Has anybody......

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sinky

Active Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2010
Messages
153
Location
Costa del sol
Car
Mercedes 200 ce 1994
totally empted there fuel tank?

The 200ce that I have just bought has sat for 4+years outside with no shelter in Southern Spain.
Absolutley no fuel in it.Dryed up.

Iv stuck 8ltrs 95 in and it still does'nt reg on the fuel gauge.
Car wont start cause I think that the fuel pump has packed up but a mechanic told me that I may have not put enough fuel in.

What do you think?

Thanks sinky
 
totally empted there fuel tank?

The 200ce that I have just bought has sat for 4+years outside with no shelter in Southern Spain.
Absolutley no fuel in it.Dryed up.

Iv stuck 8ltrs 95 in and it still does'nt reg on the fuel gauge.
Car wont start cause I think that the fuel pump has packed up but a mechanic told me that I may have not put enough fuel in.

What do you think?

Thanks sinky

It should start with that amount of fuel in it, can you hear the fuel pump running?
 
No mate. Found a blown fuse on the OVP Relay?
 
The ovp relay is not your problem, have you checked the fuel pump fuse and relay?
 
I'd say the float in the tank has seized up hence no gauge showing, wouldn't stop it starting tho.

Daz
 
Is the fuel pump relay the one about the size of a fag pkt next to the OPV relay behind the battery?i Took that out tonight and give it a good soaking with electrical spray cleaner as well as the OPV.
The fuses all seem ok
 
Yes that sounds like it, what number is on the top?

Another test is remove the back seat base, and look for the pump wiring plug on the right side of the car. give this a live and earth from a jump pack to test the fuel pump.
 
Eh I cant remember.Could'nt see an easy way to get into it to check for dry joints.

I will try that test on the fuel pump tho THANKS
 
I suspect an old wives tale but many moons ago, I was told by more than one person that if you run the tank too low, you start sucking up crap into the filter.

Given the location where the outlets often seem to be, it would seem unlikely.

Is there any truth to this or is it a case "yer, in the 1960s it was like that" but not these days - type stuff?
 
I suspect an old wives tale but many moons ago, I was told by more than one person that if you run the tank too low, you start sucking up crap into the filter.

Given the location where the outlets often seem to be, it would seem unlikely.

Is there any truth to this or is it a case "yer, in the 1960s it was like that" but not these days - type stuff?

I think it was mainly crap fuel back then that caused this, not so much a problem now.
 
Thanks carat 3.6 amg.
I just got round to lifting the back seat base.(work work work)
Could you tell me what the black plastic box is? Vacume?
Also there is a electrical twin cable with a snap connector looks like cable goes to fuel tank and the other way possibly to the fuel pump?
Would that be the cable im looking for to check the pump?
 
I suspect an old wives tale but many moons ago, I was told by more than one person that if you run the tank too low, you start sucking up crap into the filter.

A complete load of guff I'm afraid. You only need to apply logic. Nothing to do with fuel quality. Think about it. Where does the fuel pickup actually pick the fuel up from?

a) The top of the tank? No - you'd have a full tank of fuel you couldn't use.

b) The middle of the tank? No - you'd have half a tank of fuel you couldn't use.

c) Right at the bottom of the tank? Why yes - so you have the full capacity of the tank at your disposal.

So then, how could running low have any effect? The fuel is being drawn from the bottom of the tank at all times anyway!!!!

There is only one exception to this that I know of. Aerobatic aeroplanes have a weighted fuel pickup on a flexible hose in the tank - the pickup goes wherever gravity sends it. If the aeroplane is upside-down, the fuel is picked up from the 'top' of the tank. If it's the right way up, then it's from the bottom. However this argument is still guff in this case because performing aerobatics will have stirred up any sediment in the fuel anyway!
 
The main time you have issues with picking up crap in the fuel supply is when the crap comes from the inside of your own fuel tank :doh:
 
Has anybody totally empted there fuel tank?
Yes. Not a Mercedes though - a Ducato diesel van.
Had done an enduro (motorbikes) in Wales with a mate and was on our way home. Thought I had enough diesel as trip meter said I had 40 miles worth. What I didn't know was trip meter had not been reset last time it was filled but sometime afterwards! :doh: Ran out completely as we spluttered onto hard shoulder. Very aware of not wanting to be there for longer than we needed to be so I dropped mud crusted enduro bike out of back of van, helmet on and set off A-Team style to get diesel. Bought a couple of quids worth as had to carry it back. Cranked van over and it was pretty easy to start. We were back on our way within a few minutes of putting diesel in. Went and filled the van up ... and zero'd the trip clock! :D
 
A complete load of guff I'm afraid. You only need to apply logic. Nothing to do with fuel quality. Think about it. Where does the fuel pickup actually pick the fuel up from?
You've assumed that the unwanted stuff in the fuel has sunk to the bottom, what if it floats?

Either way I ran my 202 down to nothing by accident twice and had no problems.
 
Think about it. Where does the fuel pickup actually pick the fuel up from?

That's why I ask the question - I've never seen a W211 fuel tank, or any other for that matter...

Whenever I've seen illustrations of a car fuel tank - the pump is on top and sits into the fuel but doesn't appear to touch the bottom, so the pipe has not been positioned at the bottom of the tank using gravity for fuel ingress (which isn't ideal in any case).

So I couldn't disregard the theory until I knew where the fuel was taken from...

Having tried to find a picture of say a W211 fuel tank, I've not been successful yet.
 

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