Another Fuel Tank Story

[ja17]

Hello,

A friend recently brought me his newly acquired 230SL.  He bought it from the original owner who got frustrated trying to restore the car about twenty years ago. He ended up storing the car in one of those plastic bubbles for the last twenty years without being moved.

It was stored with full tank of fuel back then. Well the drying chemical in the bubble helped evaporate the fuel completely leaving about three inches of what looked like "coffee grounds"! Check the picture out. This was not rust or dirt but seemed to be crystallized solids from the fuel and or any stabilizers added it.


Download Attachment: tank.JPG
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After being liberated from the bubble by the new owner, the car ran and drove but not well. A fuel pressure and volume check quickly pointed to the problem. The fuel pressure was  only 5 psi and the volume was just a dribble.

The fuel tank was removed, and emptied of the deposits. The tank was not rusty, but the entry ports in the "flower pot" had to be cleared with a wire. All metal fuel and vent lines were physically cleared with compressed air and/or a wire. The fuel drain plug screen was completely clogged, so it was cleaned also. The intake screen in the electric fuel pump was full of these deposits also so it was cleared and cleaned also. The fuel gauge sender was stuck but it freed up after flushing and seems to be working again also.

To make things worse, the main fuel filter had an oil filter in its place (same size) which did not form a seal so all this dirty fuel had been by-passing this filter altogether.

After these items were corrected, and fresh fuel added the engine started up and ran a bit better but a little rough.

After some more examination, we determined that the last person to work on the car had also installed the injection pump 180 degrees out of sync. when a new engine from Mercedes was installed back then!

More to follow!


Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[joelj]

Hi joe,

If there is anyone out there who can sort it out its you

good luck and keeep us posted. We will surely learn from all your posts as you revive that 230 sl

cheers

joel-j

1969 280sl auto
White exterior
Blue interior

[ja17]

Hello,

 Keep in mind that this was a new factory engine. The car never ran correctly for the owner after the installation. I do not know where the work was done, somewhere in Florida.

Well I thought I have seen it all. Someone had put an oil filter where the fuel filter should be and a fuel filter in the oil filter canister!  Anyway neither was doing its job of filtering. These items were quickly corrected and the missing rubber seal in the oil filter housing and the oil filter canister were replaced.

As it turn out the fuel injection pump had indeed been installed 180 degrees out. Surprisingly the engine ran decent but was down on power and the idle was a bit rough. I do have a method for checking to see if the injection pump is installed correctly without removing the pump. If anyone needs the information let me know.

I removed all the injectors and used the  "Blacklick injector testor" and all were surprisingly ok. A couple needed a little flushing before the spray pattern was nice and fine.

The linkages were not even close.

Now that these items have been corrected the car seems to be running well and is ready for a test drive.

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[Ben]

Wow !

Interesting story !

One man's loss is another man's gain !

I have seen fuel mixtures crystalise before but not to that extent !

What do you use to flush the injectors Joe ?

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

[ja17]

Hello Ben,

The injectors are configured like the valves in your cylinder head, cone shaped with stems and a spring holding them closed.  I hooked them up to the "Blacklick Injection Machine" ( old injection pump) and pumped some fuel through them and observing the spray pattern for eveness and fineness of the fuel spray. If some dirt particles get through the system they will get jambed behind the cone valves in the injector. Normally these cone valves do not open much. However you can grab the valve with your fingernails and actually pull it open much farther than normal allowing fuel to flush the dirt particals.




Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[ja17]

Update on the 230SL,

Yes the new buyer got this car right let me tell you. But it was really botched up. It is a nice solid car with no rust and a factory new engine. It probably had less than a thousand miles on the engine before the original owner gave up and put it in the bubble for twenty years.

After about twenty five hours of undoing mistakes and reversing the effects of twenty years os storage, the car went for a test drive and is doing just great. Besides the mentioned repairs, the motor mounts were changed, the brakes were bleed, the exhaust was hung correctly and a fresh set of shifter bushings were installed. Fresh oil and fuel was added of coarse. Another Pagoda back on roads of America.

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[Ben]

Thanks for that Joe...........I was juts curious !

Sounds like a nice car..........now !

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

[glennard]

Pagoda Persiflage   Ode to sludge, crud in the gas tank.

If the Shroud of Fuelin,
is, for gas a'gaspin,
There'll be no Pagoda a'crusin.


If the crud blocks the space around the return line where it enters quart sized reservoir in the center of the tank, the pumps are starved.  Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

Glennard
Penultimate 230SL

[ja17]

Words well said Lennard!

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio