This is a fuel injector in a Sprinter Van.

What is a fuel injector?

Yah, I know.  I get it.  What’s a fuel injector?  When I start talking about engine parts, I guarantee the look you are going to see from me is this…..

It’s just over my head.  It’s so far outside my wheelhouse, it’s on another planet.  Lucky for me (and you!) I have an amazing husband!  When he hears people start talking about engine parts, I guarantee the look you are going to see from him is this….

He gets so excited about it!  He’s McGyver.  He can fix anything, anytime, anywhere.  Well, almost.  And he is especially good with engines.

So, here is the ONE THING that Todd will tell you that you NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY A SPRINTER VAN.

Look for Black Death

Out of the top ten things to look for in a Sprinter Van that you are considering converting, the number ONE thing you should look for is Black Death.  There are many things that can go wrong with your used Sprinter Van, and obviously, we recommend you take it to a qualified mechanic BEFORE you buy it.  But if you want to know the number one complaint found in forums, and that causes screams of agony from mechanic’s garages around the United States (ok, that’s a little dramatic, but you get my point), it’s Black Death.

Sprinter Van Black Death is something that happens when you have a leaking fuel injector.  It’s bad.  Really, really bad.  But, the problem is you can’t just see it when you look at the engine. You have to actually take off the cover, and look at the fuel injector to see if it is leaking into the cylinder.

Important point:  This ONLY HAPPENS in a TN1 version of the Sprinter Van, which are the Sprinter Vans 2006 and prior, that are 2.7 liter 5 cylinder diesel engines.

I am going to be honest with you.  I really have no idea what that means.  But I know that Todd is serious about it.  Like “deathly” serious.  See what I did there?  I crack myself up.

It’s worth the effort if you are going to purchase a Sprinter Van.  Sprinter Van Black Death is costly.  Fuel Injector repair cost can be from $1000 to $1500 dollars.  While it doesn’t mean that your Sprinter Van will ACTUALLY die, you may die a little inside after you see that price tag.

So make sure when you go to purchase your van, you take off the cover and really, really look.  That means (according to Todd) that you NEED to remove the 5mm Allen bolts that secure the cover and inspect that interior compartment for leaks.  Those hold-down bolts may get loose or the seals could potentially erode, and if they start to leak, they will produce that black goo -“black death” in the part above the cylinder head.

You want it to look like this.  Sure, it might have a bit of rust on it, and it won’t be brand new.  But, it also won’t have gummy, black residue covering the entire thing.  If you see that? Think really long and hard if this van is worth it, because that is likely to be a costly mistake.

This has been a public service announcement regarding Sprinter Van Black Death from your friendly Van Adieu Adventurers, Todd and Annette.

(Ok, mostly Todd!)

Would you like even more information on Sprinter Vans, Sprinter Van Conversion, and our journey to convert our own?

Please JOIN the Adieu Crew at the bottom of this post and be the FIRST to know when we are finishing projects!

In fact, we just did an AMAZING post WITH VIDEO on Sprinter Van Windows that are completely unique and you’ve NEVER heard of them – but you need to!  Click the link to see our Video on our new windows for the Sprinter Van and more!

In fact, if you end up calling Tern Overland the company and mentioning Van Adieu, you get 5% off windows! 

Here’s to the journey of converting a Sprinter Van, with NO BLACK DEATH!

Have you ever had any issues with Sprinter Vans and Black Death?  Tell us your experiences?  What are the other things that you think potential Sprinter Van owners should look for?  We want to hear from you!

Adieu for now!