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Help! Help! Help!

2K views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  Furious 
#1 ·
I am leaving to go on a trip right now but I will check this post later tonight. Here is the deal. Underneath my 1992 318is I have a terrible fuel leak. Near the gas tank are four lines grouped together. Three are metal hoses with a rubber housing and a 45 degree bend. The fourth is exposed metal line with a 90 degree bend. Any way, I filled up today and drove approximately 30 miles and smelled fuel. I put the car in the air and sure as shit there is a leak. Very slow when the car is on the ground. But when I lifted up the rear of the car to check it started pouring out. WTF! It is coming from the area where the described lines end (I can't see them though without dropping the tank) Anybody experience this before or know what the solution is? I don't have time to drop the tank just yet. But this will hopefully get me ahead of the game.

Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
I've had lots of similar fuel leaks. There are two possible causes. 1. One of the metal lines is corroded and leaking. Easiest solution is to cut out the bad part and replace the bad section with a rubber fuel line and double hose clamps on each end. Best solutuion is to replace the complete line, but it can be expensive. 2. If you are lucky and the metal line runs into a rubber line, it will leak at the connection. Just tighten the hose clamp or put a second one on.
In any case it's highly recommended that you don't drive the car any further than necessary because of the high risk of fire. Also, this is a job that can only be safely done on a lift. You don't want to be lying on the ground under your car covered in gas when a fire starts.
 
#4 ·
Originally posted by Furious@May 31 2005, 07:16 PM
personally id take it to a pro, when dealing with fuel lines its a tough go and very dangerous for the weekend garage junky. if you do have extensive mechanic training , than id try dropping the tank and investigate where the leak is.
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Thanks for the responses. And Furious I actually am a pro. I don't usually work on BMW's so I am not to familiar with their quirks. After doing some research I believe the answer is to pull the back seat and then the metal plate and replace the hose clamps. Not sure yet though.
 
#5 ·
well yes, that is what i was gonna say to check first and foremost, the clamps that BMW use on the entire car are garbage in my opinion. beyond that im not experienced enough to suggest anything for you



ps. glad to know we got another mechanically inclined gentleman onboard
 
#7 ·
but the mechanics of cars resound the same. troubleshooting common problems are all quite similar from brand to brand.

"spark, fuel, compression"were the first things i ever learned and i find those things to be a great help to this day.. thanks for sharing your knowledge, and that goes for everyone who is willing to help out fellow driver.
 
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