W203 C270CDi fuel sender

[m_j_sykes]

Fuel sender failure, surprised by cost of part £440 and the non availability for a four year old C class, no parts in MK, Germany or at the factory, have to join the queue and wait - anyone else had the same experience? Indy MB specialist thinks MB have a problem with the part, Suggestions?

 

[jimsinessex]

Not sure if this applies to the W203 C class but the fuel senders of the W202 C class and W208 CLK class cars could be restored to normal working by adding a can of injector cleaner to the tank and brimming it. The cleaner seems to clear the muck off the sender which stops it working.

My 1999 car gave all the signs of sender failure when about 18 months old, has been treated with injector cleaner every 6000 miles since and the senders (original) have worked perfectly ever since.

 

[m_j_sykes]

Jim

Thank you, a suggestion I am going to try, what do you use?

I experienced sudden failure on one of the senders, so the the fuel guage does not work at all, the merc diagnostic software recorded four error events in the log prior to the sender giving up the ghost. Was your experience similar or intermittent?

 

[jimsinessex]

My problems were intermittent, when the tank was brimmed the reading went to zero. After about 70 miles it always started to read normally again. I used ASDA fuel almost exclusively and believe that the low detergent level in supermarket fuel allows deposits to build up on the sender units. The injector cleaner simply cleans things up again. The engine always felt smoother and more responsive after the treatment so the money isn't wasted.

I use Wynns injector cleaner at £5 a time from Halfords but any big name brand should be ok.

Jim