 » Site Navigation | | | | » Recent Threads | looove 04-16-2024 01:18 PM 04-16-2024 01:18 PM 0 Replies, 1,408 Views | | | |  |  |  | |  03-16-2005, 10:02 PM | #1 | | Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 67 |  Fuel Leak!?
I left my 1996 318ti running while i pulled another car into the garage. When i backed away I noticed that there was about 1ft by 3ft spot of gas on the driveway. It seems leaking somewhere around the middle of the car. Any ideas of whats under there and could be leaking? Fuel line? |  |  | | 03-16-2005, 10:26 PM | #2 | | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Colyumbia S.C. Posts: 101 |
the fuel sending unit on the left tank or the pump on the right. Sometimes the plastic top will split or they may not be tight. try to tighten the big black plastic ring. to access them pull up the rear seat and take off the metal access panels. | | | | | 03-17-2005, 12:35 AM | #3 | | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 120 |
that is probably it, but just in cause take a glance at your fuel filter first. __________________
95' black 318i
fogged airbox, understeer SSK, euro clear corners, blacked out kidney grill, custom (black) painted side skirts and bumpers, PBR brake pads, zimmerman rotors, | | | | | 04-07-2005, 08:30 PM | #4 | | Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 67 |
This is a weird leak. I cant figure it out. About a month ago the car sprung a fuel leak. As soon as I noticed the large spot under the car. I turned the car off and put the car away. I start the car the next day to take it to take it to the shop. Dry as a bone... After that I assumed maybe I was crazy and it wasnt a leak. Well, today, a month later is a different story. Huge fuel leak is back. As I back out of the garage I notice a large spot, stop get out and look under the car. The fuel is collecting right under the drivers seat under the car. Any ideas of whats leaking and why its so intermittent? | | | | | 04-07-2005, 10:39 PM | #5 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 |
Only leaking when tank is full? Hot day expands fuel?
Guessing :shrug:
Dave __________________
Dave - PDX
1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan.
2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | | | 04-07-2005, 10:57 PM | #6 | | I miss my Ti....... :( Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 828 | I had a similar problem.
Quote: | Originally Posted by bmwpwr This is a weird leak. I cant figure it out. About a month ago the car sprung a fuel leak. As soon as I noticed the large spot under the car. I turned the car off and put the car away. I start the car the next day to take it to take it to the shop. Dry as a bone... After that I assumed maybe I was crazy and it wasnt a leak. Well, today, a month later is a different story. Huge fuel leak is back. As I back out of the garage I notice a large spot, stop get out and look under the car. The fuel is collecting right under the drivers seat under the car. Any ideas of whats leaking and why its so intermittent? | I was woking on the car for about a month and a half or so. I finally finish up and go to start the bad boy. I start her up and then like a waterfall from the under side of the car gas is spraying every where. I turned the car off and came back the next day started her up with the intent to crawl underneath and nothing. I went under anyway, and The fuel lines which run from the metal line from the tank to the rail are made of this rubber. Mine were kind of dry rotted but not leaking at all. I replaced both line the two and the from, anyway. I spoke with a mechanic, and he said sometimes when the car sits the dry rot could open up and allow fluid to come out. Once they heat up though they are able to seal again which makes the leak go away. -Chad | | | | | 04-12-2005, 01:43 PM | #7 | | Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 67 |
Fuel leak fixed. The cause was a blocked fuel filter. Im very suprised that the filter would get clogged after only 50K miles. At least its fixed.. | | | | | 04-13-2005, 01:15 PM | #8 | | aka Stabby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mead, CO Posts: 5,336 |
depends on gas quality for sure. i'm also thinking 50k is pretty damn long. according to the bentley manual, fuel filter is due to be replaced as part of Inspection II. any idea how often you reach Inspection II on your car? __________________ 1996 318ti, California package, 267k miles
current mods: bilstein sports, bavauto springs, e30 m3 LCABs, solid metal ball joints, bavauto RSMs w/reinforcements, e30 3.73 LSD & halfshafts, supersprint cat-back exhaust, turner rear sway bar reinforcements, IE poly subframe & RTABs + camber/toe kits, powdercoated e36 32x front calipers, sport mirrors, H&R 28mmF/19mmR sway bars, x-brace, auto solutions SSK w/poly bushing upgrade, BMW CD43 head unit, DICE HD Radio w/iPod integration and "stealth" HD antenna, staggered style 68s, orange electronic TPMS, leather arm rest, JT Designs metal undertray
acquired and awaiting install: heated seat kit, cali top switch relo, lumbar support kit, park distance control kit, heated washer nozzle kit, m-coupe rear subframe, trailing arms, differential, and halfshafts, m-coupe front/rear brakes with master cylinder, under hood light kit, mud flaps, rear sun blind, auto-dimming rear view mirror, tilt steering wheel retrofit, apexcone 5000K HIDs with 55W ballasts
2002 X5 4.4 Sport Package, 53.5k miles
Current Mods: e46 m3 steering wheel | | | | | 08-25-2006, 06:18 PM | #9 | | Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: PA Posts: 1,906 |
I am having this very same problem!!! My wife said that when I was in Iraq she started the car and had a pretty big fuel leak. She did nothing about it and it seemed it fixed itself. Well I went to start the car this morning, back it out of my garage and noticed a fresh wet trail of something. I left the car running, got out, and the smell hit me like a brick wall. I quickly looked under the car and saw a puddle of fuel (seriously a puddle). I turned the car off. I was running late so I took my wife's Land Rover. I come back home a few hours later. I jacked up the car, started it, and NO LEAK.
