I'm an absolute newbie when it comes to car maintenance, but as the proud new owner of a 1984 300D Turbo, I know that I need to start learning. I took the car in to a mechanic to have B100-compatible hoses (yeah yeah, probably not necessary), and had the fuel filters replaced. I understand from my reading here that I'll need to replace the fuel filters a time or two or three in the next few months as the crud from the fuel tank is released and captured by the filters. My research on this forum has resulted in the following directions, which were originally posted about an 84 300SD:

Are these directions compatible with an 84 300DT? Assuming they are, I am such a newbie that I have no idea where I am looking for the filters? Are they in the engine compartment? Under the car? Under the seats? Beats me!

Would someone be willing to post photos of where the different filters are located, and how to prime the fuel into the new filter(s)? Also, if I go to an auto parts store, are all fuel filters created equal? Do I just ask for 84 300D fuel filters, or should I source a particular make/model of filters?

Thanks in advance, and here's a photo of the new car!
-viggen9

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1984 300D Turbo 163k.

The filters you should probably obtain online, most of that stuff for these cars is not easy to find in stores...and if they do have it, its usually not the right quality brand etc.....click on "Buy Parts" at the top of this site when you need stuff, it helps keep the forum going.

There are two fuel filters, a pre-filter, which is a small clear plastic filter with a screen in it to catch big stuff, its located on the drivers side of the engine on the side, you should see a hose coming off the body of the car that is clamped to a plastic filter, and then is clamped to a small piece of hose going onto the engine. The other filter is up above on the drivers side and looks like the oil filter on an American car, a canister. There is a bolt that holds it on from above. To replace it you undo the bolt (counter clockwise) then once its loose you can spin the filter off and take the bolt out. There is usually a copper crush washer that needs to be replaced as well on most models. When installing the new filter, fill it with diesel fuel first and rub some on the rubber seal on the filter then screw it on the housing, tighten down the bolt snugly but not real real tight. If it leaks, tighten it a bit more. Thats all there is to the spin-on canister filter. Its a bit messy but fairly simple.

For the little plastic pre-filter just undo the two hose clamps, pull it off, and slip the hose onto the new filter, and tighten up the clamps....thats it.

Any questions just ask!

Side note: you may not even have any issues with "sludge" from the tank. Sometimes the tank is clean and nothing will happen on Biodiesel. None of our cars had any filter issues or gunk when we ran them on biodiesel for a while. Some do, some don't.

Here's pictures:

Pre-filter:


And the spin-on canister:

Attached Thumbnails

   

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'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

DieselGiant's "diesel purge" walkthrough has some good pictures, it's not on changing the fuel filters per se but it does deal with the fuel system.

I usually fill my spin-on big filter with Diesel Kleen instead of straight up diesel fuel, clean my injectors a little bit while I'm at it :p

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1983 Mercedes-Benz 240D
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Thanks pawoSD! I'll take a peak under the hood. Where do i get the diesel fuel that I fill the filter with? Is this what gets primed in, or do i need a little container of it?

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1984 300D Turbo 163k.

that is where the priming comes in... i have never pre filled my filters when i have changed them and have not noticed any problems

Thanks for the tip! I'll check out their webiste

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1984 300D Turbo 163k.

Please excuse my naivete......how does one perform the priming?

Also, do I need any tools besides a screwdriver for the filter changes? I read something about a 22mm wrench (?) in one thread.

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1984 300D Turbo 163k.

To prime you use the little pump, its right next to where the hose from the pre-filter connects to the engine. If it has a white cap, unscrew it and pump it up and down to pump fuel. If it has a black cap, just pump it, no need to unscrew (this is the updated kind). You can either fill the filter with some fuel before putting it on, or use the primer pump. Probably easier to just fill it beforehand though, takes quite a bit of pumping to do it with the primer. Probably about 25-35 times....until you hear a "sqa...eek" sound from the injection pump. (means the system has no more air in it)

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Ok, I think I found the filters . The first one is the "clear" one, pictured here. To replace this one, i just undo the two clamps with a flat-head screwdriver, pop off the old filter, and install a new one. No need to fill this with fuel after putting the new one?



For the canister fuel filter, I first loosen the brass-looking hexagonal bolt (all the way off?) and then unscrew the canister filter seen below. I then fill the new filter with fuel by either pouring or pumping the primer (seen in the first picture as the white round thing next to the plastic fuel filter) until i hear an air squeaky sound. Does the copper crush washer come with the new filter or do I need to buy one of those in advance?

Is there risk of lots of fuel going everywhere? Do I need to be prepared to plug something when I pull these filters off? Thanks again!

Attached Thumbnails

   

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1984 300D Turbo 163k.

You will have a slight drip of fuel from the line going into the pre-filter. You might also spill the fuel in the canister on yourself when taking it out. I wrap it in a rag when I remove it and I try to do the plastic one very quickly. To fill the canister I usually pour some "Diesel Kleen" cetane booster into the filter. Or you can pour in either "Diesel Purge" or just try to fill the new filter with what is in the old one. This will save you time when you try and start the engine. I see you have the old style primer pump in your car (the white knob on the side of the pump under the canister filter) TO use it you have to unscrew it and them pump it about 40-50 times. It will also probably leak. If so, it can be easily replaced with the new style which is available on this site.

One thing you might want to do is combine the filter change with a diesel purge as shown mentioned in the other post.

Welcome to the forum and
please continue to ask questions. You can search for many topics by going to google and doing an advanced search putting mercedesshop.com in the domain box.

I also recommend joining the Mercedes Club of America (MBCA.org) and your local chapter. You will find yourself surrounded by people who are a great resource and might be able to help you with some of the work...

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jeeze thats a clean engine.. makes me feel bad

For the clear filter you've got it, not necessary to fill it with fuel, you can pump the primer 5-6 times if you want and that will fill it with fuel, not necessary though.

For the canister filter, all correct. The bolt actually goes all the way through down into the filter, so when you loosen it, the filter will be loose and you can just spin it off by hand. Then you can slide the bolt out and replace the copper washer. Then spin the new one on till snug, then tighten the bolt down. The filters don't come with the washer, you'd have to get that from the dealer or online I think they have them too.


I must complement your astoundingly clean engine!! Wow! And brand new fuel lines and filters! It will probably be quite a while till you need to replace them again, your fuel looks nice and clean (as does the pre-filter). I usually change mine every 2 to 2.5 years.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

LOL, thanks, but not far from there is this mess:

Attached Thumbnails

 

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1984 300D Turbo 163k.

That's just condensed oil vapor that has leaked. You may need to tighten or replace clamps, replace the rubber elbow, etc. All that stuff you can get from FastLane (click the "Buy Parts" button at the top of your screen, it also helps support this forum).

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

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Welcome, as mentioned, just loosen that big bolt, I use kerosene to fill spin on filter, as I have some around. Loosen the smaller bolt, pump the primer to fill up the clear filter. Most filters do not come the crush washer, I got one the same size ( I.D. and thickness the only concern)
from my local harware store, a composite.

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83 SD

84 CD