semi urgent , quick response apreciated

[tim96]

i have recently been trying to solve the issue of a fuel smell in the engine bay of my 320i facelift e30.

The fuel line going from the pressure regulator, shows signs of cracking.

was just about to replace this line but i notice where the fuel feed and return lines meet the metal tubing underneath the car there is another line.

This line connects to rubber tubing which then goes into a hole below my left strut tower, and that is it, the rubber hose is cut of at the end, i pulled it out and there are fuel vapours coming out of the end of it. Is this some sort of breather or has somebody done a hash job of removing the carbon canister?

i am about to do a 5 hour trip, ...

[johnnyBgood]

Originally Posted by tim96

i have recently been trying to solve the issue of a fuel smell in the engine bay of my 320i facelift e30.

The fuel line going from the pressure regulator, shows signs of cracking.

was just about to replace this line but i notice where the fuel feed and return lines meet the metal tubing underneath the car there is another line.

This line connects to rubber tubing which then goes into a hole below my left strut tower, and that is it, the rubber hose is cut of at the end, i pulled it out and there are fuel vapours coming out of the end of it. Is this some sort of breather or has somebody done a hash job of removing the carbon canister?

i am about to do a 5 hour trip, ...

Maybe it went to something that looks like this:

RealOEM.com BMW E30 320i FUEL TANK BREATH.VALVE/DISTURB.AIR VALVE

[tim96]

thanks for that, maybe it looks like it..
here is a pic from underneath the car..

Image - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting

1 is the fuel feed and return lines
2 is what looks to be the fuel vent tube
3 is where the fuel vent tube goes into the strut tower, about 15 cm after it goes into the hole the tube is simply cut off at the end

[tim96]

so im guessing the way it is currently is not right and actually dangerous

what should i do with the vent tube?

[Markdas]

Depending on the year of your car, you may or may not have the small solenoid type arrangement under the throttle body, but you will have some sort of set up that take fuel vapours through a charcoal canister and then vents it back to the tank.....

On our E30 race car, we chopped out the canister and plugged the vent line at the throttle body......we do still have the return line back to the tank secured under the car but open ended to avoid any vacuum or pressure build up.....

I'm not entirely sure what the merits of the canister and vent are, but you should be okay without it.....

[Markdas]

For your road car, I would suggest you trace where the vent line to the tank is and connnect up the open ended line you have.......