injector failure

[b corker]

I have got a Sprinter 2012 313 cdi that has done 140,000 miles that has a full documented Mercedes service history and the injectors on cylinders 3 & 4 failed causing these 2 cylinders to fill with fuel which the pistons couldn't compress causing them to bend a conrod. All this without any warning signs from the engine or any messages or lights on the dashboard.Of course i have had to have the engine and injectors replaced. My Question is:- Has anybody else come across this problem? And a Question for someone from Mercedes or that works for a Mercedes garage :- How can this have happened without any warning from an engine with so many sensors and clever electronics on it?

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

Yes, sadly seen it plenty of times before...but when you reconcile the amount of sprinters on the road world wide, to how many actually have this problem, its a spit in the ocean.

Answer to your question is that as much electronics are on the engine, its still has mechanical parts which are impossible to control or monitor with electronics. Sounds like the tips of the injector nozzles failed (a mechanical part) causing huge fuel dump into the cylinders.

Chances are that the engine electronics did see the fuel dump and duly cut the engine out, however you probably cranked the engine a good few times to get it going (a natural thing to do) but it was in this fuel pressuring and crank cycle that the cylinders filled with diesel and caused a hydraulic lock.

 

[Westheath]

Yep Iv'e seen conrods bent due to cranking and towing trying to start diesel engines especially if easy start brake cleaner etc is excessively used.

I would have thought that there were warning signs of the injectors playing up,
usually noisy injectors or cutting out under load.

 

[b corker]

Yes, sadly seen it plenty of times before...but when you reconcile the amount of sprinters on the road world wide, to how many actually have this problem, its a spit in the ocean.

Answer to your question is that as much electronics are on the engine, its still has mechanical parts which are impossible to control or monitor with electronics. Sounds like the tips of the injector nozzles failed (a mechanical part) causing huge fuel dump into the cylinders.

Chances are that the engine electronics did see the fuel dump and duly cut the engine out, however you probably cranked the engine a good few times to get it going (a natural thing to do) but it was in this fuel pressuring and crank cycle that the cylinders filled with diesel and caused a hydraulic lock.

thanks for your reply Steve
I was driving down the motorway pulling a caravan at the time the injectors failed and had no option but to carry on to the next junction (approx 2 miles) and get off the motorway and the engine kept going all be it at a very reduced power and it was until i stopped that it cut out. Its just worrying to think that it could happen again without any warning signs.