Yep, on the PZEV the driver side is the filter unit and is replaceable. I had it out when I did my tank repair but it has been over a year now and I do not recall any trouble doing that part so it must have been straight forward with no real problems getting it out.
Analysis of Fuel Tank Leaks, Model Years 2003-2008
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Hi,
Is the fuel filter unit the same for PZEV & non-PZEV tanks?
Or one step back .. is it possible to replace this PZEV tank with non-PZEV tank?
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Here's a company that access panels keys
Aluminum 6
Material: 5052 Aluminum OD: 6.0" ID: 4.0" Bolt CL : 5.0" Installed Height: .250 +/- Threads: 10-32 Zinc Plated Thread-sert Hardware Included: YES Gasket: YES - FKM Viton Cover Plate Thickness: .125" (1/8") Bolt in Assembly, No Welding needed. Will work with any type of tank, Aluminum...
fueltankparts.com
I think 7" is fine for a 6" cut hole diameter.
The PZEV tank and fuel system uses all Metal or Stainless steel flex lines and they are mall threaded connections. No quick connect fittings in the PZEV system are used and the vent is not the same as the Non PZEV tank. So no they are not the same. Could A conversion be done, sure but all the lines might need to be changed along with the new tank. Even the filler tube might be unique. You would need the two side by side to really figure it out.
If I had a Do over I would go with the 7” cover. I measured and I think reported earlier in this thread how large the actual pump measured. I think a 5.5” hole would work to remove the tank. Center the hole in the middle of the Mercedes tank round area that is below the inspection cover in the car. The actual pump sits there with easy release tabs inside the tank for quick pump changes but they gave you no access Hole. Why they can give you access to change the filter on the driver side but can’t give access to the pump on the pass side is silly. Caused lots of problems.
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No to both. Although it may be possible to replace the PZEV tank with a non-PZEV tank, the effort and cost is not worth it. Easier to cut a hole on the top of the of the tank under the rear passenger seat and replace the fuel pump. This can be done in the car with special precautions. The most difficult part of the job is creating the cover plate and making it leak proof.
Since I am the only one I know of to have done this trap door install I would state firmly. No Way you could do it in the car with any saftety. Gasoline is very dangerous. I removed my tank and filled it with soapy water before cutting. The lines hold fuel and fumes, you will never get them free of fumes inside the car. You can create a bomb cutting in the car.
Impressive work. I’m wondering how did you drain the gas tank?
My method to drain the tank was simple. I had my fuel pressure gauge hooked up testing the fuel pump when the car was not starting. I found if I tapped on the top of the fuel pump, tank still fully assembled in the car I could get the pump to start working. It growled a little but pumped. With this knowledge I took the gauge off my fuel pressure test hose and directed the hose into a 5 gallon fuel tank. Turned on the key and started tapping on the tank, behind the passenger seat, after removing the cover under the back seat. Tapping in this spot made the pump kick on and run. I kept tapping till the tank was empty. I think I got about 7 gallons out. At this point your tank will still have maybe a gallon of gas in it but it is much lighter to deal with on removal. Removing this tank is difficult, it fits in tight and you snake it into location. If there was fuel in the tank I would think it would be near impossible to snake it into place. There are the fill and vent lines that are not flexible and you have to work them into the chassis at the exact correct spot or you will not get the tank up in place. Not really hard, just lots of patience and an empty tank so you can work it into place. This is only possible if you remove the rear driveshaft, the rear exhaust, the heat shields and the full rear suspension assembly with shocks out of the car.
So I let the fuel pump get the fuel out of the tank through the fuel pressure test port on the intake manifold. My Fuel Pressure test gauge has a 4’ hose attached which lets me move the gauge well away from the engine while using it. The connection is the same as a AC line connection so you could borrow one of those hoses if you have an AC gauge set up.
Alternate would be to un bolt the fuel line where it attaches to the tank on the driver side under the car. All the line connections are bolted on the PZEV tank. Not sure how much you would get out this way but for sure you would get most of the fuel out.
So I let the fuel pump get the fuel out of the tank through the fuel pressure test port on the intake manifold. My Fuel Pressure test gauge has a 4’ hose attached which lets me move the gauge well away from the engine while using it. The connection is the same as a AC line connection so you could borrow one of those hoses if you have an AC gauge set up.
Alternate would be to un bolt the fuel line where it attaches to the tank on the driver side under the car. All the line connections are bolted on the PZEV tank. Not sure how much you would get out this way but for sure you would get most of the fuel out.
Perfect description, thanks! My pump also builds a little bit of pressure when I tap where you describe. I was thinking of draining the tank using the pump like you describe and wanted to see if that’s how you did it.
You mention having to remove the rear suspension. In the video below, which I believe was previously introduced within this thread, I don’t see the suspension being touched to remove the tank. Did you find there was an advantage to removing the rear suspension?
Video
You mention having to remove the rear suspension. In the video below, which I believe was previously introduced within this thread, I don’t see the suspension being touched to remove the tank. Did you find there was an advantage to removing the rear suspension?
Video
I think I found a possible pump filter replacement. Several listings on AliExpress but would take a while to arrive. On eBay it was about the same price anyway. Search for some combination of “A2214708494 Fuel Pump Strainer Filter Mesh” brought up several listings on AliExpress. Only found one on ebay.
Pump filter
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What pump did you order??
The pump ordered is listed in this post above. Somewhere around April 28. Read through the entire post. My first pump was a Carter pump that I took apart and installed in the Mercedes Module. This one failed after a month or two. My second pump was a pump for an S550 Mercedes that was a better fit. I think it was a Delphi pump I used and worked perfectly. Go back and read the posts the part number is listed. The Delphi pump had to be taken apart and installed into the Mercedes module, plastic body that holds the fuel pump in place. It was an easy swap but please read everything before attempting this job. The Delphi pump would have been a much better choice at the start of this job.
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