# Merc 316 cdi



## jo662

We have just got back from a trip to the Sth of France.We have only had the van for a few weeks but were surprised how much we had to change gear up hill on our way back in the mid pyrenees.It's one of the reasons we changed to the 2700 cc merc for more power.Should we need to remap or is something wrong with it?
Thanx in advance for any advice.


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## JeanLuc

Don't know how heavy your van is, but ours is 3,800 kg with full automatic transmission. Goes very well and I never use full power. I think you may need to have yours checked. Acceleration is brisk considering the size of the vehicle and it only changes down on steep hills.
Unless you have a very large (5 tonne van, or heavier) you should not need to consider remapping.

p.s. just thought that if you have changed from a Fiat JTD engine you may not be used to the fact that the Merc engine tends to rev fairly highly. It is happiest between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm. Ours sits at around 2,500 rpm when we are cruising at about 55 mph.


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## teemyob

*gear*

Be interested to know what weight the vehicle is?

TM


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## jo662

On the body and under the bonnet it says its a 3500 but all brouchers say the CI Cipro 55G should be 3800 so im unsure what it is at the moment.
And it pulled well on way down to the Sth of france thru Reims Troyes and to Sanery Sur Mer,and also when thru the Pyrenees was ok.It was just on the very steep climbs it struggled.

Jo


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## trevorf

I think any motorhome or van will struggle on STEEP climbs, also remember that at altitude the air is thinner so the turbo will work less efficiently. Turbos work best with cold dense air, not so good with warm thin air ie high up in the mountains on a hot day.



Trevor


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## Pard

Been touring in the French Alps a couple of times with ours with no problems at all. You don't say how much you loaded the van - are you sure you're within its load capacity? Have you had it weighed when packed for touring?


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## pneumatician

Agree with most of the comments so far. We have a La Strada Nova and our fighting weight is just under 3.3t ready to roll.
Bearing in mind the van is now 9yrs old it still pulls well and believe it or not I have had over the ton indicated. 
This was just to prove a point as the salesman claimed it was a 100mph van and not repeated since. We usually travel at speed limits plus a bit.

Steve


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## Steveboy

316 max torque is between 1400rpm and 2000rpm. Mines in a Rapido 9 series with manual 5 speed box & recently weighed at 3400kg. Pulls like a horse and will go right down to 1200rpm before decides to die. Driving it steady but briskly and with plenty use of cruise control and she is giving me just over 24mpg. Remember also if yours is new give it at least 100000 miles to settle in. Sometimes the duller the new engine the better it is as it wears in.


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## jo662

Pard said:


> Been touring in the French Alps a couple of times with ours with no problems at all. You don't say how much you loaded the van - are you sure you're within its load capacity? Have you had it weighed when packed for touring?


Had no problem in the alps on the way down,only had problems in the Pyrenees.
And i was well under weight with only a couple of bicycles and my Honda gennie in the garage,and didnt use either lol.
As i say is fine in England,so will see how it goes in easter next year when back in France before i do any thing drastic.
Thanx for all your replys guys.

Jo


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## jo662

pneumatician said:


> Agree with most of the comments so far. We have a La Strada Nova and our fighting weight is just under 3.3t ready to roll.
> Bearing in mind the van is now 9yrs old it still pulls well and believe it or not I have had over the ton indicated.
> This was just to prove a point as the salesman claimed it was a 100mph van and not repeated since. We usually travel at speed limits plus a bit.
> 
> Steve


We cruised at 70mph once thru the Pyrenees and home in England wiv no probs,so no probs there,only in the mountains.

Jo


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## jo662

Steveboy said:


> 316 max torque is between 1400rpm and 2000rpm. Mines in a Rapido 9 series with manual 5 speed box & recently weighed at 3400kg. Pulls like a horse and will go right down to 1200rpm before decides to die. Driving it steady but briskly and with plenty use of cruise control and she is giving me just over 24mpg. Remember also if yours is new give it at least 100000 miles to settle in. Sometimes the duller the new engine the better it is as it wears in.


Its done 14,500 miles now,and is manual but no cruise control,will like to have criuse control fitted tho.

Are you sure you dont mean 10,000 and not 100,000 to settle in?

