1963 Mercedes Benz 190DC Fintail. New fuel tank and leaks.

[juular]

It really is absolutely stunning.

The fact it's an ölmotor makes it even more impossibly cool 

[Dyslexic Viking]

The fact that this is a diesel is one of the things I like so much about it. An old car without point ignition and carburetors and that is reliable and uses little fuel is just great. Some would say it's slow and noisy, but I think it's fast enough for rural driving and the engine noise doesn't bother me as I like diesel engines.

But I've been thinking if I get the chance to buy another one, a newer one and possibly a petrol and then convert it to a newer diesel engine from a W123 and higher diff gearing from a W111/W112 so it could do 100kmh comfortably it would be fantastic. But whether I am capable to do this and whether the road authorities here would let me do this is something else.

But one can dream.

[Yoss]

I quite often find interesting cars at Lidl but never quite as interesting as today. 

 

Then I started Googling it to see what I could find. It might be a local car with a few pictures of it around here. But this picture really caught my eye. 

Because I used to own this 2000. In fact it was my first ever 2000 in 1991. A man in a Ford Transit cut across the T junction I had just arrived at and wiped the offside front corner off. It wasn't in bad condition up to that point but not as shiny as it is now. I sold it to another 2000 Register member who repaired it and sold it to another member. That was John and he has owned it for more than thirty years now. 

[Dyslexic Viking]

This is a very nice and I think unusual color, thanks for sharing. 

And a status update on mine. We've had unusually warm and nice weather lately and I'm wanting to get this one back on the road. 

The only thing that stops me is the condition of the roads,. They usually clean the roads in spring to but they are very slow to get this done this year. So that's what I'm waiting for.

[Jim Bell]

On 03/04/2025 at 18:58, Dyslexic Viking said:

Some would say it's slow and noisy

Those people should be pushed down a well. It's exactly fast enough and sounds glorious from cold. 

[hairnet]

 

[Dyslexic Viking]

6 minutes ago, hairnet said:

 

I've seen most of it but a little annoyed that they don't appreciate these more as is one of the greatest cars ever made.

[Dyslexic Viking]

On Tuesday night they finally cleaned the roads so today this got its first drive of the year.

[TrabbieRonnie]

The car is looking good, well done 👍 

[Sir Snipes]

48 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

On Tuesday night they finally cleaned the roads so today this got its first drive of the year.

It looks like something DDR secret police would roll around in, if they didn't have Volgas or whatever. 

[hairnet]

dugga dugga

hubba hubba

 

[IronStar]

What a glorious looking car! 

[Dyslexic Viking]

Thanks everyone and it will be a little nicer when the hubcaps/wheel trims comes back on.

[hairnet]

nej hubcaps - touring car

was looking at the omg you want to what to your car

ford club norway were saying to a chap that its like germany if you want to do stuff it needs approval but his car is a 90s rs2000

they were saying the pre 1970 rules are different

they said you can change engines but only for +10%

[Dyslexic Viking]

It's beautiful weather today and warm and nice so perfect day for a drive.

 

And I'm now done retightening the wheel nuts so the wheel trims can go back on.

 

I was a little nervous about how things would behave with how many new parts there are now in the cooling system, but I didn't need to be as everything seems to work perfectly.

I need to retighten the fan belt and that's basically it. And the Mercedes star on the bonnet is having trouble standing up again, need to see if I can find a better fix than what's there but that's a typical of how things has been done on this car over the years.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Looks a lovely day over there @Dyslexic Viking. Enjoy.

[Popsicle]

2 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

And I'm now done retightening the wheel nuts so the wheel trims can go back on.

I'm a big fan of steel wheels, love the simplicity and functionality of them. When you mentioned putting the trims back on I thought no don't do it, black on black is a nice menacing, moody look. But now I see the wheel trims, I understand why you put them back on, they have to be the sexiest wheel trims ever 🥰.

[Dyslexic Viking]

After I tightened the fan belt, I looked over the car. and noticed that the fuel tank is wet and it is dripping from it, this is diesel.

 

As seen in the picture above, I replaced the drain plug/filter thingy this fall in the belief that this was the main cause of the fuel leak, but it is not.

So upon closer inspection I see that the front of the fuel tank is wet and running down the tank and has been like this for a while, I have no idea how I didn't notice this last fall.

 

After the drain plug/filter thing was changed, the fuel tank was never full, which is probably why I haven't noticed anything until now as I have filled the tank full now. So my guess is that there's a leak in the seam, so tomorrow I'll have to go out and drive to use up  diesel, which will hopefully reduce or stop the leak. The next thing is how to fix it and since new tanks is available, this is the only right thing to do. So as soon as I can afford one I will order a new one.

One more problem but fortunately it's a minor one, the rear muffler is something someone threw on the car before an MOT and not something that belongs to the car and has had problems with the exhaust hangers on this one and now the last one has also fallen off so I have to find a solution for this too. 

[Dyslexic Viking]

A good drive today too.

 

And visited an old boat with local history, I have written more about it below.

 

[jim89]

21 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

After I tightened the fan belt, I looked over the car. and noticed that the fuel tank is wet and it is dripping from it, this is diesel.

