Sprinter 4x4 311 CDI vs Sprinter 4x4 316

[Christian P.]

Hi!

Does anyone here have experience with the Sprinter 4x4 311? I understand that the engine is smaller than the 316, which has the same 2.7 as we have in the US.

But is the power still sufficient, especially in a 4x4 version? We are on a quest for our next vehicle and I just found this, which seems like a good platform:

http://suchen.mobile.de/wohnwagen-in...eatures=EXPORT

[mhiscox]

But is the power still sufficient, especially in a 4x4 version?

I've no direct experience with the 311, though much with the 316. I'm going to guess that performance will be tolerable, but nothing to write home about. It will, of course, depend somewhat on whether you drive around the empty box or, as I did, add everything including the kitchen sink. My five-cylinder had 154 hp and 243 lb/ft, whereas your four would be 108 and 200. It probably augers well that the 311 makes only 70% of the horsepower of the 316, but has 82% of the torque. On flat ground with a light van, the difference would be limited, I think, though in hilly terrain, where you're often downshifting and running well over 3,000 rpm, the diminished horsepower will be a factor.

I'm unclear whether the weight and frictional losses of the 4x4 system will have much effect. The few US conversions I know about have lost 1-2 mpg but seem to drive about the same. No knowledge about how big a factor a purely factory system is.

Overall, my OM647 did a fantastic job of lugging around 9K pounds; it was more than fast and powerful enough. This suggests to me that the 109 horse 611 will do well enough with a reasonable load. (And should you happen across the 127 hp version, I'm pretty positive that would work for you.)

I'm sure, however, that others will chime in with more direct experience.

[Christian P.]

thanks Mike. Choices are limited even overseas, so I probably won't be able to find the perfect combination.

Do you know anything else about the drivetrain/transfer case? it says sometimes that it has a diff lock but it's not clear on the classifieds if it's a rear diff lock or a transfer case lock.

do you know if the 4x4 components are the same with the 311 or the 316?

I am finding it hard to get detailed information

[mhiscox]

Sadly, all the information I knew about this was from 2004 as I was trying to get 4WD on a NAFTA Sprinter. And as Holmes told Watson, "there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before," and any useful facts are apparently long gone. I vaguely think rear diff lock, but could have that wrong, and I can't remember much else except I couldn't have one for myself.

The situation was made more confusing by the fact that while Oberaigner supplies the factory system to Mercedes, they also directly sold their own more rugged units with different components, and I no longer have straight which was MBz and which was Oberaigner, Iglhaut or whomever.

Sorry not to be of further help. Here's some inspriational encouragement, though . . .

sprinter4x406.jpg

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/39308