Fuel leaking from W124 estate tank

[BlueQuinn]

I found this morning that my W124 estate 300TE-24 (non-cat model) has a pretty big leak from the fuel tank.

It wasn't there at the weekend.
It's coming from the left hand side (looking forwards) where there are 3 rubber pipes connecting to it. It could just be one of the hoses or it could be the tank itself. Maybe it's just a jubilee clip - I don't know.

Can anyone point me at a picture of what it is supposed to look like there or give me a likely pointer?

I need to get this sorted tomorrow if possible. Enough fuel has already leaked to dissolve the tarmac under the drips!

 

[grober]

FUEL LINES FUEL SYSTEM íà Mercedes 300 TE-24,AMG 300 TE 3.4 (124.091) | Êàòàëîã çàï÷àñòåé Mercedes, ïîäáîð àâòîçàï÷àñòåé äëÿ ëåãêîâûõ àâòîìîáèëåé Ìåðñåäåñ (ðåãèîí Åâðîïà) ïî àâòîêàòàëîãó.
most likely be a flexible/clip but could be a rusted through metal pipe. Detailed inspection underneath the only answer. Use care lots of fuel around- try to avoid getting clothes soaked in it.

 

[BlueQuinn]

Cheers Graeme. Fingers crossed it's just a clip or a hose at worst. I don't really want to shell out to have the tank replaced. It'll eat into the aircon budget. Not to mention the SLK budget

 

[Dieselman]

Why not have a look?

 

[jaymanek]

Im afraid the estate is known for leaking tanks and from memory they go at the filler neck...

I think the diesels suffer more than the petrols though.

Choice is to either get second hand or repair... repairs are specialist only, they have to be thoroughly washed out etc before they can weld.

 

[hotrodder]

^^ Yep, the filler neck is right in the firing line for crud thrown up by the o/s rear wheel and the 'mudflap' MB fitted doesn't do much to prevent the area from getting shotblasted. Wrong place for the OPs leak but worth cleaning up the area and undersealing it while checking out the current leak.

There is a mud trap of sorts where the outlet and return are plumbed into the tank but as said a leak from that area is more likely to be related to the fuel lines themselves, either the hard lines and/or the flexis

Had both those leaks, repaired the filler neck (i'm a welder and fabricator) and replaced all the hardlines under the car as they were all pretty rotten. There was a bit of surface rust local to the tank inlet/outlet under the pile of mud that'd built up but the proper corrosion on the tank was where the filler neck meets the tank.

More stuff on the fuel system here... 47 Fuel system - M104

 

[BlueQuinn]

Thank you fellow enthusiasts. It was just the top hose (92 in that russian diagram). It didn't even need replacing, just pushing on properly and the clip doing up. I'll have the garage see if they think it needs renewing when I take it for its pre-MoT checkup in a week or two.

The fuel filler neck looks good, by the way. This car has really been looked after.

Aircon/SLK fund remains intact!

 

[grober]

Thank you fellow enthusiasts. It was just the top hose (92 in that russian diagram). It didn't even need replacing, just pushing on properly and the clip doing up. I'll have the garage see if they think it needs renewing when I take it for its pre-MoT checkup in a week or two.

The fuel filler neck looks good, by the way. This car has really been looked after.

Aircon/SLK fund remains intact!

If it was 89 the return pipe from the accumulator [ 3rd unit after the fuel pump and filter] it would have continued to leak after the engine /fuel pump was switched off as its essentially a spring loaded diaphragm designed to maintain fuel line pressure for a period of time to help rapid startup after a short stop. You may find that your hot starting will improve now. WHATEVER--- a lot cheaper than a tank repair/replacement.