I was thinking OM616, but only if backed up with an automatic.

A friend of mine had the same symptoms and it ended up being a broken camshaft. Low mileage diesel in a sprinter.

I agree, the mechanic should have done a deeper inspection and shown a cause before using the general term “locked up”.

Many things can cause a locked up situation. Some external like a seized alternator or other driven accessory.

__________________
Satan creates nothing: he only ruins everything. He does not invent: he tampers. And his followers are no different ~ Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò

I have to agree with Dubyagee that this sounds suspiciously like a mechanical failure that may have caused a physical blockage.


I'd remove the oil pan and attempt to visually inspect as many items as possible to determine where the blockage could be.


Crank, cam, timing chain, oil pump, injection pump, alternator, starter, AC compressor, water pump.


Remove the belts and check the operational conditions of everything belt-driven.


And don't forget the tension rollers.


Put the vehicle in neutral and go to town...slowly.


This will be tedious but you can check.


I'm interested in the answer.

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

Those engines are more trouble than they're worth.

__________________
CENSORED due to not family friendly words

It's paid off, so I could entertain something along those lines. I imagine there's something on this forum, so I'll check there so as not to derail this thread with questions.

Definitely seems that way.

I stumbled upon this yesterday, but haven't gotten very far into it yet. Thanks for sending.

Spend some time reading over at mbworld.com. Quite a few stories of OM642 lockups due to oil sludging. It’s almost always in the GL and ML, rarely E class or Sprinter. I don’t know if the cause is really understood. Here’s a place to start: https://mbworld.org/forums/diesel-forum/585587-another-2010-ml350-bluetec-engine-seized.html. Make a pot of coffee, it’s a long read.

I have seen at least 3 a year being advertised with blown engines in my city of about a million people for over 5 years now. Most were advertised with spun a bearing, locked up or such. I never paid much attention to the build years and always assumed just the wrong oil was being used.

__________________
92 e300d2.5t
01 e320
05 cdi
85 chev c10

I read the oil they said to run from factory is to thin. many going to marine shops for better diesel oils.

__________________
1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran, deutschland deutschland uber alles uber alles in der welt

Not staying right on top of the oil changes on modern diesels. Or unsure of what was actually put in on paid for oil changes is a reality. For example they do not even sell the right oil for the wives car in our town.


Plus expensive problems will emerge on my own even older diesel. If the right oil is not used and it is changed out more often than manufactures recommendations.


There may be a problem with some aftermarket oil filters as well. The factory oil filters are reinforced substantially. In comparison to the aftermarket one for even my older jetta oil filter. If sludging is a problem using synthetic oils there must be some form of design issue.

I would contact a dealer (preferably one that owner has dealt with ) or MBUSA. Car is no doubt out of warranty, but MB at times will offer help on a goodwill basis. If engine is totally wrecked, they may be able to offer a factory rebuilt engine.

Anything emission related should still be covered (to 8 yrs?). And that can include things like the ECU which if it fails can result in mechanical problems.

If car was not maintained by a dealer, it might be of interest to know what oil was used. The oil specified for the Bluetec is a low-ash oil. If an owner or his garage has not used the correct oil, then that could be part of the problem. You can't just put any old diesel oil into the Bluetecs. High temperatures in the emission system can increase sludge formation which in turn can cause engine failure. I believe it must be to MB-Approval 229.51 or 229.52.

I had a Bluetec, but traded it when warranty ended. These newer MB Bluetec diesels are just too complex.

__________________
Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

"Locked Up" is not a diagnosis. "Seized rod bearing" or "broken timing chain" (etc) is a diagnosis. What the mechanic is saying is that the engine doesn't spin over but s/he doesn't know why. You already knew that. With more info you can make a better decision. Sounds like a good candidate for a crate-type engine, assuming someone builds one for these.


Dan

Used Mobil1 ESP 0W-30 (229.51 and 229.52 MB-Approval) within the last 2k miles, so I would be surprised if it's related to that, but I guess you never know.

What would be more important, would be what oil was used throughout the engine's life. Sludge formation develops over time. The earlier MB approved oils were not suitable for these cars, but even some of the dealers continued to use them. The new oils only came out more recently - they are low ash but also designed for the high temperatures in the exhaust recirc system that can result in decomposition and sludge. (Or so I believe - its been a while since I researched that!)

If an engine flush was done it could be that sludge was dislodged and blocked oil passages? You won't easily find that out!. It does seem to have been a problem with that model and the technology as a whole.

I see you asked about a different engine. Not so easy with all the changes in the computer and wiring required. A CDI engine would be an improvement. Or even a gas engine. But none of that is easy!

__________________
Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I can say that it's gotten the same 229.51/2 oil for the 20,000 miles we've had it, but what was used prior to that is a mystery. I don't really intend to do an engine swap, but was curious as to what's out there.

Just spoke to the technician and he stated that he was not sure what the actual cause of the seizure was and that it would involve dropping the oil pan for approximately $1,500 to properly diagnose. He stated that the oil was barely on the dipstick (very low) and was dark with a grayish tint and gritty. This is strange to me as I check the oil twice on level ground right before having it towed to them and the oil was showing completely full. I am going to get a second opinion and they highly recommended taking it to the dealer as the tech used to work there, which makes me very reluctant to take it to the dealer. Any thoughts on this new information?