Okay, so last you guys heard, I got into an accident with my baby. She was acting fine for about 3 weeks.... NOWWWWWWW (on top of the fact the S.O.B. is suing me) shes having a problem.

At a full tank of gas, no problems, at 3/4 of a tank, no problems, as SOON as i get below the line for a 1/2 tank of gas theres a problem. The car wont go over 35-40 M.P.H.
I called around, and no one wants to work on her, they all know nothing about a benz, and im not exactly able to pay MB to fix it. The guy I talked to on the phone said it "should" be the Fuel Sending Unit that rusted off on the bottom. Does this sound accurate? This is a serious problem, and I cant drive the car very often (I only drive it when I have no other choice). Anyone know how much this could cost to have repaired? Anything will help. Thanks alot

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Kenni
'85 300D turbo
208K miles
FOR SALE (kinda)

To that shop...

Sending unit tells you how much fuel you have - it doesn't control fuel flow.

That's a universal reality - I don't know what you have so that's as far as I can go with help. Filters are an obvious supect as is a lot of crapola in the fuel tank.

Tell us more.

Kevin

__________________
"Dangerous with a wrench...and not smart enough to know it"

Stable (in order of acqusition):
'84 500SL, 280SEL (Euros)
'77 280SE. '90 560SEL
'79 450SEL 6.9,
'95 C280 (totalled by daughter 8/07)
'81 280SL (rescued) '88 300CE
'86 560SEC '95 C36
'01 CL55

DD's: '04 S500 4Matic (SWMBO)
'04 F150 Crew

suspect

__________________
"Dangerous with a wrench...and not smart enough to know it"

Stable (in order of acqusition):
'84 500SL, 280SEL (Euros)
'77 280SE. '90 560SEL
'79 450SEL 6.9,
'95 C280 (totalled by daughter 8/07)
'81 280SL (rescued) '88 300CE
'86 560SEC '95 C36
'01 CL55

DD's: '04 S500 4Matic (SWMBO)
'04 F150 Crew

Yeah, you could be right, but Im so afraid to change my filters ect, and I cant afford the 300 they are charging for change.

__________________
Kenni
'85 300D turbo
208K miles
FOR SALE (kinda)

Hello,
The mechanic you spoke to may have been right, but his terminology was a bit off. By "sender" he must have meant the fuel screen located in the tank. Here is a picture:



This sits at the bottom of the fuel tank, behind a rubber cover just above the right rear axle. If the bottom part were clogged, I can imagine you might start to have problems at half a tank of fuel... when the tank is fuller, more of the screen would be submerged, so the pump could draw fuel from the unclogged upper section.

It should be easy to remove and replace the screen, there are several threads on the board that describe the process; it is also referred to as a tank strainer. You should also try to figure out WHY the screen got clogged. You might need to get your fuel tank steam cleaned if there's a lot of crud in it, or run some Biobor through the system if you have a fungus infection.

Good luck!
Nate

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1985 300DT, Classic White, California, 159K
1982 240D, Metallic Silver-Blue, Manual Everything, 376K
1981 240D, Orient Red, Parts Car/Engine Donor, 145K

"When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good you will not. Hmm?" - Yoda