Not really, right up until it starts to sputter and dies. That is always the first thing to check if the car stumbles and stalls while on the open road.

__________________
2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins - Georend fully built trans, Banks Big Hoss Bundle, Smarty Tuner, 5" turbo back exhaust. 500 HP and 1100 ft/lbs to the ground.
1979 Mercedes-Benz 300CD - Lost to a four car pile up on 275, Thank You Michigan Drivers.
1986 Mercedes-Benz 300D - Sold, Euro non-turbo car.

It's my understanding that these filters also filter out water, even though they don't have a visible sediment bowl. Once it reaches its water saturation point, water is passed to the IP even though the filter is still passing fuel at it's normal flow rate. Price of new filter vs price of new IP. You do the math!

__________________
82 300SD 202K
82 300SD 233K
83 300TD 340K
82 300TD 98k euro (parts on the hoof)
85 300TD 282K
83 300TD 197K

Technically they don't filter water but represent a "low point" in the fuel system where water collects. Once it gets close to full it will slosh out and go to the IP and that's when you start to have problems with it. I had trouble last fall with this and so I have adopted a policy of replacing my main filter every year in the late fall to prevent trouble with water in the system.

__________________
Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

That is an interesting point. I have considered putting a water separator in the line upstream of the first filter. That might be more effective than trying to guess at an interval to change the spin-on filter. It seems to me that one batch of fuel with water contamination could "fill up" the filter regardless of it's age/miles.

Can poor performance be attributed to filter issues?

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

The only thing I have found is that the car will "run out of power" when full power is required (significant hills at highway speeds). It seems to run normally at partial power with a clogged filter, but on the highway my 300D starts to feel like a 240D when it hits a hill. The last time I had a clogged filter, it would slow down to about 50-60 on I-80 in IA every-time I hit an uphill section (moderate hills).

Interesting. My SD can barely get out of its own way currently, I haven't swapped the main filter since I began to run B100. It's adequate for dorking around town and will run 65mph down the freeway barely.

I get the same power at 1/2 pedal as I do at full. No black smoke (not even a whisp). Linkage is correct, ALDA is off, etc.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

That definitely sounds like a clogged filter to me, especially with the B100.

I wont sputter and "DIE" unless you get a really bad load of fuel. You'll notice a very slight "stumble" under heavy load then nothing on the straight away, time to change filters, dont worry you can go a fair amount more.

__________________


1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

YES, that happened too. I thought it was because I was low on fuel.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

You were "low" on fuel at the injectors

__________________


1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Got it done, Klaus can move out of his own way again.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]