1981 240D dieying out please help
 

Hi,my 240D mercedes is dying out seems like its running low on fuel,sometimes it might even completely die and i have to stand like 20 min untill i slowly start it back up,and sometimes it runs great,really easy on the throttle and still runs good and i times it feels like its just loosing power and off and on,sometimes i can even slow down to like 45mph on the freeway and than slowly starts going after a while,i already changed the both fuel filters a couple times,changed airfilter,oil,gas cap,i dont know and i put injector cleaner in the tank because the previous owner ran it on veggie oil,now its completely running on diesel,ive been told to flush the tank and clean it with diesel or the injectors can be bad or cloged up...can you guys please help???

It could be bacteria in the tank (sounds like a classic case actually). Get some biocide and give your tank a good treatment and check back with us.

The fuel strainer in the tank is likely clogged

+1 my 1st thought.

Means use as much fuel as you can out of the tank, or siphon it out, then you need to drain the rest and pull the metal strainer out and clean it.

Check you fuel filters again too . . . could be they filling up with crud again!

Did it run better after you last filter change, and then get worse as you drove? Or no difference?

What solvent/method do you guys recommend cleaning the tank strainer with? Thanks.

If you remove the strainer, you can simply back flush it with just about anything in a spray can, such as the penetrant of your choice, or even the garden hose just make sure it's dry before you re-install. Or replace it. If you Google "biocide diesel", you'll find many items to put in the tank. Keep an eye on your primary filter.

the "biocide diesel", will kill stuff in your tank but will produce a lot of dead Bodies that will plug up your filters.
This leaves you with a choice of changing a lot of filters afterwards until they are gone or pulling out the Fuel tank and havine it cleaned. Some of the biocides claim they have an enzyme/s that break up the dead Bodies.

Cleaning the Tank Filter is the easiest part of the problem.

There must be more detailed info on this in the do-it-yourself, DIY LInks under the Resources tab at the top of the page.

To cleaner that strainer you need to run the fuel down as it's, SURPRISE, located on the bottom of the tank.
Do what you feel is best, yet for me I would try the easiest first.

Hey Guys,it seems like most of you agreed that's it's a fuel problm I maean the tank needs to be cleaned and the strainer cleaned,well I went to some guys that I know that work on big rig trucks and they said clean it with Diesel. They said there is watter in the tank possibly. And someone said clean it with some spray bottle I don't know how that would work or maybe they meant clean the strainer. It's been getting pretty poor gas mileage too I would say. It's my first Diesel so....I just heard these 240D's get between 30-45mpg. One more thing is it best to take the fuel tank off before cleaning it???


Thanks for the help guys. Seems like you guys really know what you talking about.

Since I burn BD, I wanted as spotless a fuel system as possible so I pulled my tank, cleaned and flushed it,fuel strainerand fuel sender, replaced all filters and rubber lines with viton. Trying to get it all done once and avoid clogs later. It has worked fine.

MPG depends on many factors, get your car straightened out and check again. I rather doubt 30 much less even more, close maybe, but not 30 mpg.
If you are going to clean the tank, then yes, remove it and have it cleaned out. If you are just going to clean or replace the strainer, no.

Did it run better after you last filter change, and then get worse as you drove? Or no difference?[/QUOTE]




WELL IT RAN TE SAME AFTER THE FUEL FILTER CHANGE,BOTH CANISTER AND SMALL ONE,SO IM GUESSING THEY ARE NOT THE PROBLEM...

Here are instructions on the best way to drain your fuel tank in order to clean the strainer:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showpost.php?p=1691591&postcount=19

So it seems like the fuel tank needs to be cleaned and that strainer,i never took off the fuel tank where would it be located?

its in the trunk. have to remove the back wall of the trunk to get to it.

It is in the back, right behind the back seat, in front of the trunk . . .

Actually I get better than 30 on average . . .:D

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=262482

Does depend on what you do with your right foot too! I'm at 4,300' elevation too!

Good.

Yep. Mine was exactly around 30 as well. 45, not a chance.

- Peter.

Alright Guys now i found out where the tank is located,timeto get to work,ill leep you guys posted on how it goes:) Thanks Alot:) and about gas mileage,this one guy has a 240d and his getts between 35-45mpg thats what hes saying..i would actually have to see it for myself

MPG figures can be VERY misleading, the only true way to figure mpg is to add up all the gallons and miles over a long course of time . . . say thousands of miles, and then figure . . . one tank does not work, neither does using the tank gauge in the dash . . .

If I fill up at one station, and drive down hill 40 miles to another station and put in only one gallon, it does not mean that is the mpg! Angle of tank, how evenly it is filled up, driving terrain & style play a big part in it!

You may want to loosen the fuel cap to make sure the tank is not developing a strong vacuum with a blocked vent. If so it easily could take twenty minutes for the tank to semi neutralise the vacuum after quitting to start the cycle again.

Also before pulling the tank filter if the vacuum angle is not the problem . Either reverse the fuel and return lines in the engine compartment or disconnect the fuel line around the tank area and see if you have a consistantly good flow from the tank. The screen in the tank may be fine. Either of the two lasts tests should positivly indicate if the in tank screen filter is obstructed or not.

Technically you could get 45 mpg with your car IF you only drive downhill. With the two 240D cars I have, I get average around town 26 mpg with the automatic and 30 with the standard. On both cars when I first got them I pulled the tanks and cleaned them.

My 81 stick averages 30 with a best of 36 mpg. The 82 auto is closer to 25 average but since my daughter drives that I can't be sure. Best was near 29

I wonder what my 84 300d svo would get at idle free falling after driving if off a cliff?

Great mpg's for a very short time. :rolleyes:

Maybe so . . . but my point is driving a very short distance, and filling up at a different pump can give very deceiving numbers which is not an "average"

well,we switched back to Diesel,it was stalling out as if it was running out of fuel,well i decided to change the strainer,as we did that,the car started and ran fine for like 5 miles and after it started stalling again loosing speed at wide open throtle,well as i came to complete stop where the car died out,i checked the clear filter under the hood and it was completely cloged up,like all the way..so when i was trying to primer it,it just seemed like its pumping the air,i didnt feel the fuel..well i changed the filter i had with me and the car drove off,about another 5 miles down the road same thing started the car began stalling so i look and the filter cloged again with like old veggie oil or that gunk... what do you guys recomend me to do,please help,i know you guys are experts and heard that you helped alot of guys out with their problems.. God Bess Yall:)

Pull the tank and clean the bejeezus out of it.
I did that, replaced all rubber fuel lines with viton, new filters, cleaned tank strainer and started running B100 with no filter clogging.

Well I decided I'll clean the tank out and change the lines. Or if I can get a cheap Tank that never had veggie oil in it I'll buy. And one more question,well after the car runs when I turn it off I take out the key and the car still runs for like 20secinds and dies. Does that mean I have a leaking vacum line?

Veg oil acts the same as biodiesel in your tank. It will loosen up any crud that has acumulated over the years. If any of the veg oil got into the tank that is probably what is happening. Best solution is to clean out everything. Or you can keep changing filters until it clears up-not very cost effective or convient.