because that would also help with your above suggestion of the EGR being the issue without bore scoping the engine.

Richard-D said:

Also don't go swapping injectors. You won't know whether or not generated codes are just down to coding/trim figures messing with your results.

Yes, irrelevant now to swap them, that was before the OP found the combustion gases in the coolant.

[Richard-D]

E-bmw said:

Richard-D said:

Compression test isn't much use for diagnosing head gaskets so please don't waste your time.

Well, it is, because that would also help with your above suggestion of the EGR being the issue without bore scoping the engine.

For a failed head gasket to be so bad that is would be noticeable on a compression test it would need to have a chunk of fire ring missing. The OP states there is no rough running. This test would be a complete waste of his time and, being a diesel, a waste of a fair amount of money for the kit.

[paul_c123]

Normally with a HGF where its leaking between cylinder and coolant, you'd also see a big rise in the pressure in the coolant circuit. There is a test, where you can put eg a rubber glove over the coolant expansion tank bottle, to roughly see if this huge pressure rise occurs.

[jeremyc]

Richard-D said:

The OP states there is no rough running.

I'd say that limp mode was pretty rough running!

[Richard-D]

jeremyc said:

Richard-D said:

The OP states there is no rough running.

I'd say that limp mode was pretty rough running!

Limp mode and rough running are not the same. They can be concurrent but are very often not.

Limp mode is very often just reduced power.

[E-bmw]

Richard-D said:

E-bmw said:

Richard-D said:

Compression test isn't much use for diagnosing head gaskets so please don't waste your time.

Well, it is, because that would also help with your above suggestion of the EGR being the issue without bore scoping the engine.

For a failed head gasket to be so bad that is would be noticeable on a compression test it would need to have a chunk of fire ring missing. The OP states there is no rough running. This test would be a complete waste of his time and, being a diesel, a waste of a fair amount of money for the kit.

I do get what you say, but I would still not say a complete waste, especially as compression test gear is as common as it is, and without a bore scope there would still be (less, yes, obviously) outlay.

[Scoooby1989]

I had a merc master tech out with his computer he said i need to recode the injectors, he is coming back to do it with a different computer, he also said not to worry about the sniff test … this is the codes from his computer

[paul_c123]

What a calamity of misdiagnosis.

1) Your code reader read 4 digit codes, not extended 6 digit manufacturer ones; and also didn't give proper descriptions of the fault code
2) Your coolant sniff test proved to be a red herring.

Well, I say that.....you've not fixed it yet. Not sure why the tech was unable to recode the injectors there and then, it normally takes about 10 mins once you have the numbers (which are printed on the injectors).

[Scoooby1989]

The codes are 6 digits

[paul_c123]

Scoooby1989 said:

The codes are 6 digits

The 1st post has 4 digit codes