Can anyone tell me were to locate the fuel filter on my wife's E320 ??, the car has been running bad for about a month and ran even worse after I used fuel injector cleaner in the gas.

Also, are there special tools involved in the replacement of the fuel filter ??

I have a C not an E, but might be able to give you some help

Fuel filter is probably located next to the fuel pump (both are cylinder shaped ) under the car, to the right and just aft of the differential. They are protected usually by a thin plastic sheething.

If you go to the dealer to get a new filter, they can pull it up on the computer and you can see the assembly.

When you change the filter, disconnect the battery negative cable and open the fuel filler cap to relieve pressure.

A pair of hose clamp tools to prevent fuel from spilling - they squeeze hoses tight, and a bucket.

Also get two new hose-clamps from the dealer to attach the hoses to the new filter, toss the old hose clamps away.

Fuel filter is near the differential. You have to remove a plastic cover to access both filter and pump. About four screws for the cover.

__________________
95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K

Thanks Ethan & Kestas,
I will get the car up on the stands tomorrow morning and see if I can locate the filter as described. Once I find and replace the old with a new filter, I will post a message to let you know if it cured my problem.

Colin be careful with injector cleaner. It made my perfectly running '94 E320 wagon stumble and shudder for a little about 3 days. I thought I'd put some in as preventative maintenance - but no more. The theory I've heard is that is brings up muck from the bottom of the tank into the gasoline and you can guess what happens next.

I'm starting to figure out that most additives and things sold at Auto Zone are to keep a lousy American car on the road. I could be wrong about all this (and my wife says I'm usually wrong) so follow up with a search maybe.

__________________
dtf
1994 E320 Wagon (Died @ 308,669 miles)
1995 E300 Diesel (228,000)
1999 E300 Turbodiesel ( died @ 255,000)
2006 Toyota Tundra SR5 AC 4X4 (115,000 miles) rusted frame - sold to chop shop
2011 Audi A4 Avant (165,000 miles) Seized engine - donated to Salvation Army
BMW 330 xi 6 speed manual (175,034 miles)
2014 E350 4Matic Wagon 128,000 miles
2018 Dodge Ram 21,000 miles

This diagram may help. The filter is labeled No. 6.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K

Colin

Be sure to observe the correct order of the crush washers etc when taking it part. You do want to use new washers to prevent leaks.

Also, take your time in positioning everything back to where the original location(s). Often people just get it in there and not position everything correctly.

Use a permanant marker and write the date and miles on the filter.

How many miles on the car? What kind of fuel cleaner did you use? When I first tried to get my daughter's "project 190" going, I used a bottle of Techron Fuel system cleaner and if anything, it got worse. I then read here how someone used a double-dose of Techron Injector Cleaner in less than a tank. Dubious I tried it by hard driving for several minutes. The engine now seems fine.

Keep us posted,

Haasman

__________________
'03 E320 Wagon-Sold
'95 E320 Wagon-Went to Ex
'93 190E 2.6-Wrecked
'91 300E-Went to Ex
'65 911 Coupe (#302580)

HELLO MY NAME IS JAVIER AND I WORK IN A MERCEDES BENZ PARTS STORE I WILL LOVE TO HELP YOU . WE CARRY A LARGE INVENTORY ON PARTS FOR MERCEDES THE BEST OF ALL IS THAT WE GIVE WHOLESALE PRICES BELOW DEALER LIST..\

ALSO I CAN SEND YOU MICROFISH PRINTS WERE IS LOCATED THE FUEL FILTER FUEL PUMP AND ALL THAT , SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE OF YOUR MERCEDES GIVE ME A BUSS AND I WILL BE RIGHT THERE TO HELP YOU...

AGAIN MY NAME IS JAVIER MY TOLL FREE NUMBER IS
800-234-9199 EXT 103 I AM IN SANTA ANA CALIFORNIA ..

OK BYE BYE AND HOPE HEAR FROM YOU SOON

I found a flat plastic cover about 12" x 14" in size located forward of the differential on the passenger side, it had four nuts holding it in place, I removed the cover but found only a couple of brake lines and electrical brake sensor cables going to the passenger rear wheel.

Perhaps this might be accessed by removing the rear wheel well cover ??

Anyone have any other suggestions ??

How about the year of your car? That makes a big difference.
If it is a 98+ E320, the f/f is located on the drivers side under a plastic cover, in front of the l/r wheel. If it is a 96/97, it would
be on the passenger side under a bigger cover in front of the r/r wheel.
Dr.D

Hi Dr Diesel,
The car is a 1997, I found the cover as described in your post in front of the rear/ right wheel, though upon removing this I found nothing other than brake sensor leads.

I took ot the rear/right wheel well cover to expose a black plastic cartridge approximatley 12"tall x 6" wide x 2" thick. it has three rubber hoses coming out of it. Two of the hoses are clamped to metal pipes that go under the car towards the middle and appear to go towards the engine. The third hose terminates into a round cylinderical white plastic container marked "canister" with a directional flow arrow moulded on the side, it is manufactured as such that it allows you to open it to reveal a sponge, although this was dry and no apparrent smell of gas. This canister has an electrical lead going into it on top. I begin to wonder if the black cartridge contains the fuel pump and filters inside, not sure, just guessing.

Hello Colin

Here is the attach of the image. Hope could help you. The one next to mask M3 it fuel filter.

Hey guys,
I wanted to let you know that I found the fuel filter today in the exact place that you had been telling me to look all along, just forward of the drivers side wheel under a plastic cover, I thought those images and photo's that Haasman and Bluesky provided were brilliant, a picture really does say a thousand words. I will post again to report back how the car performs once I receive and install the new filter.

Thanks to everyone for the help on this.

Please give the photo credit to Kestas. Yes, a photo sometimes does say it all.

Glad to hear you found the filter etc.

A great site. Be sure and buy parts from FastLane, the people that make this site possible.

Haasman

__________________
'03 E320 Wagon-Sold
'95 E320 Wagon-Went to Ex
'93 190E 2.6-Wrecked
'91 300E-Went to Ex
'65 911 Coupe (#302580)

Well I realize that this posting is long over due, but I thought better late than never.
I recieved the fuel filter in the mail from fastlane (many thanks),
I installed it on the car, and it went in effortlessly, but to my dismay, this did not cure the problem.

Then I knew that it had to be those new platinum split fire plugs that I installed in late August. Sure enough, I found severe vertical cracks in the insullation of two of these plugs. I swapped these platinum plugs out for champion copper and bingo!!!!!!!!!!! the problem went away.

I want to thank everyone that took the interest and time to post responses on this problem. And my belated thanks to Kestas for the photos showing me the location of the filter.