Changed Fuel Filters on 1998 E300D TurboDiesel - What a Mess!!!

[JimSmith]

I am sure I missed something but I changed the two fuel filters in the 1998 E300D TurboDiesel today, along with the oil. I am pretty good at getting the oil done without getting any on me or the rest of the car (I use a Topsider like device to suck it out the dipstick tube), but I made the biggest mess doing the fuel filters.

For some reason the fuel just started pouring out when I opened the system up, and kept pouring out until I had it all buttoned up. I was working pretty fast but it still spewed about a quart on the driveway. Is there some way to prevent this? I spent an hour washing the driveway off, and the yard still smells like Diesel fuel.

The good news is the prefilter was pretty clean, a little discolored but not full of junk. Another observation was the hold down mechanism was so loose I thought I had the wrong size wrench. It takes a 10 mm wrench, but when I put it on the bolt head it felt like it was too big and just spinning over the corners and flats. So I tried a 9 mm socket and that was too small. So I tried it with my fingers and it came right out. I snugged it up at reassembly and it is a 10 mm hex head.

Well, if anyone has changed their W210 fuel filters with the prefilter integrated in the main filter housing bracket, let me know if there is something to do to avoid having Diesel fuel run all over the place. Or what you do to avoid the problem. Thanks, Jim

[Richard Eldridge]

If there is a plastic or rubber fuel line involved as on my cars, just squeeze them shut with a spring clamp. They sell these wherever they sell tarps, and they last forever and don't even cost much.

Harbor freight sells assortments of them at the best prices that I have heard about.

[JimSmith]

Richard Eldridge,

I guess I will be investing in some of those clips. I was surprised by the leakage, as I have done this countless times on 220Ds, 240Ds and a few 300Ds of the older vintages and never had this happen. Yeah, a little fuel spilled but a well placed plastic bag collected most of it. This was another story. An order of mangitude more leakage, and it was coming out of the lines to/from the filter bodies. Next time I guess all the lines will be pinched off. Thanks, Jim

[Ockman]

I've changed my fuel filters twice and didn't experience the problem you described. I let the car sit for a few hours before changing those filters and maybe that has something to do with relieving some of the pressure in the system which you describe. The only surprise I encountered was the prefilter when purchased new does not have the required 0-ring with it. You must purchase it separately and I ended up using the old one again. It will not start without that o-ring since air gets in the system. Good luck!

[sokoloff]

My experience was the same as Ockman's. I did mine cold and had no fuel spillage at all. It all went very smoothly. Maybe removing the fuel filer cap would help relieve the presssure.

Len
'99 E300TD 55,000 miles

[JimSmith]

Thanks for the replies. I will do the job with the engine cooled off and the gas cap off next time, with some clips to pinch off the fuel. I think I will also do it with the nose up hill.

By the way, I got a package of O-rings in the filter box from the dealer, but, since I had heard they don't usually come in the box, I bought a set of separate ones. Well, the ones in the box were thinner than the ones I bought, and the ones I bought were much closer to the thickness of the ones I took off. So I used the O-rings I purchased separately. I will bring this up with the parts guys when I get my next one.

Thanks again, Jim

[TimFreeh]

It also helps if you wait until your tank is empty before changing the filters. If the tank is full (or near full) gravity will do a pretty good job at getting the fuel all over the place.

Tim