Fuel Tank Size

[ScouseJames]

ScouseJim
3h
My 1966 230SL was ordered in December 1965 (an early Xmas present for Mrs Linda S Morton of Worcester Massachusetts), and delivered around March 1966.

How can I tell what size fuel tank is installed on the car?

The spare wheel lies flat in the boot as opposed to vertically, which was done when MB changed from a 65ltr tank to an 82ltr tank. My handbook states the tank is 65ltrs but would MB have updated the handbook at the time?

I have read that the change occurred in November 1965 so my car should have the bigger tank but in four years of ownership I have never been able to put more than 45ltrs in the tank when refuelling (when the not very accurate gauge is below 1/4 - and I top up regularly).

Any ideas as course I don’t want to run it dry to find out?

And now a gratuitous photo

[MikeSimon]

Can't you measure the tank across on the bottom/

[Paul & Dolly]

Hi James

If you look in the Technical Manual here on site, and search "Fuel Tank" you will see in situ pictures of the two tanks both installed in a flat floor boot (trunk), so you should be able to identify yours from the pictures.

Have fun

Paul

[Tyler S]

The easiest way to tell the difference is looking at the width of the tank. The 82l tank is much wider. Have a look at the photos in the tech manual. Note the location of the large drain plug/screen on the bottom of the tank.
https://www.sl113.org/wiki/Fuel/Tank

[Mike Hughes]

It should still have the smaller tank.  My 230SL was built in late winter/early spring of 1966 and has the smaller tank.

[mdsalemi]

For all of you who replied to ScouseJames query, understand he's an associate not a full member thus has no access to the tech manual...

[Garry]

Michael and others,


Associate Members have quite a reasonable access to the Tech Manual but cannot access the premium area that includes no access to coloured wiring diagrams, the videos and Linkage Tour and no access to Pagoda Notes nor do they receive Pagoda World magazine.


Garry
Membership Administrator

[Benz Dr.]

Regardless of membership, it's still 65 liters. You can easily install the 82 liter tank as long as you don't have your spare tire mounted in the floor. I did this on my car several years ago and now I have a cruising range of over 750 km or about 450 miles.

[ScouseJames]

Many thanks Paul,
I'm disappointed to find that it's a 65ltr tank, but the photos were very helpful,
James.

[ScouseJames]

You say "should", and dies have the 65ltr tank but I wonder why as the car was ordered in December 1965 and the change to a larger tank was authorised in November 1965.

[dirkbalter]

It should still have the smaller tank.  My 230SL was built in late winter/early spring of 1966 and has the smaller tank.

Mine is the same. Delivery date June 66. Small tank.

Dirk

[Mike Hughes]

While true that a larger tank may have been authorized after the body change from upright spare on the left to horizontal spare on the right, it would seem that there was a considerable delay in implementing the installation of the larger tanks.  Perhaps a large quantity of the smaller tanks were still in the pipeline and needed to be depleted before phasing in the larger tanks.

[Benz Dr.]

I'm not aware of any 230SL's that were produced with large tanks and I always thought that they started to install them with the start of 250SL.

[Mike Hughes]

That's what we've always thought to be the case, but there seems to be some evidence reported by James that a larger tank was authorized in November '65.  There is plenty of evidence of spec changes during the multi-year 230SL model run, but the record indicates the beginning chassis # for each spec change.  "Authorized" in Nov '65 and "Installed" beginning with chassis #NNNNN are two different things. 

[Benz Dr.]

I'm authorizing you to drive my car but, since you don't have a license, it's not going to happen. 

[Tyler S]

Perhaps the larger tank was made available as an option but only if you ordered your car.

[114015]

I'm not aware of any 230SL's that were produced with large tanks and I always thought that they started to install them with the start of 250SL.

Gentlemen.....
?
Why don't you listed to our Benz Dr.?
Doesn't he have enough experience??

The 230 SL was never built and never available with the 82 liter tank.
This car (1130 042) always had the 65 l tank only from the factory! Nothing else.
Please see the (spare) parts list 10126 Edition C as of January 1967, which is valid for all 230 SLs.
If you don't believe so check the EPC.

Conclusion:
Only the 65 liter tank is correct for the 230,
although the 82 liter tank will fit on all cars with the flat spare tire (i.e. without spare wheel well).


Achim
(04 /'69)

[Mike Hughes]

Exactly what I was pointing out earlier:  "Authorized" is not the same as "installed."  There is no evidence that a larger tank was ever installed in a production 230SL by the factory.

Shucks, they probably "authorized" the 2.5L  engine for the W113 sometime in late '65 or early '66, too, but it didn't make it into a production vehicle until the 250SL rolled out in '67 (along with the larger tank)!