Okay, repeat after me -

"It runs just as good on the top quarter tank as it does on the bottom quarter."

I look at the gauge once in a while, but I use the trip meter to determine when to refill. (Yeah, the odo can fail too, but it's not as likely to as the gauge.) On any long trip, I plan my fuel stops in advance so I don't have to worry.

Best insurance is PEH's idea to carry a small spare amount.

Wes

I always reset the trip odo, but the odo is broke on the SD so I am sol. I was spoiled driving the SDL because the guage is dead on and I always reset the trip odo so I would fill up when I got close to the 450-500 mile mark.

I got the SD going, I suspect the tank strainer is clogged a bit. I was only able to get about 17.5 gallons in the tank. So their was 3-4 gallons in the tank when the car wouldn't run.

When it warms up I think I will pull the screen and clean it. But until then I just won't let it get below half a tank.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Don't feel bad , I bet many here have done the same thing , just won't admit it

I've done it more times than I should have , being a cheapskate looking for cheap fuel etc.


Do most of you all add some typ of additive to _every_ fill up

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

I agree with PEH on keeping the tank full in cold weather, the reasoning being that the more air (which always has moisture) in the less than full tank, the more water that'll condense in the fuel. That's why it's good to treat the fuel with a water sequestering agent once or twice during winter in cold climates.

Personally I try not to go below 1/4 tank in the 300D, and like BHD, I usually get 15 gallons up to the rim if fill up all the way from 1/4 tank so I know it's pretty accurate. But my dad however won't go much below 1/2 tank. We learned about these faulty MB fuel gauges early in MB diesel ownership after a faulty fuel gauge incident left my dad without fuel in a bad neighborhood late at night in the 300SD in 88 or 89. It's a funny story, it was my mom's daily driver at the time, so you know she was p/o about going out to find him and her "new" car, and having to have it towed to the indy to get all the air out of the lines (nowadays, we could've done that ourselves).

And to Hatterasguy, with your tank empty, this would be a good time to clean out your fuel sender, it may be why you got a faulty reading.

-Joe

__________________
'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

I usually only run my cars down to a 1/4 tank. But the SD I have been trying to run it down pretty far so all of the crap will be sucked out of the tank.

It is 9 degrees out and the car and road are covered with salt and sand. I am not spending a couple of hours under a $500 beater to drain the tank. I'll do it in April before I put the car in storage. Until then I will just keep it full and changing fuel filters about once a month.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I keep planning on doing that when I'm near empty, but it never seems to happen. I always end up filling it up again to go someplace. Actually, I'm just procrastinating because I don't feel like doing it. If I was really ambitious, I would clean out the strainer too.

greasybenz,

Maybe if he mixed the powerservice 3 to 1. Powerservice 3, veggie oil 1. But at that rate, you might just use the powerservice straight ($$$$).

P E H

Sorry to read what happened to you Hatterasguy. As a precaution, there's a 2 gallon container full of diesel that always sits in my trunk. In fact, it has a permanent place there. The fuel is pretty old now and I should probably use it and refill the container with fresh fuel, but at least if I end up in a situation similar to yours I won't be stranded. My original motivation for keeping that container in the trunk was actually to ensure that if I start running low and can't locate a diesel fuel station, I'd still have some form of backup.

As for my gauge, I've driven over 100 miles eve while it was stuck on R. Who cares what it says?

__________________
1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver

Rich have you looked at the guage on the W140? I really like it, they have a nice big 1/4 section of the guage so you can run that sucker right down!

When we picked up my friends car it had a 1/4 tank. We drove through and out of Boston and then into RI before needing fuel.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Yeah well ; R.I. is about the size of an Air Mail postage stamp so no big deal there....

(ducks and runs for cover)

-Nate

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

What is this powerservice you speak of. I'm on the east coast for a short period and it's cold. Is this something I should know about?

__________________
Resurrected Nov 2010 - 79 240(SD) with 83 617 engine and 4 speed manual, 2.88 rear and 2.5" straight pipe unknown mileage (Salmon)
83 240D parting out
96 Dodge Cummins 5 sp 4X4 long bed - 310k

http://flickr.com/photos/11103112@N03/

Dumb question I'm sure, but i've never heard of it.

__________________
Resurrected Nov 2010 - 79 240(SD) with 83 617 engine and 4 speed manual, 2.88 rear and 2.5" straight pipe unknown mileage (Salmon)
83 240D parting out
96 Dodge Cummins 5 sp 4X4 long bed - 310k

http://flickr.com/photos/11103112@N03/

It's a fuel additive for diesel, cleans injectors, lubes IP, etc. It's available at parts stores, Walmart, etc.

Did you know?
This vehicle, as well all other Mercedes Benz vehicles produced, is still covered by the MB roadside assistance program-

If you ever have difficulties with your MB vehicle, you can simply call 800-4-Mercedes , and MB will send a technician to repair your vehicle roadside, or in your driveway, etc.

Mercedes will give you a jump start, change a flat tire, or provide you with five gallons of fuel, free of charge. Any other services will be priced to you by the technician, in advance. This service is available to any MB owner in the USA or Canada.
----------------------------------

I humbly became aware of this on page sixteen of the eBay alert thread...laying my posting handle on the line, etc...

Sounds familiar.