Mercedes Sprinter

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Newest blog posts

2023-02-07 Mercedes eSprinter, GM EV Trucks: Science Fair Projects Requiring Fantasy Infrastructure Buildout

2022-11-09 UPDATE on Mercedes Sprinter: Will Not Go, Normal idle in P but RPMs drop in D or R with Engine Lugging Nastily at 400-500 RPM — ***POSSIBLE FIX***

2022-11-09 Mercedes Sprinter: Whistling Sound From Turbo Turns Out to Be...

2021-11-23 Mercedes Sprinter Warranty = Big Win, But Also a Disappointment with Dealer Practices

2021-11-22 Oil Catch Tank (Oil Catch Can / Oil Separator) for Mercedes Sprinter: Eliminates Engine/Emissions System Failures

2021-11-20 New Mercedes Sprinter Owners: Beware Catastrophic Engine Failure from Piston Rod Through Cylinder Head — Caused by Intercooler Overflow

2021-11-20 Mercedes Sprinter Ends My Trip: “10 Starts Remaining” after OBD2 diagnostic code U010E “Lost Communication with Reductant Control Module”

2021-07-23 Get your Travel Van While You Still Can? Mercedes Plans to Go All-Electric Soon

2020-07-09 UPDATE on Mercedes Sprinter Issues and Breakdowns: Sprinter Will Not Move, RPMs Drop Very Low

2019-11-11 Biodiesel is the Kiss of Death for Mercedes Sprinter

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See also 8 pages at macperformanceguide.com

See also 76 pages at diglloyd.com

2021-11-20 Back from Trip, Mercedes Sprinter Fails

2019-11-19 Apple iOS 13.2.3 Breaks Bluetooth Pairing for my Mercedes Sprinter Van for all my iPhones

2019-03-16 Aperture Series @ 29mm: Backlit Sprinter on White Mountain Road

2019-03-16 Pentax HD D FA 24-70mm f/2.8 SDM ED Aperture Series @ 29mm: Backlit Sprinter on White Mountain Road (Pentax K-1 II)

2019-03-06 Sprinter in Alabama Hills (Panorama)

2019-02-06 Aperture Series: Sprinter in Snowstorm (Nikon D850)

2019-02-06 Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon Aperture Series: Sprinter in Snowstorm (Nikon D850)

2019-01-31 Aperture Series: Sprinter by Moonlight

2019-01-31 Sigma 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Aperture Series: Sprinter by Moonlight

2019-01-29 NEC PA271Q on the 2018 Mac mini

2018-12-01 Aperture Series: Sprinter Van in Clearing Storm, White Mountain Road

2018-12-01 Zeiss Milvus 15mm f/2.8 Aperture Series: Sprinter Van in Clearing Snowstorm, White Mountain Road (Nikon D850)

2018-11-01 Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM Aperture Series: Sprinter Headlights, Late Dusk

2018-10-31 Aperture Series: Sprinter Headlights at Dusk

2018-10-30 Aperture Series: Sprinter Halogen Headlamp Closeup (Nikon Z7)

Concussion / Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Recovering from a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) AKA concussion, a personal experience report..

1. Concussion: Post-Crash Recovery Phase 2, Mid-way Phase
2. Concussion: Post-Crash Recovery Phase 5, Full Recovery Emerges, Well, Maybe

Mercedes Sprinter Options

Huge array of build options and after-market add-ons..

1. Mercedes Sprinter: Choosing, Finding and Buying
2. Mercedes Sprinter: California Resident Buying Out of State: Vehicle Registration
3. Mercedes Sprinter: Overview
4. Mercedes Sprinter: Extended Warranty
5. Mercedes Sprinter: Exterior Lighting / Light Bars
6. Mercedes Sprinter: Toilet
7. Mercedes Sprinter: Coolers and Refrigerators
8. Mercedes Sprinter: Cell Phone Booster
9. Mercedes Sprinter: Information and How-To Resourcs
10. Mercedes Sprinter: Examples of Extreme Builds

Mercedes Sprinter Interior Design

My choices for a photography adventure van..

1. Mercedes Sprinter: Goals
2. Mercedes Sprinter: Bed Platform, Bike Storage, Layout Design
3. Mercedes Sprinter: Desk Computer Layout
4. Mercedes Sprinter: Windows
5. Mercedes Sprinter: Roof/Ceiling Fan
6. Mercedes Sprinter: Flooring
7. Mercedes Sprinter: Interior Pro-Grade Lighting
8. Mercedes Sprinter: Reader Comments

Mercedes Sprinter Upfitting

Building out the van for functionality and comfort..

1. Mercedes Sprinter Upfitting: Before any Upfitting, Maiden Voyage
2. Mercedes Sprinter Upfitting: My Choice of Upfitter, ADF Sprinters

Magnets Solve All Sorts of Interior and Exterior Challenges

Mount or hold all sorts of things with magnets..

