Just installed new fuel lines and both filters on my brother's car cause the old prefilter was nasty, but now the new prefilter looks just as bad and the other day while driving, the car stalled getting off the interstate. Is removing the tank really the only option I have that will actually work? I see there are products that you are supposed to pour in the tank but I doubt that will help much with my issue of what looks to be sediment.

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

You are 99% rignt but Star Tron does work and is worth a try

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1999 Mercedes E300TD daily driver sold at 238K miles 106K miles were mine, rust worm got it :-(
2006 Mercedes CDI new daily driver! 56,000 miles May 2016 now 85,625 Apr 2018 and Apr 2019 101,000 miles Apr 2020 109,875. March 2024 135,250

Startron will work but it will take a while and will keep clogging and stall your engine so be prepared to change pre-filter. If the buildup is real bad, you can agitate the algae buildup with a long handle brush, via the fuel sender hole and use a pump from the same hole to pump out the tank. Much easier than dropping the tank. You can clean the fuel strainer pretty good since it's within sight of the fuel sender hole. I cleaned a tank that way once once and the pump I used was an old oil burner which has s a gear type pump. I pumped it into 5 gal veggie containers. Let the junk settle and pour off the cleaner diesel and pour it back in the tank and repeat the process till you get most of it out. Then you put the Startron in to finish it off. Put a primary filter before the pump so you don't clog the pump and just keep cleaning the pre filter when it clogs.

I didn't spill a drop doing it that way.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Took me about 10 minutes to remove a tank from a 190...not hard at all.

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You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need.

I'd like to see you do that with a W123 tank.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Unless the Tank is near empty I think having enough containers to put the drained Fuel in is the problem.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

It took me like 30 min to remove my tank from my 300cd. I just did this about a month ago.

I had the same problem. I took my tank out and had it cleaned out($25). The guy said to make sure I checked my lines because they can deteriorate on the inside(looks like thats something the OP has already done).

Tank removal.

1. drain tank
2. remove fuel lines, should be 3(fuel,return and vent)Keep track of which is the return and which is the vent
3. take off panel that hides tank in the trunk, 2 screws IIRC. also remove the spare wheel cover. Its going to hit when u slide the tank out.
4. remove 4 10 mm screws that hold the tank in place
5. slide the tank out, starting from the left bottom. Be careful not to rip the rubber gasket thats attached to the body, its the rubber gasket you see when you open the fuel flap. Its not attached to the body or tank. it just fits around both.

Thats it. the tank is only about 10lbs

You might have to clean and reglue the 2 rubber gaskets that are at the bottom of the tank. Leaking fuel from over the years might have deteriorated the glue.

I would explore putting a washable stainless fuel filter inline before the primary filter, before removing the fuel tank or power wash it. Something like this.

New Washable Stainless Aluminum Fuel Filter IMCA GM Supr Woo Sprint Car Gas 10 | eBay

I had it happened to my 300D when the primary filter is clogged every 20 miles or less. I installed a diesel water separator with a stainless filter and the problem is solved. It never clogged again with or without the filter after it clogged and I washed it a few times. This is only a suggestion and your result may differ.

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Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

I didn't know a 300CD is different than a 300D in the tank area. In a 300D, the fuel strainer must be removed for clearance to take the tank out. Getting the strainer out is not possible without the right tools. Then you have to deal with spilling fuel all over and on yourself if you do not set everything up properly.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Take out the flex line, tank will come out; then remove the tank filter.

All lines were removed. Strainer prevented the tank from coming out unless removed first. This was on my 83 300D where I removed the tank for some custom VO related work.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Funola is correct. Your going to have to remove the hose that's connected to the strainer.

I have previously replaced my strainer and hose. So it wasn't a big deal for me to remove the hose. When I first did it , I got lucky, turning my hose took the strainer with it. I also have the correct sized socket for the strainer which I think is 1 13/16 IIRC.

For me, I had to remove the hose, then remove the strainer. Tank just would not come out unless strainer was also removed. If I bent the body sheet metal, I am sure I could make it clear without removing the strainer. I did not want to risk that and compromise the gasket seal and end up with water leaking into the trunk.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

If the substance coming from the tank is algae then Startron should do the trick (if given some time) without clogging the filter. The enzymes will break down the crud small enough to pass through the filters and then combust in the engine.

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Joe

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1980 300SD - 495k miles - 'The Ambassador'
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Former Family Members
95 C280
73 280SEL
90 300D
87 300SDL (X2)
86 560SEL
84 300D
80 300SD

Was assuming the OP was referring to the 190D he's been restoring. Can't comment on a W123.

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You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need.