I have to replace mine in my 1992. Is it accessible from inside the tank from the trunk or do you have to it from the bottom. I don't quite see it on the bottom...

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

If you trace the fuel inlet hose back to the tank the strainer is going to be past the area where the hose ends.

Have you tried adding Startron for diesels to the Tank. It has an enzyme breaks up stuff into particles so small they even pass through the Spin-on Filter.

Boat Shops or places that supply stuff for Trucks. There is even one Autozone out here in CA that sells it.

If the Startron works there is no need to remove the Fuel Tank Screen/Stariner.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

If the 124 is anything like the 126, there's a rubber "bladder" over the area where the strainer is screwed into the tank. Not sure how you'd get it out without removing the tank since the rubber cover is installed from inside the trunk.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

BUT!

I'd sure TRY 911's suggestion about the Startron, First.

It's an Enzymatic So You can't possibly ever add Too Much.

(Well Maybe anything over 50/50 might not burn so well.)

They (Starbrite) also make a "Tank Cleaner" version
[But I think the "Stuff" [Algae/Diesel Crud] has to be crawling out of the tank
and attacking innocent passerby diesels before you'd need that.]

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

Its bacteria that grows in the tank and it grows if there is water in the tank or in the supply tank the diesel came from.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

You have to access it from under the car. Need a 46mm socket. It was quite easy on my car. Total time taken including draining was about 2 hours.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

Since the tank is already drained at this point, might as well remove the 4 nuts holding the tank and remove the whole thing from the car, its really easy on the 124. Then you can replace the strainer with a pipe wrench.

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CENSORED due to not family friendly words

I eventually did remove the tank as it takes about 5 minutes once the lines under the car are disconnected.

My reason was that after gently pulling out about a cup of plasticky dirt sludge from the strainer cavity with a bent wire with tank in place - I believed it was best to remove the tank and give it the old slosh clean as i suspected there must be more in there, didnt find any more though.

be careful - the tank edges are sharp... hand shaped blood stains are not fun and your palm takes a long time to heal.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)