Bleeding Diesel Fuel System - Mercedes MBE 900 Engine

We learned the hard way & experienced troubles trying to prime the Mercedes MBE 900 Diesel Engine. It was a chore trying to get it started again after it ran out of fuel.
Pressurizing the fuel tank and bleeding the system at the fuel lines was tedious and a crude method to say the least.
Most of these engines come from the factory with a quick coupler located at the fuel filter housing. The 2005 and earlier models have to be installed with the new coupler, a kit can be obtained from the Mercedes dealer.


We acquired the female quick coupler from the local dealer and added a  hose along with a stainless steel pressure tank similar to a lawn fertilizer set up.  There isn't a lot of  pressure required to bleed the fuel system, all it takes is 5 p.s.i or better. There is a bleeding apparatus available that we are looking at picking up. I will re-post when it arrives and give it a test drive.




This tank has to be topped up with diesel and pumped continuously while a second person cranks over the engine. It works great and saves a lot of wear and tear on the starter!

Note: there is a Technical Service Bulletin on the Thomas C2 School Bus models having a defective fuel gauge senderThe sender must be removed and tested with an ohm meter. We had some incidents on one of our C2 units running out of fuel prematurely.

Once you get this pressure tool all set up it will make removing the air from a Mercedes MBE 900 Engine fuel system much easier.