Has anyone tried this cleanable fuel prefilter?
 

I've been having fuel problems w/ my 82 240D for a while now. A couple of years ago, I was having significant sludge problems in the tank. Basically, I was getting about 8 miles before having to switch out the in-line plastic fuel filter due to sludge. I ended up removing the tank and pressure washing it and that seemed to clear up the problem.

But now it seems the sludge is back...:eek:

My car died on my way to work back in late July. I swapped out the fuel filters and was back up and running. Then it died again earlier this month. I pulled the filters, and found a large clump of sludge in the in-line filter that had plugged the fuel delivery. The main fuel filter was only 1/3 full of fuel...I guess that's how I made it the last mile.

I've filled the tank w/ fuel, and added Startron and Diesel Kleen. It seems to be running better now, but the in-line fuel filter seems to be slowly getting covered with dark particles (it's a translucent plastic filter, not clear, so I shine a flashlight through to check the status of the filter...)

So, here's my question for this robust body...has anyone tried this filter?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...combu_inst.jpg

Basically, it's an in-line fuel filter with a screen that can be removed for cleaning. Yes, it's expensive, but if I'm changing in-line filters on a monthly basis, it would probably pay for itself.

Any help/comments/thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

I haven't used that filter, looks like it'll work tho. But you may want to have the tank cleaned out and go back to using the normal set up.

I sometimes just take the old normal clear ones and soak them in fairly concentrated "purple stuff" degreaser, rinse well , dry and reuse. Works as long as you don't have so much crap that it completely plugs the plastic screen.

Yeah, I'm cheap...

I was wondering if the filters could be cleaned. I think I still have the old filter I replaced. I'll try cleaning it this weekend.

Thanks!

You said you had a translucent one. Not sure if that will work for you . That's why I like the clear ones....

Well...I've got nothing to lose. I was going to throw out the filter anyway...

Filters are reliant on surface area if they are doing true filtration. Otherwise they just grab particles above a certain size - there is no "cake". (the buildup on the filter surface is actually what does the filtration on a working filter).

I'd be looking for max surface area. I'd get a regular large-size water separator/filter and mount it to your inner fender. This way you have lots of area and so it will take a lot longer to clog. Just bypass the small prefilter for now, until you solve your issues, then later reintroduce. A big prefilter/water separator will do a good job protecting for a bit longer. Try to see if you can get a filter media a the same nominal particle size rating as the little plastic one.

************** is run by crooks. Hence the reason Mercedes$ource is censored by the forum.

Why spend all that money on a worthless "cleanable" filter when the factory filter costs $1.45, lasts over a year and takes 2 minutes to change?

While a cleanable Filter is nice and a larger Filter will not plug up as fast; the real issue is still is the sledge that you are getting in your Tank.

As long as the sledge is forming you can still end up stuck somewhere on the side of the Road. And with a Roadside issue I think I would rather change a Filter than clean one.

What I have experienced is that Filters plugged filter with a Drain at the bottom can when plugged often be drained and it unplugs the Filter enough that you can get down the road aways.

Another more complicated and expensive way to deal with Fuel contamination is to set up a Fuel Polishing system that has its own Electric Fuel Pump and its own Filter.
All the Electric Fuel Pump does is circulate Fuel from the Tank; through the Filter and sends it back to the Fuel tank.

The 2 advantages are a larger volume of Fuel passes through the Filter and if the Filter gets plugged it will not stop your Engine because it is not connected to the Engine.
A large Filter could be mounted anywhere there is space for it and there is room to run Hoses.

Commercial Boats us similar setups.

Put some anti bug stuff in your tank, change your fuel supplier & dont use any alt fuels.
I have blown many plastic primary filters out with compressed air (sunday arvo, no spare). Just have the filter full of diesel & blow the air backwards through it. Not as good as new, but it works.
Fix your crappy fuel & the problem is gone!!

We use a lot of fuel, the supplier has an agreement with us that if we have a black bug problem he fixes it at his expense. He has only had to do it once in 10 years.

Totally pointless to install that. The toss-out filters should last 30,000 miles on reasonably clean fuel.....and cost about $1.50 to replace if purchased online.

MBSource is indeed a con-operation. I only extremely rarely buy anything there. Only stuff I cannot find anywhere else....which is less than once a year.

Even with them being just up the road, I'd prefer order elsewhere online for most everything.

As to the fuel contamination, if you haven't already done so, find some StarTron diesel fuel additive. It has many rave reviews here on the board, as well as over on the BenzWorld board.
From all I've been able to understand of it, it helps to break down the dead critters in the fuel once it kills them off, instead of just letting them settle and plug everything up.

In my area, I found it at the local West Marine boating shop, and nowhere else. Your mileage may vary though.

If I understand things-- the only way you can get slime in your fuel is to have water present-- so where does all the water come from in your case? It seems like a once in a lifetime tank cleaning would have fixed your problem for another twenty five years. Just wondering.

just to be clear, with Starton there are two different products.
you want the fuel tank cleaner, NOT the fuel additive!!!

additive is just another conditioner with cetane boosters and such. you want the tank cleaner that will kill and destroy the bacteria problem!!!

This will depend on how long the tank sits at less than full capacity. Water, condensation, forms on the sides of the tank, then when you fill up, it mixes with the fuel.