Sell Your Van with Mechanical Problems

While used vans in Slough, Reading and High Wycombe can be reliable methods of transporting goods, commercial vehicles can also be expensive when they need mechanical repairs. As well as the cost of servicing your van, you should also accept that you will periodically need to spend money on your van when it inevitably suffers from mechanical issues. Some common issues that often require repair include clutches, diesel particulate filters, injectors, turbos, starter motors, alternators, head gaskets and timing chain issues.

Common Diesel Engine Problems: Turbos and Injectors

Turbos and injectors are very common parts of a diesel engine that fail. Turbos can fail for a variety of reasons including seizing actuators and backpressure from a blocked DPF. If a turbo has failed, you could expect to see the vehicle smoking, a lack of power when driving and the vehicle’s oil level decreasing in a short space of time as oil is passing through the turbo and out the exhaust.

Another common failing part in diesel engines are injectors. In most vans including Renault Trafics, Mercedes Sprinters, Vauxhall Vivaros and Volkswagen Crafters there are 4 injectors. If one injector stops working, the vehicle can misfire and the engine will not run smoothly. There may also be an engine light appear on your dashboard and, even if the vehicle is not misfiring, the vehicle may be consuming more fuel than normal if one or more injectors aren’t working properly. A common issue with injectors is the seals perish which sit between the injector and the engine itself and the injector will leak fuel on top of the engine. If you see fuel around the top of the injectors, this could be a sign you have an injector leak. This is very common on diesel vehicles, especially the Renault Trafic and Vauxhall Vivaro range. If you have a diesel vehicle with an injector or turbo problem, they can be difficult to sell, and it is hard to achieve a high price. The best way to dispose of your van with mechanical issues could be to sell it to sellthevan.co.uk, who offer free collection and a fair price.

Timing Belt and Timing Chain Issues

Another common issue with diesel vehicles are timing belt and timing chain issues. Most vehicles with a timing belt have a recommended belt change at a set mileage as, if left unreplaced, timing belts will break due to wearing down over time and this can cause catastrophic damage to the engine. Although timing chains last for longer, they may also need to be replaced at some point. If your vehicle has a timing chain, you can check if the chain is becoming stretched by starting the vehicle from cold and listening carefully for any rattling sounds that disappear after a few seconds. Timing chain problems are a very common problem on the 1.3L diesel engine that goes into Fiats, Citroens, and Peugeot vans. Also, the 1.5L diesel engine found in Renault Trafics, Vauxhall Vivaros and Mercedes Vitos is also prone to timing chain issues. If you have a vehicle with a broken timing chain or snapped timing belt, you should consider selling your used van to sellthevan.co.uk as they will buy your van even if it is mechanically broken.