$2K sounds excessive. How much is parts, and how much is labor? You should be able to get a good tank from a salvage yard and have it installed, or install it yourself for a lot less.

Hi Craig,

I thought it sounded like a good bit. A friend of mine who installs WVO kits (in a lot of MB's) says that I can pull the tank from the back seat area, and perhaps look for the leak (after draining the tank). Maybe even patch it.

Lots of fuel dripping here and there and the trunk seemed fuel-soaked, so I guess it makes sense that this was the problem.

I'm glad it is diesel and not gasoline!

Anyway, the one thing I've noticed is that when the fuel gets down to a certain low-level it doesn't seem to leak anymore, so that might give me an idea of where to look for the leak if I can pull the tank. Sounds like a summer project.

-Chuck

If the car is in good shape, I wouldn't get rid of it for something that is fixable, like a leaky tank.

Looks to me like 2-3 hours of work for an experienced shop:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=92826

Thanks for the thoughts on this, I guess I'll go retrieve my leaky car now.

Find another shop. Man those guys must be smoking some awsome stuff!

Firstly if the W123 is anything like my W126's the tank slides right out through the trunk.

Secondly tanks from junkyard cars can be had for nothing or darn close to nothing.

Thirdly I'd be surprised if its leaking because almost none of the tank is exposed. More likely one of the soft lines is leaking or one of the hard lines is.

More work is needed in narrowing down this leak.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Fuel in the trunk and inside car does not necessarily mean the tank is bad. These tanks are pretty robust so it's tough to believe the tank is bad. I just had the tank out of my 240D and it is very easy to do, though it is easy to make a real mess as well. There are excellent detailed instructions in this forum. Search for fuel tank removal.

There are several places that fuel could come from and end up in the car. There is a drain in the car body's filler port, and the hose that connects to the drain in the port easily comes detached and will allow water and fuel to drain into the trunk and then beneath the tank. It can then drain out the holes in the body beneath the tank where the pickup hose comes through. (this was my problem) This would make it look like the tank is leaking. The tank vent hose is metal, and this could rust and become compromised and leak fuel into the trunk. The black rubber filler neck Gasket which is visible at the filler port can deteriorate as well and allow fuel to leak into the car.

The hose that leaves the tank from the threaded fitting should be replaced no matter what as this is a likely leaker in the future if it isn't now. The return hose and tank vent (under driver;s side rear) could also leak as well.

Often, if fuel leaks into the trunk or beneath the tank, it can drip out the hole in the body above the rear diff. and make it misleading where the fuel is coming from. Take the tank out so you can get a look at everything and really see where the fuel is coming from.

__________________
83' 240D 204,000 miles SVO conversion - Heated Pickup Stock Tank, 3 Gallon purge fuel tank, HOH, Coolant heated filter, FPHE, 2 Greasecar Valves. 12V pump for Veg. and stock pump for purge fuel. Injector overflow return to veg. tank.

98' VW TDI Jetta SVO Conversion 154,000 miles/57,000 WVO miles

Their take was that because there is fuel coming out "every drain orifice" around the tank and soaking into the trunk that it was a problem with the tank itself. I had wondered because I had seen some damage to a spare snow tire just lying on the carpeted trunk area, simply because of fuel soak.

This was the BenzDen in Belmont, and I had a sense that they were pretty reputable. But they may just want to quote me high because they don't really want to mess with an old car (?).

There's some rust in areas, so he was also basing the quote on, "we'd have to deal with rot..."

I guess it could be the tank, but that certainly is pretty rare I think. I'd probably opt for a second opinion. If it is the tank, folks like Renu, http://www.gastankrenu.com/, can clean and seal your tank for a couple of hundred bucks.

Len

Yuck, was a messy stinky job that is. Fuel was pooling in the trunk and leaking out... well leaking out the rusty parts of the behind-the-wheel-well area of the trunk. Bought some abzorb-it from Lowes to help clean up. Phew, I need a long tub soak so I'll stop smellin' like a truck stop.

Anyway, the tank looks really good new me. I don't see how it could be leaking. I can't see anything obvious, but seems like the fuel screen, o-ring, fitted fuel hose, and return hose are a good place to start. That thick rubber gasket thing right below the fuel return line was green with algae! Blecch. When I get all the right hoses/gaskets, my thought is to "pinch" them shut, and fill the tank a good bit (with fuel I drained) and see if we're still leaking.

This is certainly a messy PITA, but I sure don't see the $2k estimate from the shop in Belmont. I tend to think they just didn't want to deal with it.

-Chuck

Stereo amplifier screwed to the fuel tank?

Don't laugh, I saw a used 300D like that.

__________________
Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

Seems like the new gaskets and hoses is a good idea. But check this out -- I pressurized the tank somewhat using a bicycle pump and some makeshift hoses and clamps. You could hear it singing! First pic below is just a shot of the rigged up stuff, second pic (slightly fuzzy) does show the crack. Looks like it got banged at some point(??). Should I risk application of some epoxy or J-B weld? That stuff seems pretty durable.

Tank out and upside down:


Slightly fuzzy close-up image of 1/8 inch crack:


-Chuck

Cew,

$2000, that the most outrageous rip off I ever heard of. Get another tank at a junkyard and replace it yourself in a few hours. Where else can U make $1000 an hour. This is why DIY pays.

Or take your tank to a radiator shop and have it repaired (soldered). No way do U need a new tank.

I wouldn't use epoxy to repair the tank. I tried it a few times and it was never successful.

P E H

No JB weld won't hold. Either find someone who can weld a patch over it. If that is even possible given the risk of fire and thin sheet metal its made from. I know they can weld gas tanks if they vent them with another gas first.

If you are near a junkyard I think a junkyard tank is probably your best option. Clean it out real good before you put it in though, it might have fungus growing in it.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I've been reading online about using clear epoxy and fiberglass cloth for tank repair -- seems like that would be enough for an 1/8 inch small crack? I'm kind of inclined to try it. Living on the edge???

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/caulks-sealants/40754.htm

If you could get it perfectly clean so the epoxy could bond to the metal it may work. Fiberglass makes an excellent fuel tank in itself.

How big of a job would it be to pull the tank again if the patch fails?

I'd consult with the guys at West Systems, or MAS is another big one.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200