1. General Information About Magnets
2. Sphere Magnets: Easy to Handle, High Pinning/Holding Power
3. Block Magnets: Mounting Items, Holding Power
4. Cylinder Magnets: Offsetting items, or Pinning/Handling

Inexpensive and Cool Things To Do

Simple and inexpensive comfort in your van..

1. Keep it Cool by Blocking the Sun’s Heat
2. Reflectix for Insulation and Light/Heat Blocking
3. Baffle the Interior for Cooling or Heating
4. Cold Weather Idling: Insulate the Engine

Mercedes Sprinter / RV Electrical

Charging systems, batteries, inverters..

1. RV Electrical: Overview of Power Management
2. RV Electrical: Calculating Realistic Electric Load
3. Inverter/Chargers: Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter
4. Inverter/Chargers: Xantrex Freedom XC
5. Sprinter: Battery, Wiring Panel, Inverter as Installed
6. RV Electrical: Solar Power
7. RV Electrical: Using DC Power is More Efficient
8. Mercedes Sprinter: Electric Accessories: Computing, Heating, Charging and More
9. Mercedes Sprinter: Electric Heating Options
10. Mercedes Sprinter Alternator: Voltage, Amperage Under Real Loads at Idle, Charging Rate for Lithium Battery
11. Mercedes Sprinter Alternator: Amperage Output with Real Loads, Voltage, Charging Rate for Lithium Battery
12. Mercedes Sprinter: Charging Battery System via 2nd Alternator

RV Batteries and Cabling (General)

Battery choice, charging, wiring, etc.

1. RV Batteries: Overview of Batteries for RV Usage
2. RV Batteries: Depth of Discharge vs Cycle Count
3. RV Batteries: Lead Acid Batteries
4. RV Batteries: Lithium Batteries
5. RV Batteries: Planning for Voltage Losses from Cabling and Battery
6. RV Batteries: Lithionics Lithium Batteries

Wiring a 10 kilowatt dual-battery High Amperage Battery System

Key points must be followed, execution gets tricky for space reasons..

1. 10 Kilowatt Lithium Battery System in Mercedes Sprinter: Introduction
2. 10 Kilowatt Lithium Battery System in Mercedes Sprinter: Parts and Wiring Overview
3. 10 Kilowatt Lithium Battery System in Mercedes Sprinter: Challenges in Routing/Organizing/Placement
4. 10 Kilowatt Lithium Battery System in Mercedes Sprinter: The Smart Way to Wire AC Shore Power Input

Outdoor and Operational Considerations

Safety and reliability..

1. Mercedes Sprinter: Beware Rodents Chewing Wires and Hoses
2. Mercedes Sprinter: Skid Plates for Fuel Tank, Oil Pan, Engine Area
3. Mercedes Sprinter: Carrying Extra Diesel Fuel
4. Mercedes Sprinter: Installing a Higher Capacity Fuel Tank (ACGB Tanks)
5. Mercedes Sprinter: Wheel and Tire Choices
6. Mercedes Sprinter: What I Chose for Wheels and Tires, Ground Clearance
7. Mercedes Sprinter: Ground Clearance
8. Mercedes Sprinter: Airing Down, and Airing Up (Tire Pressure)
9. Mercedes Sprinter: Heating the Cabin in Sub-Freezing Weather (Propane and Diesel Heaters)
10. Beware all Heaters and Engine Idling: Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Mercedes Sprinter Maintenance

Getting long life and good performance..

1. Mercedes Sprinter Maintenance: Breaking-In Notes
2. Mercedes Sprinter Maintenance: Comments on the (woefully inadequate) 2018 Mercedes Sprinter Operator Manual
3. Mercedes Sprinter Maintenance: Fuel Economy (Miles Per Gallon / MPG)
4. Mercedes Sprinter Maintenance: Engine Oil
5. Mercedes Sprinter Maintenance: Biodiesel is the Kiss of Death for Your Sprinter
6. Mercedes Sprinter Maintenance: Diesel Emission Fluid (DEF)

Mercedes Sprinter Issues and Breakdowns

Problems observed with the 2017 Sprinter..

1. Mercedes SprinterIssues and Breakdowns: My Experience with the 2017 Mercedes Sprinter
2. Mercedes Sprinter Issues and Breakdowns: Defective Control Module for Heating and AC Fails to Open Internal Baffles
3. Mercedes Sprinter Issues and Breakdowns: Toy-Grade Clamps on Steering Fluid Hoses Pops Hose Off
4. Mercedes Sprinter Issues and Breakdowns: Right After Service A: “Engine Oil Level Reduce Oil Level” Red Warning
5. Mercedes Sprinter Issues and Breakdowns: Parking Lamp Failure at 11 Months Old
6. Mercedes Sprinter Issues and Breakdowns: Sprinter Will Not Go, RPMs Drop Very Low (Normal idle, put into D or R, RPMs drop, Engine Lugs

Mercedes Sprinter Revisions, Wiring and Table

Planning out work to be done..

