Looking to buy a sprinter to make into a motor home Know where there is a 316 in good nick an 04. just wanted to know if this model was as good as the 311 engine wise the 316 is a five cylinder engine more power do they suffer from any problems. every one seems to use the 311 model. So if any one as any info on these i would be grateful before parting with ££££££££
Thanks in advance
Think the 5 cylinder is the same 2.7 litre 5cyl engine as fitted to the cars, I took one to 170k miles and it still ran like a new one, and are pretty bulletproof apart from the compression seals on the injectors after 100k miles. The injectors only have one bolt each to hold them in place, and they can easily lose torque allowing compression gasses to leak, which turns into a black gunge that slowly rises up the injector tunnel and settles around the pipes and wires to the injector. Can be a mammoth job to clear the gunge away when its cold and rock hard, and can be impossible to remove the injectors without destroying them with this gunge glueing them in place, but even I managed it 
, best done with a red hot engine after an hours hard thrashing as advised on here mbclub.co.uk/forums/index.php 
When the engine is ticking over listen for a tell hiss with each piston stroke, and give the area around the top of the injectors a good inspection looking for the dreaded black gunge 
my boss has just come back from 3wks of touring around eu, both of them 5pot sprinters, one has a tiptronic 6spd box, came back with a slipping clutch, changed the clutch, set of down the road, went to turn around lost all drive in the most awkward place possable, waiting for merc to come out to reset the box.
the other one is still in spain, broke down twice, as it pushed an injector out each time, merc couldn’t tap new threads in to the head but they got an enginerring firm to do it, twice after each brakedown, it is now sat in calais.
I used to run two Sprinters, both were 313’s, apart from wear and tear items both performed faultless apart from popping the gear linkages when in the most awkward places, one was the Brussels ring and another on the Péripherique, sold them on with 270 and 392k on them, keep the oil clean and they will love you forever.
I have a Sprinter on a 06plate,a 216CDI with the 5 pot engine 156 bhp,done 75,000 no problems,pulls like a train,mine has the tiptronic auto box.I can recommend them.
Can`t shed any light on the 316 tbh but we have run 2 x 313 and 1 x 311 (which is still going).
The 2 x 313cdi smashed 300k miles and the 311 is well on its way. Around 280k iirc.
Good motors.
Don’t forget plenty of insulation during your conversion.
People converting vans have been known to forget it!
Driveroneuk:
Don’t forget plenty of insulation during your conversion.People converting vans have been known to forget it!
My five cylinder 156 bhp,is fairly quiet.
Dave I was meaning insulation between the outer body panels & the yet to be fitted inner walls, not engine sound deadening, which should be factory fitted.
Driveroneuk:
Dave I was meaning insulation between the outer body panels & the yet to be fitted inner walls, not engine sound deadening, which should be factory fitted.
Sorry about the misunderstanding,mine is lined, sides and roof.I also havea transit,which isn’t,so I have got your point.
Cheers Dave.
Alzy:
Can`t shed any light on the 316 tbh but we have run 2 x 313 and 1 x 311 (which is still going).The 2 x 313cdi smashed 300k miles and the 311 is well on its way. Around 280k iirc.
Good motors.
The other thing I should say is that one of the 313cdi`s we had was fitted with Merc Sprintshift semi automatic gearbox and was always causing us problems.
I would stear clear of that 