So after reading this thread I gather I should start by changing the filter? I don't think its ever been changed. Should I also change out the fuel lines too?Any ideas how much the filter is? Is there a DIY write up somewhere? How do I take out the filter without spilling gas everywhere?
Thanks! __________________  | | | | | 08-25-2006, 08:20 PM | #10 | | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 456 |
u take out the fuse for the fuel pump then try to start car - I BELIEVE- This will get all of the pressure out of the system. Then get under, remove plate covering the filter, and replace! Also, you can just disconnect the filter and watch a squirt gun and 3.50 a gallon. __________________ SPEED IS NOT AN EQUATION CONSISTING OF DISTANCE DIVIDED BY TIME. IT IS A LIFESTYLE! | | | | | 08-25-2006, 09:47 PM | #11 | | Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: PA Posts: 1,906 |
I just finished swapping out the filter. Very easy, took about an hour. It squirted out a few ounces of fuel.
If this continues to happen then what? Replace lines? How can one tell if the old filter is bad? I noticed that the fuel that came out of the old filter was not clean, it had a dark tint to it. __________________ | | | | | 08-26-2006, 10:51 PM | #12 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Marion, IA Posts: 388 |
Quote: | So after reading this thread I gather I should start by changing the filter? I don't think its ever been changed. Should I also change out the fuel lines too?Any ideas how much the filter is? Is there a DIY write up somewhere? How do I take out the filter without spilling gas everywhere? | Go to the Knowledge base and search for "fuel filter" in that category, and there are some helpful articles on how to change it. Here is a link: http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8067 Mine was original with almost 140k miles on it; I am glad I changed it as at any time your car might fail to start when it becomes too clogged, or spray fuel as already stated which is an extreme fire hazzard. | | | | | 08-27-2006, 04:13 AM | #13 | | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Manassas, VA Posts: 4,129 |
I used to change the fuel filter in the Scirocco once a year. I changed the fuel filter in the ti soon after buying the car. This is something that should not be overlooked, but obviously is. Quote: Originally Posted by bmwpwr  Fuel leak fixed. The cause was a blocked fuel filter. Im very suprised that the filter would get clogged after only 50K miles. At least its fixed.. | __________________ 
1998 (July) 318ti, 5-spd
OEM Armrest Blaupunkt Heidelberg CD50 CD Player/Compact Drive MP3 Player Diamond Audio 5.25" rear speakers Navman ICN 530 GPS BMWALARM.COM (with comfort settings) after market alarm system Magnecor 8.5mm wires M-Z3 Shifter/Momo Knob Burlwood Dashboard Stromung Exhaust X-brace Racing Dynamics Front Strut Bar Carbonio C.A.I. 17" Rial Rims Vader Seats/Heated/Lumbar Support M-tech Steering Wheel/Front Sway Bar/Front & Rear Bumper Depos/w 6500K Angel Eyes/6000K HIDs Clear Corners M3 Mirrors UUC Light Weight Flywheel/M5 Clutch/M3 Clutch Slave E28 3.46 LSD/Mcoupe Cover/E30 Flanges & Halfshafts UUC S.S. Brake/Clutch Lines Hartge Roof Spoiler BavAuto Springs Bilstein Sport Struts/Shocks E46 M3 Rear Shock Mounts SPC Front Camber Kit Reiger Hatch Spoiler BavAuto Rear Camber Kit Dinan Stage II Software Turner Rear Sway Bar Reinforcements BMW E46 Auto dimming mirror with Clown Nose alarm Engine Compartment Light Heated Wiper Fluid Retrofit OEM Fire Extinguisher Da'lan Trailer Hitch Rear Sun Shade OEM Fog Light Retrofit H & R MZ3 Rear Sway Bar/ UUC Adjustable End Links Cruise Control Retrofit On Board Computer Retrofit M3 twistie style side skirts Carbon Fiber Hood | | | | | 08-27-2006, 03:12 PM | #14 | | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Lincoln Park Capitol Hill, Washington DC Posts: 741 |
Mine started smelling gas a few weeks ago, with no leaks. Read somewhere that the washers on the tank cover caps (we have 2) where the sender and fuel pump sits get old and a not so tight fit. I opened mine this morning and one of them has fuel residue mixed in with dirt. Obviously, fuel expands w/ heat and sometimes runneth over and seeps out through these hairline gaps. The simplest solution is not to fill the gas tank all the way (2/3 or 3/4) or try to replace those washers, which is a pain in the patootie since those threaded caps are very hard to loosen and open without the proper tools. __________________
It's always a great day to be underwater and play with the fish.....preserve our oceans and reefs"
Fariz
1997 318ti, Hellrot (Bright Red), Dinan Stage 2 Chip
16x7 OEM sport Wheels/X-Brace/Custom Strut Brace/Cold Air Intake/M-Tec Steering Wheel/Koni Adjustable FrontShocks/ Bilstein Sport Rear Shocks /H&R Sport Springs/Custom fabricated strut tower brace/Rear Strut brace, Stromung Exhaust
Future Mods: E46 17" wheels or Kosei K-1 17x8.5s | | | | | 09-02-2006, 02:45 PM | #15 | | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Cashville,TN Posts: 124 |
Its amazing how much crap the fuel filter picks up. Gas is not cheapbut it pays to run premium __________________ 
Mmm.. | | | | | |
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