A while back I pulled the tank strainer out of my 300TD. I noticed that on the diagrams for the sedans the supply fuel line comes out of the tank strainer. Which makes sense. But on the wagon diagrams and on my wagon the supply line does not come out of the tank strainer like on the sedans. Sooo...how does the strain still strain the fuel on the wagons if the fuel isn't passing through the strain into the supply hose?

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The answer is that it is just there to fill a hole. The tank used on the wagons is the same as on the sedans, but there fuel hoses are different. It was cheaper for Mercedes to just put a strainer in that strains nothing, than to design a seperate tank.

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1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

That would explain why my strainer looked so clean!

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Yep that is a great observation.

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1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

Never worked on a wagon have you!

The tank in the wagon is in no way like the tank in the sedan. The sedan tank sits over the rear axel and is more rectangular in shape. The wagon tank is under the rear floor and is flat like a pancake. ( Or did you mean the screen??? If so read below)

The screen works differently in the wagon than the sedan. In the picture attached notice the lip that is on the wagon screen. When the wagon screen is installed the lip sits against a divider in the tank. The fuel then flows through the screen above the lip and into the inside of the screen. The fuel then flows out through the bottom part of the screen just below the lip into a sectioned off part of the tank. This sectioned off part is where the rubber fuel line, that goes to the engine, is connected at the front of the tank. So clean the screen if you need to. If it was clean then great. But don't assume the tanks and screens are the same.

Do make sure your screen looks like the one in the photo for the wagon. Make sure the lip is not boken.

Dave

Attached Thumbnails

 

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

Ahh yes I have, but I stand humbly corrected.

I have not looked at the tank that closely, but did know the fuel screen were much different.

I learned something new today.

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1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

We all have something that we can learn. Everyone here has a detail about the various models that we can learn. I only know this because I've had this 82 Wagon, for the last 16 years. And my daughter has a 83 240D that I have rebuilt from one end to another, along with the wagon. I'm also on my 4th W123.

Together, with this forum, we can all learn as much as we want to about these cars.

Besides. Mercedes does NOT do anything because it just "fills" a hole. The Germans have a purpose for everything.

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

I'm just posting to help clarify how the tank strainer works in a wagon.

Here's a diagram I drew to help explain. The tank in a wagon has two chambers.




EDIT: That bolt in the pic is another option some use as a tool to remove the strainer. I use a 15/16" spark plug socket turned backwards on an extension like this:

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Chad
2013 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL

Thanks for all the tips

I have an 83 TD and it has been cutting out when cold, and shuddering up the first 1/4 mile of road from home.
Once warm runs like a top.

I decided to open up the tank and check the tank screen

My screen was not as clogged as I thought it would be, but for good measure, I also blew out the inflow line, filled it with paint thinners and blew it out a second time.

Also got my wet-vac up against the hole and sucked away.

Everything back together and bled, no more shudder going up the hill.
It is a very cold day so I have confidence that problem is solved.

these things have a way of coming back so I'll keep you posted

how cold? could you be dealing with summer fuel gelling? are you sure your glow plugs are all working?

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!