Peculiar Noise in Rear - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Ted2222 · #1 08-09-2003, 08:04 PM

Got a new problem that doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
I will relate two conditions, just in case they might be related.

1. About two months ago, my fuel gauge ceased to function. It registers "Full" no matter how much fuel is in the tank.

2. My wife reports hitting a really bad pot hole (she said it just looked like an oil spot on the street) and now there is a noise in the rear of the car somewhere. This noise only occurs when making a left turn. It sounds like something in the trunk sliding from one side of the car to the other, but there is nothing in the trunk.

Turning right does not make the same noise but there does seem to be a very slight "clunk" in a right turn. Hardly noticeable.

At this point, I am guessing that there is something loose in the fuel tank (behind the back seat).

Has anyone else experienced something like this and if so, what did the problem turn out to be?

Thanks for any assistance

leathermang · #2 08-10-2003, 09:31 AM

I am just guessing... but to have something " roll" in the tank from normal cornering... under diesel fuel sounds like a long shot... I would keep looking under the car and rule out everything else first...

Mike123 · #3 08-10-2003, 09:44 AM

I agree that it seems a long shot that the noise is part of the sending unit. The can is very light and I think it would roll very slowly submerged in the diesel fuel.

But, it will only take a few minutes to rule out the tank sender can. Pretty easy to take a look at it and see if it is all there.

Mike123 · #4 08-10-2003, 09:45 AM

Oops. I forgot to add that if the guage is not working you'll probably have to take a look at that sender anyway.

Ted2222 · #5 08-10-2003, 01:13 PM

Thanks for the input guys.

As you might imagine, the first place I looked (after checking the trunk) was the rear suspension. Everything seems to be intact and securely fastened. And too, what part of the suspension could "slide" from one side of the car to the other?

Leathermang - In response to your G-force question, my wife and I are in our seventies and I assure you neither of us tries to hot-rod it......especially in a 24 year old 240D.

Mike - Yeah, I realized when the gauge ceased to work that I was going to have to go into that sending unit eventually. I just don't look forward to it and tend to procrastinate on jobs like that. May have avoided this noise problem if I had gone ahead and done it. We'll see.

Appreciate all of your responses.