W208 CLK Fuel Gauge

[FOGWAR]

Hello All,

I just filled my car up tonight and the gauge dropped down to a quarter full after I got out and left the car for about an hour. I then turned the ignition back off, then back on again and now it's dropped down to empty!?! I tried looking through the fuses to see if any had blown but all were fine?

Has anyone had this problem before or know what the solution is?


Thanks for any replies.

 

[television]

Hello All,

I just filled my car up tonight and the gauge dropped down to a quarter full after I got out and left the car for about an hour. I then turned the ignition back off, then back on again and now it's dropped down to empty!?! I tried looking through the fuses to see if any had blown but all were fine?

Has anyone had this problem before or know what the solution is?


Thanks for any replies.

This could be a tank problem. please post the next 3 numbers after 208---

malcolm

 

[FOGWAR]

This could be a tank problem. please post the next 3 numbers after 208---

malcolm

Hi,

It's 208-365

 

[television]

I will check on thursday for you.

malcolm

 

[jimsinessex]

This is a longstanding problem with W202 and W208 cars. A search will turn up many posts advising new tank sender units (there are two senders).

Your fault plagued my 1999 CLK 230K from about 20,000 miles on ( only a one year warranty then) and as the gauge always recovered to a normal reading after about 70 miles I didn't bother doing anything about it. It only happened when the tank was brimmed.

I used ASDA fuel almost exclusively and the posts always pointed the finger at supermarket fuels corroding the sender units.

However I then started a regime of using petrol injector cleaner (Wynnes in my case) every 6000 miles for the benefit of the injectors and to compensate for the lack of detergents in supermarket fuel which gave a noticeable improvement in response and smoothness.

Lo and behold the fuel gauge problem went away after annoying me for at least two years and has not reappeared after a further 100,000+ miles.

I suspect the supermarket fuel allows deposits to settle at the top of the sender range which the injection cleaner removes. Higher price non-supermarket fuel with higher levels of detergent would have the same effect.

At 169,000 miles and going strong I will continue with ASDA fuel and Wynnes Injector Cleaner. Incidently the recent petrol scare seems to have left me unaffected despite living 7 miles from the fuel distribution depot at the heart of the scare!

Yesterday the car passed its MOT emissions check with almost as new readings.

Jim

 

[DITTRICH]

I would go with jimsinessex's reply. I too had an unreliable fuel gauge and I used Asda almost exclusively. However, in order to avoid an expensive trip to the garage, I decided to invest in more expensive branded fuel and low and behold the problem disappeared after a tank or so. Total cost to me about £5 (100litres at 5p/litre more expensive). Every now and then I make the point of paying more to avoid this problem. Mine was a 1999 W202 C230K
Les

 

[angus falconer]

Yes - sender problem. My last C43 had this problem intermittantly.

 

[FOGWAR]

Thanks for replying everyone.

Strange for the cause to be the fuel as the last time I filled up was with BP which is what I primarily use, but it does sound plausible (I use ASDA from time to time for convenience). I might give the injector cleaner a go and see how I get on, plus I don't think I'll brim the tank as this also seems to be a culprit.


Thank you for all the advice people.

 

[television]

Thanks for replying everyone.

Strange for the cause to be the fuel as the last time I filled up was with BP which is what I primarily use, but it does sound plausible (I use ASDA from time to time for convenience). I might give the injector cleaner a go and see how I get on, plus I don't think I'll brim the tank as this also seems to be a culprit.


Thank you for all the advice people.

Many people dont bother to clean the injectors, and I am guilty of that these days,Back in the 70's it made a big difference to the smoothness of the engine,if You get the bonus with fuel gauge fix, all so well and good.

I did look it up and it is the only cure to replace, this replacement is also the same part number and not a modified version, so could do it again.

Malcolm

 

[jimsinessex]

I might give the injector cleaner a go and see how I get on, plus I don't think I'll brim the tank as this also seems to be a culprit.


Thank you for all the advice people.

When you add the injector cleaner DO brim the tank as you need to get the cleaner working on the affected part of the sender units, i.e. the top end part of the range. I believe the deposits float to the surface of the fuel and thus cause the fault at the tank full end of the range.

Jim

 

[FELLOW]

Senders

Common problem - mine failed too - had them replaced luckily under GT on my second hand merc no probs since - see common merc clk probs rust rust and rust ...rain water vent and internal fan...fuel senders ...brakes? new electronics and servo...MAF ..crank shaft sensor ...crap on twisty roads as U can't get the power out throught the old J gate but exellent at motorway cruising!

1999 CLK 320