fuel exit hose installation on 450 sl ?

[miaminikko]

Hi,
I need to change the rubber outlet hose from the fuel tank to fuel damper on my 77 450sl.
Any tips on the replacement job, Ive looked and it does look snug there ,so I may have a hard time getting a wrench / socket up there.
I have ordered the parts and am looking for ideas on someone who has attacked it or a similiar job on another merc.

Can I use a crow foot to tighten up the new hose or remove the old hose?. a flare nut may not work there, I am worried about slippage
what tool would be best?
How tight should I tighten? on the hose fitting?
thanks a bunch
Nick

[ctaylor738]

If you do a Search, you will find a very good post on this that several people, including myself, contributed to.

[miaminikko]

Thanks Chuck,
Nice detailed instructions
Sounds like it could be easy or real difficult depending on how tight the hose is in there

[sokoloff]

How flexible is that fuel hose from the tank supposed to be? I bought a fuel line clamp to shut off the fuel flow out of the tank when I do my filter. But when I looked at and felt the hose coming from the tank, it felt hard as a metal line almost. I'm afraid that trying to pinch it closed with even the proper Mercedes tool might split the hose. Might just have to drain the tank and replace the thing.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by sokoloff

How flexible is that fuel hose from the tank supposed to be? I bought a fuel line clamp to shut off the fuel flow out of the tank when I do my filter. But when I looked at and felt the hose coming from the tank, it felt hard as a metal line almost. I'm afraid that trying to pinch it closed with even the proper Mercedes tool might split the hose. Might just have to drain the tank and replace the thing.

Can't help, but I have to do the same thing soon. Will have to check hose out before I get too far with it.

Graham

[nobby]

Originally Posted by sokoloff

How flexible is that fuel hose from the tank supposed to be? I bought a fuel line clamp to shut off the fuel flow out of the tank when I do my filter. But when I looked at and felt the hose coming from the tank, it felt hard as a metal line almost. I'm afraid that trying to pinch it closed with even the proper Mercedes tool might split the hose. Might just have to drain the tank and replace the thing.

Flexible enough that it can be crimped.

[ctaylor738]

I am nothing if not a DIY'er. But I have got to say that unless you have a non-running car, this is a good one to farm out especially if you don't have a lift.

[nobby]

Originally Posted by ctaylor738

I am nothing if not a DIY'er. But I have got to say that unless you have a non-running car, this is a good one to farm out especially if you don't have a lift.

I look at everything as a personal challenge and this job was no different. I had the time, my car was 19" in the air already. So I drained the full tank,took the cluster apart, replaced everything and back together. Didn't spill a drop.

But I agree with the esteemed Mr. Taylor. It would be a good one to farm out.

[miaminikko]

Hi,
I heeded G Murphys advice.
My indie replaced the hose. It was a difficult job even on a lift. The hose came loose with a crow foot wrench. However, the entire strainer assembly came off with the hose still on it!. It was on tight.

The good; we could drain the gunk from the tank.
the bad, the o ring on the strainer looked beat up. Luckily the indy had an o ring that fit.

We replaced all the hoses around the pump area that had clamp fittings and the fuel return hose too.

When the hoses were removed they looked like they could fail any day.
So lessons learned.

Have an indy do it. Have all the hoses you may need ready. Even have the o ring for the tank strainer just in case.

My 77 450 SL runs well, no gas odor in the gararge and I feel better that a bad hose will not break leaving me stranded.

thanks
Nick

[ctaylor738]

I think that a big part of enjoying the hobby is being able to pick your battles. If the car is driveable, I now outsource routine stuff like oil and coolant changes, and transmission service. There's not much challenge there, minimal expense, and the shops are a lot better equipped to recycle. I even confess to buying oil filters at the dealer and getting oil changes done at the local Jiffy Lube.

I also put in that category anything involving, or potentially involving, large quantities of gasoline!

[Furndog]

I would totally agree to sending this kind of job to a trusted indie. Last summer I changed one of the hoses that was fairly easy to get to, but I had a difficult time getting the fuel cut off to the pump pod. The one line that looked to have been original to the car started leaking and I had almost a full tank of gas. I had the car up on stands enough to get a creeper and me under it.

I reached up to check to see where the leak was actually comming from and the hose snapped in my hand and I was getting sprayed with gas. All I could think of is my work light is going to hit the floor and break the bulb and me and my car are going up in flames. After finding buckets and getting the clamp to stop the fuel flow, I had already lost about three gallons of gas on the floor.

I got the line changed, and had a nasty headache for two days, but most importantly I realized that my hobby is not worth putting my safety or life in danger, and possibly the safety of my family as well. Next time one of those lines looks bad, I will either drain the tank, or call my German car specialist.

[letank]

Thanks for the tips... especially the strainer o-ring.

I looked and realized that the big hose to the damper need to be replaced too, so it is time to catch up with fuel lines replacement. Indeed it is tight. Minimal fuel loss, when doing the fuel filter.

[cushjbc]

I've not been lucky enough to have just one rubber fuel line go bad. Another factor is that these lines wear with time not mileage. Buy in bulk - back to front; replace them all and use quality (MB or Gemi) clamps.

My .02