Does anyone know the change interval for the 220D, W115, fuel filters? I was changing them at 30K miles. The manual says just check flow at the bleed screw. Both of mine plugged up on a trip to Vegas and Death Valley, and luckily I had spares with tools. The filters had 20K on them.

Thanks for any advice. Ron

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1971 220D, daily driver, new paint, 142K
1973 220D, low compression
1975 300D, back on the road! 166K
1971 220D, salvage, rear hit, engine excellent
1972 250, bad cam, but runs!
1971 230, engine stuck
1971 220D, low compression, rusty
1976 240D, salvage, engine excellent
1966 230SL, water in oil after rebuild

30K is a good interval. But it all depends on how clean your tank is.

You might want to thoroughly clean the fuel tank which will help keep the filters cleaner for longer...

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1985 300TD Turbo Euro-wagon
1979 280CE 225,200 miles
1985 300D Turbo 264,000 miles
1976 240D 190,000 miles
1979 300TD 220,000

GONE but not forgotten
1976 300D 195,300 miles
1983 300D Turbo 175,000 miles

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...e485-1-2-1.jpg

If your Fuel is contaminated; and that happens often when you buy Fuel from previously unknown sources a New Filter can last a matter of minutes.

On my Volvo Diesel I have gone as long a 5 years with out changing the Fuel Filter (it has only one filter). But, 99% of the time I buy from the same station. The Fuel Tank is big enough I can go back and forth on one Tank on the longest trips I make.

Since it appears that you got a load of contaminated Fuel you might want to treat the Fuel with something to avoid something growing in your Tank. Lot of threads on that.

But, since anyone can get a bad Tank of Fuel having a spare Filter/s is a good thing.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Thanks for the replies. I think I found the problem.

The filters showed signs of rust. For several months now the fuel gauge has been unsteady at times, and it moved with the sloshing of the tank. I put off pulling the tank sender.

Yesterday the gauge would only read full left or right, nothing between, and oscillated as the car moved. I removed the sender, or what I could get out. The nut holding it together had come off, so that nut was lost in the tank, along with the bottom large washer, and the plastic "maze" that slowly drains fuel from the sender. I did get the metal cylinder and rest of the sender out, but the wires were broken.

My guess is, this stirred up the junk in the bottom of the tank. I'll watch the filters, and carry my wrench from now on. And I think I'll go with a 20K filter change interval from now on.

Ron

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1971 220D, daily driver, new paint, 142K
1973 220D, low compression
1975 300D, back on the road! 166K
1971 220D, salvage, rear hit, engine excellent
1972 250, bad cam, but runs!
1971 230, engine stuck
1971 220D, low compression, rusty
1976 240D, salvage, engine excellent
1966 230SL, water in oil after rebuild