Sudden Death, Apparently.

[NomadADV]

Ok just after a bit of worldly experience.

We are a camper conversion company, we rent out some of our van's most of them probably a swear word on here being Sprinters. Anyway stop there one is a MK7 Transit 2.2TDCI 2012 180k

Service history wise we do it all in house, last oil change was Aug 2025, 7-8k since. New oil cooler housing etc 2 years ago,

At the moment the van was recovered by a french recovery company from the side of a french motorway after apparently just suddenly turning off with smoke coming from under the bonnet and a burning smell. This is on hire so we are present. Engine is not seized as it turns over.

Run up to the event, apparently nothing, no high temp, no oil pressure light, no vibration. I have seen a photo of the dip stick which is dry,. Oil level and coolant checked 2 days prior before leaving the UK. Does this just happen to the 2.2 or is there normally so tell tail before it would just stop.. I.e vibration, miss fire etc.

Just looking for experience.

[STEVE P]

Could the turbo seals have failed ?

[NomadADV]

Possible, French garage has said it sized due to loss of coolant and oil...

So more likely oil cooler, this was replaced 2 years ago. 12k ish since then.

But would it not at least throw a oil pressure light before it stopped. Yes it was on the motorway, but to suddenly just lock up with no prior warning.

[tranmx2]

Possible, French garage has said it sized due to loss of coolant and oil. Could be both. One or other or both causing mechanical failure.

Yes it was on the motorway, but to suddenly just lock up with no prior warning. Can happen quickly.

Could the turbo seals have failed ? Check inlet pipes esp heat exchanger for oil/gunge.

Restricted exhaust and inlet. DPF see ORiley DPF youtube. The use of an EGR causes gunge in the inlet manifold.

New oil cooler housing etc 2 years ago. The one put on my van leaked from the first day. The old rubber type gasket looked like it had been chewed.

with smoke coming from under the bonnet and a burning smell. Coolant or diesel, eng' oil sprayed on hot engine.

Oil and coolant checks not carried out properly. Rad air flow restricted, fan not working, dirt on engine. Rad cap not fully on. Oil leak. Coolant leak. Small leaks can remain hidden by a belly pan.

The oil pressure sensor is on the outlet from the filter.

Eng' oil is sprayed up to the piston - the oil lubricates and cools the piston. Broken/restricted sprayer. Use of goo instead of gaskets and rubber type gaskets that break up.

Seems it's a long period of small leaks, negligence/ignorance on the part of whoever did the checks. Recent hot weather + somewhat neglected engine.

[NomadADV]

Possible, French garage has said it sized due to loss of coolant and oil. Could be both. One or other or both causing mechanical failure. - Well i would think so.,.

Yes it was on the motorway, but to suddenly just lock up with no prior warning. Can happen quickly. - So no vibration, loss of power, zero warning lights.?

Could the turbo seals have failed ? Check inlet pipes esp heat exchanger for oil/gunge. - You mean oil cooler? or EGR? Both are reasonably new. Oil last changed less than a year ago 7500miles / Castrol.

Restricted exhaust and inlet. DPF see ORiley DPF youtube. The use of an EGR causes gunge in the inlet manifold. - DPF has be removed 2 years ago.

New oil cooler housing etc 2 years ago. The one put on my van leaked from the first day. The old rubber type gasket looked like it had been chewed. - No leaks in 12 months.

with smoke coming from under the bonnet and a burning smell. Coolant or diesel, eng' oil sprayed on hot engine. - Assumed

Oil and coolant checks not carried out properly. Rad air flow restricted, fan not working, dirt on engine. Rad cap not fully on. Oil leak. Coolant leak. Small leaks can remain hidden by a belly pan. - No belly pan and everything correct before it left 2 days prior.. Its also been out in the hot weather all over the UK for the last 8 weeks.

[metalworker0]

Could the turbo seals have failed ? Check inlet pipes esp heat exchanger for oil/gunge. -[b] You mean oil cooler? or EGR?[/b] Both are reasonably new. Oil last changed less than a year ago 7500miles / Castrol

.

No, he means the intercooler and the big rubber pipe/ duct from the air filter to the turbo inlet.. if its pooled up with oil at the turbo inlet .. the turbo oil seals have possibly failed.

which means the engine would have gulped the oil up at a rapid rate

but low oil and coolant could also mean 2 things have failed at the same time.. best guess .. turbo failed, it then ran low on oil, then coolant overheated and sent coolant out of the expansion tank overflow .

Drivers who hire things tend to not be bothered about things .. they look at the speedo and that's all .

At motorway speeds things can happen quickly enough for someone not to notice coolant temperature .,. until it's too late.

all the best.mark

[STEVE P]

A friend used to work for a car rental company and he was shocked at how bad some vehicles came back. Burnt out clutches, smoking engines, destroyed wheels and tyres and some came back with dents and scratches in every panel. Some cars were so bad on there return the were written off.One car had less than 400 miles on it when it was colleted by an American couple, in 10 days the car had done 4000 miles. it was returned on the back of a breakdown truck, every wheel and tyre were destroyed, every panel was badly dented.
They rung to say it was coming back and they lost there deposit.

[NomadADV]

Will have to wait and see then..

The liability works either was it a issue they ignored Vs a problem that just happened.

Kind of a fine line.