Help!Confused. - BMW Forum

bimmerguy82 · 10-06-2005, 09:50 AM

Hey, I have been starting to smell a gas odor coming from my car recently. It is mostly through my air vents so i thought it was coming in from the engine compartment, but when i am outside the car i can smell it from the rear end as well. Also no visible signs of leakage from fuel rail, injectors or gas tank. any ideas would be appreciated. thanks.

SpeedInfusion · 10-06-2005, 04:29 PM

had the same problem in my old e36...it was the fuel pump...

bimmerguy82 · 10-06-2005, 10:12 PM

speed infusion- were there other symptoms your car was having or was your fuel pump just going bad? also, if it was the pump do you think the smell of gas would still come thru the vents?

NyteRyda · 10-07-2005, 12:14 AM

it is possible. since the fuel pump sits right under your rear seat.

SpeedInfusion · 10-07-2005, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshsanders82

speed infusion- were there other symptoms your car was having or was your fuel pump just going bad? also, if it was the pump do you think the smell of gas would still come thru the vents?

didnt quite get wat ur askin but my fuel pump was leaking.......so it had gone bad...

Delmarco · 10-08-2005, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NyteRyda

it is possible. since the fuel pump sits right under your rear seat.

yeah but it is sealed tightly. so odors wouldn't seep thru. When my fuel pump failed I never rememebered an odor before it failed.

Anyway...change your fuel filter. That is the intersection in the fuel line where it is easy to get clogged up and fuel leaking or hissing out. The fuel is pressured at that point so it would NOT be dribbling out in a constant flowing or dripping, but hissing or spraying out, thus creating an odor.

fuel filters are one of those things we forget to change (i think it's 30,000 miles intervals) and this is what tends to happen.
A new filter is $16-$19 at the dealership and labor to change it shouldn't be more than $30.

Also, I would get a fuel injection system cleaning as well (about $40 labor at the oil change place)

bimmerguy82 · 10-12-2005, 06:02 PM

Delmarco- thanks for the advise. i'm gonna replace the filter because, well, i don't think it has ever been replaced. also i cross referenced my cars symptoms with my bentley and it makes sense. my filter sits under the drivers seat next to left control arm, so if it is leaking pressurized gas the smell would probably come through the vents as well. anyways thanks for the advise, always welcome. let you know if it works.