Vito 120

[jonny705]

Well I have been looking for a nice van as I am a self employed Sparky.
After spending MONTHS reading through every forum going in regards to which one is best, I was still very unsure.

Vivario/Traffic/Primastar clone,- gearbox fails- auto version useless.

Peugeot/Citroen - Lightweight, flimsy, prone to turbo failure.

Ford Transit Connect-Good and reliable but so damn ugly from front! How did they get paid for that design , reminds me of Ford Scorpio

The Steve Jobs marketing technique of the Van world- VW, overrated and overpriced , plus I drove a new Transporter when I hired one, seemed well made but really underpowered, noisy and felt like a race car regarding ride quality.

Just left me with Mercedes- expensive parts and by far the most rusty especially sprinters - which I do this day cannot get my head round how this cannot be cured.

So armed with information above, went to a few auctions and watched various versions of above go through , a Basic, sensible, low mileage , economical van needed .

Then I watched a Police Auction, and there was a Vito 120, didn't sound like a diesel , Automatic, V6 3.0 litre, what's this?

Well a week of reading up on it , I found a 2008 black one with 147k , no rust, sounds lovely and just couldn't believe how quick it is for a van!

Heart ruled over head methinks, as has an oil leak , and clunk from gearbox when coming off the throttle and back on, but not the black death thing and gearbox shifts fine etc and smooth .

TBH , I got it for 6k , which is cheap I think , and just love the smoothness and power - the only thing that compares was a ex-MOD Ford Transit that had a custom fitted Rover V8 in it, that sounded lovely and looked 100% standard but was fun, fun, fun - something that I never thought I would experience in driving a van again, until I drove the 120 Vito.

So fingers and toes crossed it won't end up too expensive!

Regards jonny.

 

[BTB 500]

Yes that's a good price, the V6s have always commanded quite a premium as there's nothing else comparable really. We've had our 120 for nearly 10 years now.

Sadly there's no V6 option with the new Vito (W447).

 

[jonny705]

Yes I know you have had your 120 a while as I have read a lot of your posts from when you first purchased it- kind-of swayed me in getting one TBH.

A lot of people slate them on the internet , but in reality its not exactly an average van is it?
Things like these need looking after - a lot of people put crappy oil in etc, and wonder why they have problems.


I working on the principle for the money I purchased it for, it's not rusty, the engine oil leak will hopefully be nothing major, and is in good nick - no smoke when booting it back with my mate following me and none at all when starting from cold, even when freezing the other day.


The clunk sound is only heard when coming off the throttle and back immediately , feels more like drive shaft play or maybe centre bearing, but if it is T/C will just buy a re-con one and fit it myself.


Just think these older vehicles were better made, all the new things I go in/ use seemed to be built to last just past their warranty feels like nothing modern is 'over engineered' anymore to last.


I have an old mk2 golf 16v - around 140k, started it for first time in 17 years the other day, and basically no smoke and ticked over perfect -also have a 89 Land Rover which never breaks down it will outlast me!


Will start my maintenance schedule soon , will check play in prop shaft etc, try and find oil leak, and cure it , oil/filter change/ transmission flush/change diff oil/just want to look after it now


These are certainly going well past their book price, the ex police one at auction- CAP retail was £4275 it sold for £6420 and was the most bid on vehicle there- the internet was going crazy.


It's funny as the Golf and Landy I bought years ago are now becoming collectable, now both worth more than I paid and going up - maybe these Vito120 will be the same in years to come , I would not be surprised.

 

[eame64]

Hi, i just recently bought a 120 Auto myself after along time searching and looking at all the alternatives you mentioned.I always wanted an auto so was quite limited in choice really apart from the vw which are stupid money.So just like yourself i am going to work through the problems one by one starting with new discs and pads,i also have a small oil leak i need to look at.Mine isn't for work but more of a leisure vehicle and i intend overtime to make it the best I can.
Mine is a Dualiner with windows all round and has 112,00 on the clock.

 

[wu56Shoozz]

I don't know if this will help or not but my *Clonk* always came turning to the right and was on the nearside of the vehicle.. it transpires that it was the fuel tank strap that had corroded straight through..and came off in two pieces... have a look there just in case as its also a common fault...

 

[BTB 500]

Mine's relatively low mileage (80k) ... it's been pretty good, problems have been

• Window regulators (done under warranty at 2 years and touch wood fine since)
• Crankshaft position sensor (known issue with OM642s made around 2007, fixed under recall for all M-B models apart from the W639 )
• Differential pressure sensor (limp mode)
• Broken rear spring
• Hanger on rear exhaust box rusted through
• Rear wiper motor died (haven't fixed that yet)
• Side moulding bit fell off the fuel filler flap

That's it I think apart from pads, disks & tyres.

Interesting about the fuel tank strap, I'll have a look at ours.

 

[jonny705]

Was going to have a butchers today on the axle stands regarding transmission clunk.


