HOW-TO: Replacing fuel tank strainer in W124/W210 estate (Diesel)

[spock500]

Just check up front on the main filter housing to see if there is one there also - this what mine looked like

If you have a pre-filter its under the red circle

 

[SilverSaloon]

i changed the pre-filter a while ago (actually cleaned it). it wasnt very dirty and still isnt. I expect the fuel tank strainer caught most of it. All my filters are now clear :bannana:

 

[tpv01]

same for me. pretty clean prefilter but im expecting the strainer to be pretty bad although i had fuel starvation problems at just under 1/4 tank when running on veg but since changing fuel lines, filters and cleaning the IM manifold i can run much lower on veg. maybe the lines were quite fouled up (they were no longer clear!) robbing head from the pump with the extra friction or maybe the main fuel filter was heavily bogged up but not the prefilter.

whatever happens, after i have changed or clean the fuel strainer and ensured i have no leaks my car will be tiptop running on veg.

 

[Smiley]

Having seen this I replaced the strainer on my 95 e300d estate; the filter had been in there since new - the car has done nearly 200k miles. The filter in mine had no crud in it at all - in fact it looked the same as the new one - just a bit tarnished. I changed it anyway - but it got me wondering - how can one car be completely clean and another full of gunge and cr*p - where does it come from?

 

[SilverSaloon]

Having seen this I replaced the strainer on my 95 e300d estate; the filter had been in there since new - the car has done nearly 200k miles. The filter in mine had no crud in it at all - in fact it looked the same as the new one - just a bit tarnished. I changed it anyway - but it got me wondering - how can one car be completely clean and another full of gunge and cr*p - where does it come from?

all this is caused by running on veg. before the veg i believe my strainer was like yours. because I run on veg, the crud comes off the side of the tank (basically cleans the tank) and collects on the strainer.

i am assuming you've not run the car on veg?

 

[Smiley]

all this is caused by running on veg. before the veg i believe my strainer was like yours. because I run on veg, the crud comes off the side of the tank (basically cleans the tank) and collects on the strainer.

i am assuming you've not run the car on veg?

correct - just std diesel. That explains it then. Thanks.

 

[SilverSaloon]

UPDATE - i've now had the chance to run the car down to empty-ish in a safe manor (ie no danager of breaking down in a dodgy situation like on the top of the forth rd bridge!! )

I can confirm it appears to of fixed my fuel starvation problem. I can now leave the tank to go past the 1/4 mark and right down to where the warnling light comes on.... at that point, i filled up again.

whether or not the fuel strainer will remain clear or will clog again i dont know - but i will probably take it out mid next year to check unless something happens before then.

Derek

 

[SilverSaloon]

just to update this thread a bit as i know a few people have looked at it from other forums;

i've now ran the tank down to almost empty on several occasions - ie with the light on for a good few miles without any issues, so it definatly fixed my fuel starvation problem.

 

[Dieselman]

i've now ran the tank down to almost empty on several occasions - ie with the light on for a good few miles without any issues, so it definatly fixed my fuel starvation problem.

I did mine last w/e to get to 700 miles. It was worryingly low..below the light..
Think I'll try for 750 next...

 

[ringway]

I did mine last w/e to get to 700 miles. It was worryingly low..below the light..
Think I'll try for 750 next...

Is that 46mpg ?

 

[steptoe]

This was the state of mine, only pump diesel used.

The new pick up filter. ( please excuse the dirty nails, i've been doing a dirty job).



The old unit. And that muck is sticky and will not clean out of the fine gauze.

 

[ringway]

This was the state of mine, only pump diesel used.

The new pick up filter. ( please excuse the dirty nails, i've been doing a dirty job).



The old unit. And that muck is sticky and will not clean out of the fine gauze.

Crikey, I wonder how many of us have one just like that without knowing about it

 

[Olivier]

I did mine last w/e to get to 700 miles. It was worryingly low..below the light..
Think I'll try for 750 next...

I tried last time and run for 30 miles on mix roads, highway/ using kickdown few times and city. No signs of starvation.
Could have gone a lot further anyone? I stopped as it was late and didn't want to stop in the dark refueling the beast .
We have a lot of snow today

 

[Olivier]

I did mine last w/e to get to 700 miles. It was worryingly low..below the light..
Think I'll try for 750 next...

I did on a highway 360 miles and the reserve light didn't lit, the needle was near though, I don't know but I was assuming I might do another 100, that would have bring the total at 460, maybe 500 max, but 700 , this is a lot.
What is the average the car should do?

 

[poisas]

how much these 700miles will be in km ? how much liters per 100km ?

I did on a highway 360 miles and the reserve light didn't lit, the needle was near though, I don't know but I was assuming I might do another 100, that would have bring the total at 460, maybe 500 max, but 700 , this is a lot.
What is the average the car should do?

 

[ringway]

how much these 700miles will be in km ? how much liters per 100km ?

Quite possibly an 80 litre tank then?

 

[Dieselman]

how much these 700miles will be in km ? how much liters per 100km ?

700 miles is 1129km.
Last tank gave 7 L/100km

 

[SilverSaloon]

I did this job at in August 2008.

Its now March 2010 - i removed the tank strainer last week and it still looks brand new - not clogged at all.

 

[kwakdonut]

I did this job at in August 2008.

Its now March 2009 - i removed the tank strainer last week and it still looks brand new - not clogged at all.

Ah, the error of being in a new decade! lol

 

[SilverSaloon]

Ah, the error of being in a new decade! lol

Hehe, thanks - edited in time