oh my,
I am embarrased, 1 because I have done most of the work on all cars I have ever owned and know better, 2 because I am a girl, so dang it, I would be muttering something if I drove by myself......LMAO
BUT, I do have a good explanation.

I am the PROUD NEW OWNER of GREASIL, a Byscane Blue 300sd. I have only driven her two tank fulls of BioD and was not getting the best milage(knowing that they don't get that great of milage anyways) but I wanted to see what she would do with Diesel in her.
The car came with every record and two manuals, one for the car and a Hayes, according to the MB manual I had a 20 gallon tank with a 3 gallon reserve, so I am driving around starting to get close to the R but not real close when I start to feel it getting sluggish, sort of like a clogged fuel filter so I pull right over, make some calls have some filters dropped off and some Diesel just in case. It was 106F so I decided to try the Diesel first...........
When I opened the fuel cap, there was ALOT of pressure I know a fair amount is norm but this seemed like a lot, Diesel in......Cranked right over, no need to prime etc.(changing fuel filters today )
Now Drivrers door is the only lock working. Everything else seems to be working fine, seems to be shifting normally, but I could also detect a slight rougher idle, that my BF can not detect, Did I create a vacuum leak ?????
I do not have a mightyvac yet, any good places to start??? any suggestions???

OH YEAH.................MY EXPLANTION!!!! The MB manual, is for an 81 SD.
After I only put in just a tad over 19 gal, I knew something was up, sure enough....lol
So GO EASY ON ME GUYS..........

AND MANY THANKS!!!! for you all helped me buy a fantastic girl, and I am sure will help me now and in future....

you aren't the first one to be fooled by the ever changing capacities of fuel tanks MB used on the various cars - why can't they be consistent???

I keep a small bottle of emergency fuel in the trunk (just in case) because my reserve light doesn't work and my gauge is not the most accurate due to ground issues and it doubles as fuel for someone else that might be in trouble (it is supposed to be emergency fuel for gas engines and won't explode in the trunk - I've determined it is simply kerosene and works fine in mine).

You are probably right about the vacuum leak - but it is probably coincidental with the fuel problem.

John

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John Hughes, was in Landstuhl, Germany but currently in San Antonio, TX


1978 280CE Astral Silver now 59,xxx miles and counting "Silber-Kugel"
1986 300E Black Pearl Metallic 143,xxx miles 5-spd daily driver w/ blk leather "Schwarz-Schönheit"
1989 190E 2.6 (euro) 5-spd Desert Taupe 112,xxx kms Had to leave behind in Germany!!! "Helga"
1983 300D Pastel Beige now 312,xxx + miles SOLD

OBK#24

And the problem with running em low near empty is all the "coffee grinds in bottom of the mug" get pushed through the system. Thats what fouls yer filters.

Welcome to the forum!

I've found that around 60 miles all I can get when my reserve light comes on.

If you have a lot of pressure in the tank, you have a clogged vent. I had the same problem, and fixed it by drilling a very small hole in the filler cap. Just make sure the hole is drilled near the top of the cap, and make sure you put the cap on right so the hole stays at the top, if not a little fuel will spill out and get on your paint.

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87 300D - Running on Veggie oil; 260,000 plus miles; Original #14 head

You might want to examine your tank vent line. Just to make sure it is not obstructed. A little tank pressure might be normal but if you had a lot..... Others may possibly offer guidance about this. It turned out to be the cause of me aquiring a 123 diesel highway road kill car in good general condition awhile back. . He cranked it until the starter burned out. I suspected either thick fuel had done him in or a plugged filter as it went down in february. But when draining the vegtable oil from fuel tank the flow stopped at about 2-3 gallons. Just opening the fuel cap resumed the flow. Good luck for me but bad luck for the previous owner. After sitting in the tank for about a year and a half I was not sure what would flow out but the fuel looked clean and no growths were indicated. For the time being if your car starts to act up just get out and loosen your fuel cap. That would also be the proof the vent line needs attention at some point for sure. I just added the last as an indication of holding pretty good looking vegatable oil in the tank for a fairly long term. I did not expect to get off as easily. Remember though it is pretty far north here.

You know it says "do not use in Diesel Engines" on the bottle right??
the stuff we get up here in canada CAN NOT be used in a Cold Gas engine or ANY diesel engine.....I'd just keep a gallon of WVO or VO in the trunk.

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RIP: 80 300SD
RIP: 79 450SEL
2002 E430 4matic (212,000km)
2002 ML500 'sport'

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FACEBOOK: PANZER450

Right,
And the fact that I have been using Biod, which I had to change the filters about 200 miles into the first tank, the inline had only small particals but my gosh was the main filter sludge.
The inline looks pretty dark now, my second reason for changing them today.

Did your low fuel light not come on.? When mine comes on I have about 3 gallons left.

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Gary
85 300D Ivory, 202,000
Beatus exsisto Jesu, verus et Deus verus Vir

Thanks, The reserve light did not come on, so I guess I need to examine that as well and just make sure to fill up at a 1/4 tank...

So not thinking they are involved, ok
So now I am in the vacuum hole.......giggles
Time to start the search.

Add year make and model to your signature, helps with answers.

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Gary
85 300D Ivory, 202,000
Beatus exsisto Jesu, verus et Deus verus Vir

Yes - but mine is filled with diesel and 6oz RUG because I'd used my bottle a long time ago

John

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John Hughes, was in Landstuhl, Germany but currently in San Antonio, TX


1978 280CE Astral Silver now 59,xxx miles and counting "Silber-Kugel"
1986 300E Black Pearl Metallic 143,xxx miles 5-spd daily driver w/ blk leather "Schwarz-Schönheit"
1989 190E 2.6 (euro) 5-spd Desert Taupe 112,xxx kms Had to leave behind in Germany!!! "Helga"
1983 300D Pastel Beige now 312,xxx + miles SOLD

OBK#24

i've been brought up with the knowledge to NEVER run below 1/4 tank on injected engines.my jetta i did this once just to see how many miles i could get on a tank (850)to be exact and still above empty.but my sdl will never see below 1/4.as said when you get that low all the crap in the bottom gets sucked up.

I always ran my '85 and '98 down to near empty before filling up. Never had a problem in 6 years.

Scott

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Scott
1982 Mercedes 240D, 4 speed, 275,000
1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S (70,000)
1987 Porsche 911 Coupe 109,000 (sold)
1998 Mercedes E300 TurboDiesel 147,000 (sold)
1985 Mercedes 300D 227,000 (totaled by inattentive driver with no insurance!)
1997 Mercedes E300 Diesel 236,000 (sold)
1995 Ducati 900SS (sold)
1987 VW Jetta GLI 157,000 (sold)
1986 Camaro 125,000 (sold - P.O.S.)
1977 Corvette L82 125,000 (sold)
1965 Pontiac GTO 15,000 restored (sold)

Greasil, you will like the diesel for the talk-back it provides. All diesels speak to their owners like no other vehicles from stone cold start to highway cruising, its the ultimate union between car and driver.

Fuel is the critical variable. I like fuel additives like Diesel Kleen in grey bottles used regularly. WVO and BioD strike me as something you want to immerse slowly into. Otherwise you're shocking the system and risk injector fouling plus pre-combustion chambers getting all clogged up with incomplete combustion - hence bad fuel mileage.

I think once people get used to driving diesels they dont want to drive anything else and will always miss the feedback that diesel engines provide. In many respects diesel engines are practically human, firing on their own accord.

You ought to try a 4-spd 240D sometime, will literally be cheering and thinking the car has a soul of its own.