When you shift from D to R there is a metallic clunk, also if you harshly come OFF then ON the throttle, otherwise fine- was hoping it might be prop shaft related but think it's more at front of vehicle.


Thinking it could be engine/gearbox mountings if not I would say it's the TC


But seems to shift fine automatically and manually, smooth noise free, and no slippage under power - well it certainly boots it


Engine leak hopefully the common pipe leak thing I have read about and not black death !


But engine is quiet- no compression noise or anything leaking past an injector.
Worst case scenario gearbox off , is this a nightmare?


Is this DIY do-able? have rebuilt my motorbikes in past so pretty good with the spanners.


Regards
Jonny.

 

[jonny705]

Well i had a look yesterday with it jacked up - clunk sounded horrific as echoed off floor! - thought it was the diff, then realised shock was transmitted from front, so got my mate to engage D then R repeatadly and traced it o the first UJ joint as it comes from Gearbox.
Really chuffed so have ordered a decent jack today, and will remove propshaft and take it to Davemac Props - he rekons he can do it in a day.
So was worth a punt as i think the seller of this thought the gearbox or TC was broke hence why i bought it cheap - but was a gamble as could have been major expence.

Just oil leak on engine to find now removed air box - engine hasent got much room has it ?

Could not see much at all so not going to be easy - but i dont think its the rear propshaft seal so

 

[Ted]

Axle stands!!!

 

[BTB 500]

engine hasent got much room has it ?

It hasn't, but Brabus managed to fit a 6.1 litre V8 in there ... which must have been REALLY tight

 

[jonny705]

Dear Ted, no worries mate have axle stands, the days of getting under cars on bricks and bits of wood are long gone.

BTB500, looked up that 6.1 V8 - would love to know did it have a LSD axle and what sort of suspension it had , wiki lists the brakes and tires , but coundent find a review of it that went into detail.

 

[BTB 500]

No idea on the Brabus W639 I'm afraid ... the most detailed reviews I've seen have been in German! I doubt they sold more than a handful but a pretty cool achievement

 

[takeaflight]

I had the rear window motor pack up, I ended up replacing it. Stupid design the washer tube runs through the center of the casing, if the washer jet gets blocked and it does, guess where all the water goes, yes onto the motor.

 

[zenman63]

Well i had a look yesterday with it jacked up - clunk sounded horrific as echoed off floor! - thought it was the diff, then realised shock was transmitted from front, so got my mate to engage D then R repeatadly and traced it o the first UJ joint as it comes from Gearbox.
Really chuffed so have ordered a decent jack today, and will remove propshaft and take it to Davemac Props - he rekons he can do it in a day.

Davemacs, are you in Coventry?

 

[jonny705]

Yes i Live in Sunny Coventry

 

[jonny705]

Well after thinking I had done well with transmission , being UJ joint, I cleaned all the engine gearbox as much as possible then let it tick over up to temperature , but could not see oil leak .


So dropped it off the axle stands and booted it round block come back and found leak .
Pretty certain it's the infamous oil cooler leak , am about to go have a look with bore cam.


Have watched loads of the videos , but all for cars - is this any way less accessible because a Vito/Van?


Is this DIY likely? as in can you get access to it from just front?


Do you think it would be better to take front /radiator off etc?


Just want to get stuck into it , as nice day today! but only if I haven't got to take engine out!


Please can somebody help ? also what do recon i would be charged for getting this done?


Regards



jonny.

 

[jonny705]

Well went to the Garage today at Lythalls Lane Coventry and spoke to the guy there.

Rekons its a up to 5 day job with engine gearbox dropped on subframe and a real pain.

Says he charges 500 for a car car but around 1000 for the vito's

Best learn how to use WIS.

 

[StMarks]

.....Pretty certain it's the infamous oil cooler leak , am about to go have a look with bore cam....

Hi Jonny, my advice is going to be seriously tainted by the fact that I only have a 109cdi, not one of those flash 120's like you .
Nontheless one of the reasons I got mine so cheap was the oil leak that the vendor had decided was a blown head gasket. (To be fair the coolant leak, also present, contributed to his mis-diagnosis).
Anyway I eventually traced the leak back to my oil cooler/heat exchanger unit.
I did manage to replace my oil cooler in situ. It was very awkward & fiddly, but do-able (on a 109).
Good luck.

 

[jonny705]

Thanks for the Confidance boost , after reading everything and what a mare it is i need it.

But i just want to get started on it now.

Iguess it will go one way or another.....

It all depends on the bolts being rusted in, i will try and get turbo off without dropping engine.

But might just take front end/ rad off, steering rack, exhaust, loads of wires etc, drop engine and tranny how hard can it be

Regards

Jonny.

 

[br0ke]

.

But might just take front end/ rad off, steering rack, exhaust, loads of wires etc, drop engine and tranny how hard can it be

Regards

Jonny.

Love it. I did the same with my old XC90 but there was so much room to work in.

I have just got myself a 120 Sport-X that has the same horrible crunching from P through R to D. Did the propshaft repair cure that.

How did you get on with the oil leak?

Ian