importedtermite

I recently bought a 1998 E320 with around 205k miles on it. Whenever the gas gets below a half tank the car starts to bog down at around 25, 45, and cruising at 55 mph. It seems to not be getting fuel/air for a few seconds then the check engine light will start flashing and it will work fine again. This continues until I fill up the tank and the problem will either persist for the rest of the trip or a for a few more miles. However, when I start it up after it has been sitting for a while it runs fine (until it hits half a tank again.) My dad and I thought it could have been the fuel filter so we replaced that but the problem is still there. Does anyone have an idea of what it might be? Thanks for your help.

Plutoe

could be a fuel pump could be low fuel rail pressure could be loads of things---have you read the faults and do you have a good MB indy??

importedtermite

I haven't read the codes yet, I have a device to do so I just need to find it. What is an MB indy?

fabbrisd1

Fuel Filter: At 205K miles is a good investment --if you replaced your fuel filter with (Mercedes or Mann or Bosch) fuel filter for $35-$50 - that will be a good step foward - if you replaced with other brand/retail-brand/quasi-brand - then you just wasted some money because Chain made W210 fuel filters are not good.

Fuel Injection Clean Up: 1/2 of a $9 bottle of Stabil Marine Fuel Stabilizer on a full tank... follow with the 2nd 1/2 bottle about 5-6 tankfuls later (like 2500 miles or so).

Flashing CEL Light - download a 98/99/2000 E-Class owners manual from MBUSA.com Owners Section - and YES get codes read from generic OBD reader and poist here.

Keep the beat !

importedtermite

Unfortunately I bought a Duralast filter, that was the only one available in my area, next time I'll wait the few days and order the parts on rockauto. I have put in some fuel cleaner a week back or so but it didn't seem to fix the problem. Is that Stabil Marine Fuel Stabilizer a specific product I should buy or will any generic fuel stabilizer work? I did found my OBD reader though and will run it after work today.

fabbrisd1

If you had the problem before the Duralast filter - and same problem after the Duralast filter - please understand for the future please check the forum 1st - since $35 for the correct/OE equivalent filter is the smart money...


You do need your generic "codes" read and report here...

In the future - again best to check forum 1st - in this case you don't want to start adding fuel additive #2 on top of fuel additive #1 - frankly there are several advantages to Stabil Marine - including it helps clean-up the in-tank fuel level sensor - things like that to best spend under $10 for the "best" injection cleanup with Stabil Marine/Blue..

importedtermite

I have ran the codes and 8 came back

P0150 - Oxygen Sensor 2 Malfunction
P0155 - Oxygen Sensor 2 Heater Circuit Malfunction
P0173 - Fuel Trim Malfunction
P0300 - Random Misfire Detected
P0304 - Cylinder 4 Misfire Detected
P0305 - Cylinder 5 Misfire Detected
P0422 - Three Way Catalyst (Right) Efficiency Below Threshold
P0455 - Evaporative Emission Control System Leak Detected (Large Leak)