Sprinter losing vital fluids

Kobold

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Joined
Mar 26, 2009
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Location
Cornwall
Your Mercedes
Sprinter 208D
Having read through some of the threads on this site, I seem to be having a multitude of similar problems to other people.

I have a Sprinter 208D which has just started losing a fair amount of oil. It smokes both at startup and when hot (lots of blue'ish smoke), and has also lost a bit of power. I have heard that it could be the head gasket around number 1 piston, this would fit in with the rest of the symptoms - oil in the water header tank but none getting into the sump and the actual coolant remaining clear, oil leak around the back of the block etc - or is it more likely to be pistons/rings, valve seals.....?

I also had a similar problem to other people with the glow plug light coming on about 30 seconds after the motor has started, replaced the plugs and the relay, the problem went away for 1 day and then came back as before. Having said that, the engine starts very easily first time, every time. I think that this problem has more to do with the entirely dubious wiring of the dashboard(?)

I also have the problem of the reverse lamps not working. This I believe is down to the switch on the gear linkage, as I can get the lights to flicker on and of if I move the gear stick around in neutral.

Half the lights and gauges on the dash no longer work - this, so I hear is not very unusual.

Having said all that, I dearly love my van - it has always been a pleasure to drive, comfortable, quiet, and no matter how ill, has always got me home. So I am loathed to get rid of it, and would just like to make it well again. Any suggestions on my oil vampire problem?
 

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