W124 cutting out

[nolip]

Hi, please can I get some advise . . . I have a 1990 300CE, approx 280,000km. Problem started when tank wouldnt take more than 50 litres instead of 60 litres, and then fuel guage stopped working.

Took it to mechanic one, said fuel tank was "sucked in", replaced it with a second hand one and second hand sender unit (never discussed why it wouldve sucked in - breather ???). Couple of days afterwards car started cutting out, took it back, he insisted it was dirt from the tank, replaced the fuel pump with a new one. Went to collect it, same problem, then he wanted to replace injectors. I decided to take it somewhere else.

Mechanic 2 replaced injectors and coil, collected car, same problem . . .

This is what it does:
only happens when fuel is 1/4 tank or less
happens more when im going around corners or car is on decline/incline
boot continuously smelling of fuel - sender unit ? (I checked for the smell from the front left fender indicating the charcoal breather may need replacing but no smell)

Advise for a desperate man ?

 

[SQ_W211]

I take it you already forked out 100s if not more. I had fuel leak on my CLK and it was just one of the breather pipe from the overflow container. Take it to a good indie and have it all checked out. It may be something to do with fuel lines etc when the mechanic A fitted the replacement tank.

where are you based? I am sure someone can recomend a good indie

 

[television]

Yes I have read this and what a shame that these outfits do exist, This does still sound like dirt in the system and fuel starvation.

As above, where are you in the UK

 

[kth286]

Is it a normal right hand drive UK car ?

If so does it have the valve on the nearside inner wing with word MOT on top of it ?

If so, it is probably stuck shut and /or the air inlet pipe to the charcoal canister in the wing is blocked. Three tubes to the charcoal canister.

The MOT valve should pulse with a warm engine - you should be able to hear it and feel it pulsing about once per second.

The fuel evaporation system is a closed system and when the fuel in the tank drops down as you drive, any closed off pipes etc will cause the tank to collapse internally.

So, see if that valve is working and also access the charcoal canister in the wing and check pipes and change the canister which should be done every 72,000 miles.

 

[nolip]

Thanks for all the feedback.

I'm based in Johannesburg South Africa.

It is a normal right hand drive UK car.

All the above makes sense, the tank was probably not put back properly hense the smell and the tank probably collapsed in the first place because it wasn't breathing which was mechanic 2's first comment but yet he never further investigated it.

Thanks again, gonna try take things in my own hands and hope I dont blow my car up in the process.

Anyone from Afrique du Sud that can recommend a good indie ?