Jo


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## richardjames

I have Cipro 55 with the sprintshift and even when towing a KA it does not very often change down. 85, 90 comes up quite quickly if I'm not careful 60 comes in at 2,000 rpm


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## peedee

Off the top of my head, the gross train weight is over 6tons for the 316. You should not have any probems when solo what ever route you used over the Pyrenees. What route did you use and what was the lowest gear you had to use?

peedee


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## jo662

peedee said:


> Off the top of my head, the gross train weight is over 6tons for the 316. You should not have any probems when solo what ever route you used over the Pyrenees. What route did you use and what was the lowest gear you had to use?
> 
> peedee


We left Gruissan plage for millau then Florac and then headed towards Le Puy and Clermont Ferrand.

Jo


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## Pard

I'm getting lost now. The Pyrenees are all south of those places, which are mostly Languedoc and Auvergne regions if memory serves.


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## jo662

Pard said:


> I'm getting lost now. The Pyrenees are all south of those places, which are mostly Languedoc and Auvergne regions if memory serves.


It was Gruissan plage to MIllau were we had the problem,and that's Midi Pyrenees to be precise.

Jo


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## Pard

I see, Jo - I was envisaging the Pyrenean mountains between France and Spain rather than the vast region of Midi Pyrenees which stretches from the mountain range up to the Lot. Gruissan where you started, incidentally is in Aude department of the Languedoc Roussillon region, and you'd have crossed into the Aveyron department of the Midi Pyrenees for Millau. Pedantic or what?! Anyway, it's all irrelevant to your concerns, with which I sympathise, and wish I could say something more constructive. Hope you can fathom it out - Good luck.

Terry


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## teemyob

*Hills*

The 416CDi Climbs Hills better than a Loaded <2006 MY (bj) 316CDi (Not to be confused with the lastest/current Euro V 316CDi's).

The reasons are smaller wheel and tyre combinations with a different final drive.

Odd as it may sound.

Most 416's have small 195/70/15 Wheels and rev higher.

Most 316's have 215 or 225/70/15 Wheels and Tyres.

TM


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## Carl_n_Flo

Just to throw our tuppence worth into this ring.....

A few years ago, on the journey from the dealers to the south of France (we had just bought our 'van) we experienced a complete lack of 'sustaining' power from our Merc 316cdi whenever we encountered an incline or hill. This was most noticable first on the autoroute south of Calais...... In fact, the 'van was performing worse than a three legged whippet!!!!

Now, only having driven the ubiquitous Fiat/Peugeot saddled motorhomes before, I wasnt too sure what to expect of this supposed 'thoroughbred' of a Merc....on a sprintshift too!!! Not very sprint....

Even our friends, the Spanish truckers, were overtaking us as if we were standing still...

It wasnt until we got to the Swiss border some 5 days later that I deemed to take a curious look under the bonnet to see if I could spot 'something' amis - remember, I honestly thought that the van had no 'guts' as standard!!!

Well - blow me - if I didnt spot a small electrical plug that had dropped out of its socket on the air intake trunking!!!!!

PLugged socket back in (only a small 2 pin thing).......started up and drove away. MY GOD - what a difference!!!!!!

The three legged whippet had been transformed into Red Rum!!!!

I guess having the plug disconnected confused the computer that managed the engine electronics, and so it refused to unleash full power in case that caused serious damage......

Just a thought............check the little things!!!!

Carl


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## peedee

Pard said:


> I see, Jo - I was envisaging the Pyrenean mountains between France and Spain rather than the vast region of Midi Pyrenees
> Terry


So was I. I cannot imagine why you should have had problems travelling to Millau especially if you used the autoroute from the coast.

peedee


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## trevorf

> I guess having the plug disconnected confused the computer that managed the engine electronics, and so it refused to unleash full power in case that caused serious damage......


I think that would probably be the "air flow sensor" so yes that would explain the lack of power at full throttle up hills.

Trevor


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## trek

Hi jo662

in one of your replies you mentioned that you didn't know the GVW of your camper - you mentioned that it may be 3500 or 3800 ?


I think it is important for you to check and find out what it is or at least what the DVLA thinks it is as this can affect your road tax , payload , speed limits, etc , & even if you have a valid license to drive it,


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