 

As seen in the picture above, I replaced the drain plug/filter thingy this fall in the belief that this was the main cause of the fuel leak, but it is not.

So upon closer inspection I see that the front of the fuel tank is wet and running down the tank and has been like this for a while, I have no idea how I didn't notice this last fall.

 

After the drain plug/filter thing was changed, the fuel tank was never full, which is probably why I haven't noticed anything until now as I have filled the tank full now. So my guess is that there's a leak in the seam, so tomorrow I'll have to go out and drive to use up  diesel, which will hopefully reduce or stop the leak. The next thing is how to fix it and since new tanks is available, this is the only right thing to do. So as soon as I can afford one I will order a new one.

One more problem but fortunately it's a minor one, the rear muffler is something someone threw on the car before an MOT and not something that belongs to the car and has had problems with the exhaust hangers on this one and now the last one has also fallen off so I have to find a solution for this too. 

Could you maybe wire the new rubber hanger on at each end with turns of thin wire as "insurance"? 

[Dyslexic Viking]

1 hour ago, jim89 said:

Could you maybe wire the new rubber hanger on at each end with turns of thin wire as "insurance"? 

That's a good idea and something I can see if is possible. Thanks.

 

In fuel tank news, the level is now about half a tank and it seems to have helped with the leak as I don't see any drops from the tank now. So that's good.

[hairnet]

Find somewhere that can fill rank and seal with air see where its comjng from 

Top half of tank ( why do they always go In awkward places haha)

[Scruffy Bodger]

If you can see/get to where it's coming from chemical metal works very well as a stop gap or even a permanent fix until funds for a new tank allow.

[jim89]

13 minutes ago, Scruffy Bodger said:

If you can see/get to where it's coming from chemical metal works very well as a stop gap or even a permanent fix until funds for a new tank allow.

Moons ago I had two slightly leaking tanks taken off two separate cars, repaired & refitted within a day each. They sent them off locally to someone who specialised & (I think) filled them with foam to stop explosions then brazed/welded repairs on 👍🏻

[Scruffy Bodger]

29 minutes ago, jim89 said:

Moons ago I had two slightly leaking tanks taken off two separate cars, repaired & refitted within a day each. They sent them off locally to someone who specialised & (I think) filled them with foam to stop explosions then brazed/welded repairs on 👍🏻

It can be done properly, a job I could do myself now. However many moons ago I had a one off/kit car thing but not the skills. The bottom of the petrol tank was leaking, it got scrubbed up and a good smear of chemical metal and still wasn't leaking when the car was scrapped years later.

[jim89]

3 minutes ago, Scruffy Bodger said:

It can be done properly, a job I could do myself now. However many moons ago I had a one off/kit car thing but not the skills. The bottom of the petrol tank was leaking, it got scrubbed up and a good smear of chemical metal and still wasn't leaking when the car was scrapped years later.

Looking at the write up on @Dyslexic Vikings tank it may well be leaking from the joint between the two "halves" (I'm guessing here) so probs that would have to come off to get at it & clean? If it's coming off anyway gotta be worth making enquiries & get it done 100%?

It was years ago but I was surprised how reasonable the repair costs were compared to the prices for replacement tanks - plus the same labour to remove & refit of course...

[Dyslexic Viking]

There are few if any here who repair tanks and if I find someone, with shipping and everything, it will definitely be more expensive than a new tank. And I prefer a new tank if possible.

So I have been looking, I'm a little surprised Autodoc actually has fuel tanks for these in the parts lists but unfortunately not in stock. A Swedish car parts site also has fuel tanks for these and supposedly in stock and I can then make the payment in a month which is perfect. So I have ordered a fuel tank from them now and has to see if they actually have one will know in a few days.

The only thing about this fuel tank and the others this is the large fuel tank for the 6 cylinder cars at 82 liters since mine is the diesel it has I think the smallest at either 52 or 62 liters. The research I have done this larger fuel tank will fit and the mounts in the car seem to be there and all Fintail had fuel return to my knowledge so it shouldn't be a problem and they use the same fuel level sender. And all sellers of this tank list it for my car too. New small tank is available as special order through a Merc speciallist but is expensive really expensive.

So I'm betting that this will work and if the Swedes don't have it I will buy the same tank later from another seller.

If this large tank works out and since this car is the diesel, I have calculated that this will give the car over 1200km of range, which will be nice except if I have to drive it empty.

[Dyslexic Viking]

New fuel tank was sent yesterday, can't get over that a regular car part site has a fuel tank for this one that's incredible. 

And looked more under the car and it's not leaking now that it's about half a tank so that's good, what's not good is that the entire rear underside of the car is covered in diesel and this has loosened the underseal and made a mess. I haven't quite figured out how to clean it yet, but I think it will be a lot of work. 

 

[lisbon_road]

Many years ago, I fitted a new tank to a Sierra. I did not realise that the inside was bare steel. It rusted horribly. If I did it again, I would use a tank sealant on it. Kind of counter intuitive to use on a new tank, but the steel is so clean tgag it should stick.

Your experience might be different but I have to share mine.

[hairnet]

what later mercs does the tank fit

thats why they have them