How do you deal with the fuel filter clamps on a W210?
 

Here is a pic of the fuel filter line clamps. It looks like that even with a special tool this is going to be tough. The car is up on jacks and I have my new fuel filter but I'm stuck!

I believe it uses CLIC fuel clamps. Samstag sales sells the tool to remove and reinstall these but most non pros just cut/pry the clampsthem off with side cutters and use the familiar worm drive clamps. Mark

Thanks Mark - that is what I did and seems to work well.

Of course Mercedes specifically forbids use of any other style clamps. CLIC clamps are replaced with new ones every time, too.

CLIC clamps provide the specified tightness--who knows what you're doing with screw-type clamps, and of course both too loose and too tight are problems.

Do you slide by without a torque wrench on nut/bolt fasteners, too?

Correct indeed but I wonder how we ever managed to replace fuel filters properly without the use of CLIC clamps ;) Not to hijack this thread and not attacking you or your position, but isn't this the same Mercedes who specified that automatic transmissions were filled for life, made biodegradable wiring harnesses, located unsealed winter/sport auto trans switches in the vicinity of cup holders causing trans computers to fail needlessly, built W210 cars with spring perches and bodies that rust out, installed defective evaporators in numerous models that fail releasing tons of refrigerant to the atmosphere, etc., while denying that these defects exist? I'll take my chances obtaining the proper torque on worm drive clamps when I replace my fuel filter. Mark

You're being nit-picky. But if they had, for example, screwed up electronic brakes, or 112 motor harmonic balancers or 112 motor rings or oil sludging, or designed an evaporator that required 2+ days of labor for removal, then you'd have a point.

Yeah, mea culpa. I forgot about those even though I experienced the harmonic balancer failure first hand. Mark

Then we're in agreement - we should put them on a pedestal, worship them like a god, and never question anything they do. Not having to think anymore is going to be a big time saver.

While I agree with hookedon210s and deanyel on the general mistakes made and irresponsible actions taken afterwords by Mercedes, I would have to say that these CLIC clamps are far superior to anything that is driven by a fastener, especially for smaller diameter hoses and increasing fuel pressures.

I have owned three W124s and own two W210s so the head gaskets, timing covers, spring perches, MAFs, etc are not new to me. That is OK because all cars have some problems. What is not OK, actually disgusting, for me is the open-eye denials by Mercedes of these problems.

The CLIC clamps apply constant and even pressure on the hoses, unlike the static and uneven pressure by regular clamps.

These clamps are fairly cheap (less than $2 a piece from dealers).

The only issue are the pliers that are required to loosen and tighten these clamps because they are not widely available and if you do find them, they are not cheap.

However, here is a way to use a $1 pliers from the dollar store and work on these clamps. :D (I saw these sometimes ago and saved to my computer but I cannot find the source now. Thanks to whoever originally posted these pictures.)