Reuse Plastic Fuel Filters?? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

lindajane · #1 05-10-2016, 10:36 PM

Hi,

I've got a 1983 300D. I have to change the Fuel Filters Very Often.
Or it will slow down, and stop. Change as in weekly. And I try
to keep the gas tank Full.
Is is possible to somehow wash these and re use?....
Thanks

pgringo · #2 05-10-2016, 10:52 PM

I run one of those clear glass mr.gasket inline filters and they have replaceable inserts that you can buy in multipacks. Those are somewhat rinseable and reusable, but the translucent one piece pre filters don't really flow well after I've tried to reuse them. Sorry for crappy grammar. On mobile.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk

mach4 · #3 05-10-2016, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindajane

Hi,

I've got a 1983 300D. I have to change the Fuel Filters Very Often.
Or it will slow down, and stop. Change as in weekly. And I try
to keep the gas tank Full.
Is is possible to somehow wash these and re use?....
Thanks

Wow, you've got some fuel problems for sure. I've got over 100k miles on my main filter and had nearly that on my plastic filter when I changed it because I added steel braided fuel lined and needed to change the fitting. I cut the filter open and based on what I found would estimate that I had yet another 100k miles of useful life on it.

You may not have a fuel problem...you may have a fuel delivery problem.

The first thing I would do is check your fuel overflow valve. Make sure it's working properly by checking the spring length.

Check your tank strainer to see what it looks like. If it's gunky or rusty you should clean your tank. A shot of biocide might help but probably a cleaning is in order. Check your lift pump to make sure it's putting out good pressure.

Next time you change a filter cut it open to see what it looks like.

Finally, practice good fuel management - only buy fuel at high-volume commercial outlets. Look for where the cement mixers, dump trucks, delivery vans, contractors and so forth get their fuel. On the road always use name brand truck stops like Flying J, Loves, Petro, Pilot etc.

Not related to your problem but also consider running 1% two-stroke oil for added lubricity to counter the effects of the enviro-nazis and their ULSD.

It would be nice if there were a convenient way to actually measure fuel pressure as that would provide valuable diagnostic data. I run a fuel pressure sensor on mine, but it takes two physical devices (a snubber and a damper) as well as a software smoothing algorithm to get a useful reading.

Oh, and no you can't wash a filter for reuse.

lindajane · #4 05-10-2016, 11:40 PM

Thanks,
my mechanic says the engine will have to bee steamed to clean
properly. I'm not sure of alot of what you said, but I will show
to my mechanic. Last year I put biocide in the tank.
But I'm not sure I didn't do more harm. It may have loosened
all the gunk and now the filter pick it up, or tries to.

dkr · #5 05-11-2016, 12:52 AM

I think it is most likely your tank strainer needs to be cleaned or replaced or you have some other problem. There are people running used waste vegetable oil with stock filters that don't have to change filters every week. Like mach4 said, I would cut open your primary fuel filter next time -- the pre-filter you can see visibly. I think you would need to be putting swamp mud consistency through your fuel system to get this kind of result on a regular basis.

Hopefully, you meant steam cleaning the tank -- I'm not sure how steam cleaning the engine would have any weight on this issue, although it would make the exterior surface of the engine nice and shiny which by itself is not a bad thing :-)

Dkr.

ah-kay · #6 05-11-2016, 12:56 AM

I have reused the plastic primary filter. I soaked them in engine cleaning agent like 'simple green' for a few days. Rinse it off and it will come out like new. Blow dry with compress air. Are you using bio-diesel or WVO? Diesel will unlikely etch out all the crap inside the gas tank. However, bio-diesel/WVO will etch them out in no time and plug up the filters.

MBeige · #7 05-11-2016, 01:08 AM

It'll just be a bandaid fix. Your real solution is to remove and clean the fuel tank thoroughly.

lindajane · #8 05-11-2016, 01:57 AM

Right...have to spend some money and a couple days...

Diesel911 · #9 05-11-2016, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindajane

Thanks,
my mechanic says the engine will have to bee steamed to clean
properly. I'm not sure of alot of what you said, but I will show
to my mechanic. Last year I put biocide in the tank.
But I'm not sure I didn't do more harm. It may have loosened
all the gunk and now the filter pick it up, or tries to.

Some of the stuff to deal with tank growth uses enzymes that break up the organism and sludge to particles small enough to pass through the Filters.

Other types just kill the organisms and the dead plug up your filters.

If the infection is really bad one treatment might not be enough and you can get re-infected by adding contaminated fuel later.

Startron is one of the companies that makes an additive for Diesels that has the enzymes I was speaking of. However, Startron also makes stuff for gassers so check the label to be sure. People have had good luck with it without removing the Fuel Tank. However, beside stuff that grows in your tank you can have other contaminates if you get contaminated fuel.

vstech · #10 05-11-2016, 07:39 AM

I agree... Before you get the tank cleaned... Try a triple strength of starton fuel conditioner. The diesel variant... Not the gasoline version.

Most "bugs" in a fuel tank are particulates of asphalt breaking down from the diesel, and starton dissolves it back into solution to burn. You will need several treatments from the sounds of it, but give it a try!

BillGrissom · #11 05-11-2016, 03:50 PM

Post a photo of your old filters. Are you seeing black slime? Until you get it cleaned, why not use cheap old-style carburetor filters since they are much bigger and can hold a lot of gunk. Some are clear plastic if you care to see that. There is no pressure at that point, just the gravity flow from the tank. Hard to imagine a sliming problem in LA unless you live in Venice or Long Beach. It requires water condensation in the fuel tank. Perhaps a prior owner used bio-diesel and left it sitting a long time and the bugs got hungry.

Junkman · #12 05-11-2016, 04:42 PM

3rd on the Startron. I straightened out my 85 to the point where nothing else was needed. I just dumped some in, let the car sit mainly because I didn't need to go anywhere then drove as normal. Prior to the Startron, I also had to change filters frequently.

vstech · #13 05-11-2016, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junkman

3rd on the Startron. I straightened out my 85 to the point where nothing else was needed. I just dumped some in, let the car sit mainly because I didn't need to go anywhere then drove as normal. Prior to the Startron, I also had to change filters frequently.

Any time a vehicle is parked with less than a full fuel tank, water collects from the condensed air humidity...

Prevent water and rust and bugs... park with a full tank!

FE240D · #14 05-11-2016, 09:01 PM

Startron works, worth ordering online if not found locally, my tank was alive with god knows what, clogging filters repeatedly and after a bottle of Startron it ended the clogging madness. You may have to still clean the strainer, when I replaced my fuel supply tube, I also removed the strainer and although the remaining diesel and tank contents were clean, to my surprise the strainer had a sort of thin, dried, crispy film from 34 years of -?-, but it cleaned up nicely with a brass brush.

oldsinner111 · #15 05-12-2016, 08:24 AM

I have been cleaning my primary filter now going on 3 years,every 200 miles.I had my tank removed and cleaned with solvent.I ran some nasty wvo,that had to much animals fats in it.It created the dreaded chicken skin in my tank,If I could only run B100 for four tankfuls I believe the skin would be gone.Tried startron,and all others.Even tank sludge remover.Just a way of life now.
I use purolator primary filters,the german ones let stuff past them.I carry carb cleaner to clean them out,or clean at home with gasoline.