Replaced my fuel pump/filter today

Jul 30, 2005 | 09:40 PM

PaulX608

Thread Starter

Super Member

Joined: Jul 2005

Posts: 717

Likes: 1

From: Manassas, VA, USA

2011 VW cc, 2004 ML350

Replaced my fuel pump/filter today

Had the standard fuel gauge problem on our ML. $tealership wanted $1000 to change the pump and filter and associated plumbing(mine still had the old style shorter filter). $550 parts/4.5 hrs at $100 per. I got the parts online for $375, and my son and I completely disassembled the rear part of the passenger compartment. Took out the seats, pulled up the carpet, cut the access panel loose from the floor, and VOILA!!, pump swap was very straightforward. Inspired by my small victory over these asemblies, I once again(as always) commited the sin of overconfidence. Thinking myself the fuel system master, I went looking for the filter. I couldn't believe how hard that thing was to get after. There's got to be an easier way. We removed the left rear wheel, pulled the inner fender liner, and fought with a crusty clamp for what must have been half a damn hour to get that thing out of there. Fortunately, those push-on fuel line fittings made reinstallation easier, but there must be a better way to get to that thing. Anybody here change their own fuel filter on an ML? If there's a better way, I'd love to hear it. Good news is that all is well, gauge works, new pump is much quieter, and startup is noticeably quicker. I guess that would be due to the clean filter. The stuff that came out of the old one was BLACK!

Jul 31, 2005 | 01:12 AM

JLLG

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Joined: Jan 2004

Posts: 86

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From: Michigan

1997 E320 2000 ML430

Just replaced my fuel filter with the longer style. Check out the following http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforu...t=81593&page=5

Jul 31, 2005 | 07:29 AM

PaulX608

Thread Starter

Super Member

Joined: Jul 2005

Posts: 717

Likes: 1

From: Manassas, VA, USA

2011 VW cc, 2004 ML350

Quote:

Originally Posted by JLLG

Just replaced my fuel filter with the longer style. Check out the following http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforu...t=81593&page=5

Yeah that's about he same as we experienced. My clamp was pretty crusty, and didn't want to give up. Once I got the clamp off, it wasn't so bad. As far as the comment someone made on the other forum to which you linked, I had no problem at all attaching and detaching fuel lines to the filter once I had it loose from the clamp. The line to the fuel rail(output) was the toughest for me. It was the least flexible. Once I had that one loose, I could maneuver the filter a bit to get to the others.

Last edited by PaulX608; Jul 31, 2005 at 10:32 AM.