1. Overview of Phase 2: Wiring Panel, Inverters, Worktable
2. Phase 2: Inverter Mounting Locations
3. Phase 2: Battery Placement
4. Phase 2: Hickory Butcherblock Table
5. Phase 2: Remote Gauges for Lithionics Battery and Xantrex Inverter/Charger
6. Phase 2: Hanging Bikes

Rides and Climbs

Various rides, climbs, etc..

1. Cycling Bryce Canyon National Park: the Terrific Bike Trail from Valley To Lookouts

Tubular / Sew-Up Tires For Road Biking

Tubular / sew-up and Clincher Tires, tire sealant, etc..

1. Veloflex Sprinter / Extreme Tubular Tire

Blog posts

2023

2023-02-07 Mercedes eSprinter, GM EV Trucks: Science Fair Projects Requiring Fantasy Infrastructure Buildout

2022

2022-11-09 UPDATE on Mercedes Sprinter: Will Not Go, Normal idle in P but RPMs drop in D or R with Engine Lugging Nastily at 400-500 RPM — ***POSSIBLE FIX***

2022-11-09 Mercedes Sprinter: Whistling Sound From Turbo Turns Out to Be...

2021

2021-11-23 Mercedes Sprinter Warranty = Big Win, But Also a Disappointment with Dealer Practices

2021-11-22 Oil Catch Tank (Oil Catch Can / Oil Separator) for Mercedes Sprinter: Eliminates Engine/Emissions System Failures

2021-11-20 New Mercedes Sprinter Owners: Beware Catastrophic Engine Failure from Piston Rod Through Cylinder Head — Caused by Intercooler Overflow

2021-11-20 Mercedes Sprinter Ends My Trip: “10 Starts Remaining” after OBD2 diagnostic code U010E “Lost Communication with Reductant Control Module”

2021-07-23 Get your Travel Van While You Still Can? Mercedes Plans to Go All-Electric Soon

2020

2020-07-09 UPDATE on Mercedes Sprinter Issues and Breakdowns: Sprinter Will Not Move, RPMs Drop Very Low

2019

2019-11-11 Biodiesel is the Kiss of Death for Mercedes Sprinter

2019-11-11 2017 Mercedes Sprinter: Is it Going to KILL ME by Failing to Move at a Crucial Time?

2019-09-29 2017 Mercedes Sprinter: Is it Going to Strand Me in a Remote Place?

2019-02-11 How to Deal with Biodiesel with the Mercedes Sprinter

2019-01-24 Choose a Good Oil for Mercedes Sprinter

2018

2018-12-12 Critical Mercedes Sprinter Breaking-In and Maintenance Information

2018-04-03 Rewired with 4/0 Cable and Symmetry: 10 Kilowatt Battery System in Mercedes Sprinter with dual Lithionics 400-amp batteries, dual Xantrex Freedom XC Inverter/Charger

2018-03-20 Mercedes Sprinter: Ordered the 180 Liter / 47.5 Gallon Fuel Tank for the 144-Inch Sprinter

2018-03-15 Sprinter Van: Bed and Breakfast (and lunch and dinner) and Just Pull Out the Bike and Go and Sleeping in Comfort Just Like Home

2018-02-25 Mercedes Sprinter: the 180 Liter / 47.5 Gallon Fuel Tank for the 144-Inch Sprinter is Here, to be Installed Feb 28

2018-02-25 10 Kilowatt Battery System in Mercedes Sprinter Delivers 263 amps @ 12.7/12.8V (dual Lithionics 400-amp batteries, dual Xantrex Freedom XC Inverter/Charger)

2018-02-06 Mercedes Sprinter: Ordered the 180 Liter / 47.5 Gallon Fuel Tank for the 144-Inch Sprinter

2018-02-04 Mercedes Sprinter: Upgra-inch wheelbase) or Double It to 56.4 Gallons (170-inch wheelbase)

2017

2017-11-01 Warm in Van, Trout Grilled, Killer Weather, Best Fishing Ever, Red Wine... Makes up for the Tough Days

2017-10-12 Mercedes Sprinter Alternator is a Champ: Real Data on What it Can Actually Output for Amperage at Low Idle

2017-09-30 Carbon Monoxide is a Serious Risk, How to Detect and Prevent so as to Not Wake up Dead

2017-09-17 My Mercedes Sprinter Photography Adventure Van: Wiring and Power Now in Place

2017-09-14 Mercedes Sprinter Stock Alternator Rocks: Up to 1400 watts At Idle, Can Nearly run a 1500 watt Space heater

2017-09-08 Mercedes Sprinter Photography Adventure Van: Light Bars Have Implications for the Turbo Intercooler

2017-08-27 Sprinter Photography Adventure Van: Tradeoffs in Installing Window

2017-08-26 Sprinter Photography Adventure Van: Installing 17-Inch Moto Metal Wheels with BF Goodrich 265/70R17 K02 All-Terrain Tires

2017-08-24 Sprinter Photography Adventure Van: Maiden Voyage Photos with Test-Run Setup

2017-08-02 Sprinter Photography Adventure Van: Delivers Aug 5, then proving it out in the field

2017-07-16 NEW: Sprinter photography adventure van