# Fuel problem in Mercedes, was I ripped off? **URL:** \ **Category:** Power/Fuel\ **Tags:** pump, mercedes-benz, 190, gasoline\ **Created:** [August 27, 2010, 10:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-problem-in-mercedes-was-i-ripped-off/54251 "2010-08-27T22:12:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![salimbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@salimbag](https://community.cartalk.com/u/salimbag)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 10:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-problem-in-mercedes-was-i-ripped-off/54251/1 "2010-08-27T22:12:28Z")
My fuel pressure was low, so the mechanic suggested replacing both fuel pumps and the flow regulator. After replacing just the fuel pumps he told me the car needed a fuel distributor too, at cost of $1900! So we halted the repairs, but he is still charging me $1000 for the fuel pumps! Was I ripped off? Should he have been able to diagnose the Fuel distributor problem BEFORE installing $1000 in fuel pumps? So now I have a $1000 bill on a car I’m junking anyway. What to do? ---
**Author:** ![oblivion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3ab097/32.png) [@oblivion](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oblivion)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-problem-in-mercedes-was-i-ripped-off/54251/2 "2010-08-27T22:26:57Z")
Sounds like he was just throwing parts and your money at it in the hope he’d guess right. ---
**Author:** ![Bladecutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bladecutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bladecutter)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-problem-in-mercedes-was-i-ripped-off/54251/3 "2010-08-27T22:35:08Z")
Why were you putting any new parts into a car you were junking? BC. ---
**Author:** ![salimbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@salimbag](https://community.cartalk.com/u/salimbag)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 10:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-problem-in-mercedes-was-i-ripped-off/54251/4 "2010-08-27T22:42:32Z")
The point is that we didn’t know it was going to be too expensive to fix right until AFTER we spent $1000 on fuel pumps, because after we installed the fuel pumps he told me I was going to need a $1900 fuel distributor. My question is, should he have knows about the fuel distributor BEFORE he had me spend $1000 on fuel pumps? ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-problem-in-mercedes-was-i-ripped-off/54251/5 "2010-08-27T23:13:06Z")
That’s difficult to answer but I would not tarnish the guy just yet. This car uses CIS (sincerest condolences) and this system can be problematic. Low fuel pressure points to a pump problem. It’s entirely possible to have a fuel distributor problem that cannot be diagnosed with a low fuel pressure situation so the answer is that it is NOT possible to diagnose a fuel dist. problem with weak pumps. at were the symptoms as far as running, etc.? Or did the car not run at all, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![Goldwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Goldwing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Goldwing)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-problem-in-mercedes-was-i-ripped-off/54251/6 "2010-08-27T23:30:33Z")
What year and engine do you have? It sounds like you paid a lot for the fuel pump and regulator, did you go to the dealer for an old Mercedes? These sound like dealer prices. Since you didn’t need these parts, can you get any money back by putting back your parts that worked ok? Mercedes dealer parts are very expensive. I’d try and get a fuel distributor from a salvage yard. These are very expensive if you go with a new Bosch one. Here’s a rebuilt a lot cheaper ($431): [http://www.europartsdirect.com/epc-items.asp](http://www.europartsdirect.com/epc-items.asp) but a salvaged one would be dirt cheap. If you live near Minneapolis, MN I’ll help you out, I have a 1989 190E 2.6L. ---
**Author:** ![salimbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@salimbag](https://community.cartalk.com/u/salimbag)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-problem-in-mercedes-was-i-ripped-off/54251/7 "2010-08-28T00:20:41Z")
They were not dealer parts, they were aftermarket. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 3:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-problem-in-mercedes-was-i-ripped-off/54251/8 "2010-08-28T03:36:23Z")
Still wondering what the pre-pump replacement symptoms were. ---
**Author:** ![salimbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@salimbag](https://community.cartalk.com/u/salimbag)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-problem-in-mercedes-was-i-ripped-off/54251/9 "2010-08-28T03:44:54Z")
cranked and cranked and took a long time to fire, eventually wouldn’t start at all. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 11:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-problem-in-mercedes-was-i-ripped-off/54251/10 "2010-08-28T11:03:06Z")
You were ripped off by the dealer at the time of sale long before you needed this repair. ---
**Author:** ![Goldwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Goldwing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Goldwing)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 1:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-problem-in-mercedes-was-i-ripped-off/54251/11 "2010-08-28T13:39:55Z")
What PSI was the fuel pressure? What year/engine/# miles Mercedes? ---
**Author:** ![salimbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@salimbag](https://community.cartalk.com/u/salimbag)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-problem-in-mercedes-was-i-ripped-off/54251/12 "2010-08-28T13:45:46Z")
40 psi fuel pressure 1993 190e 2.3 L with 130,000 miles Thanks