Difference between revisions of "Fuel"
Grrrmachine (talk | contribs) (New page: To keep your E30 moving, it needs fuel. Since the majority of E30s use petrol engines, "Fuel" here is a synonym for "Petrol". For Diesel engines, jump to the Diesel...) |
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=Fuel Tank= | =Fuel Tank= | ||
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| + | The E30 range benefited from two different fuel tanks; a 55L and 62L. Tourings and facelift [[M20]]-engined cars will have the larger tank. | ||
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| + | Both tanks are fitted with a [[Fuel#Fuel_Pmp|pump housing]], to which are mounted the fuel pump itself and a [[Fuel#Fuel_Level_Sender|level sender]]. | ||
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| + | Because of the low placement of the fuel tank into the floor pan, a central channel was required to allow the prop shaft to travel under the car; this channel effectively separates the tank into two halves. | ||
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| + | The 55L tank has a pipe connecting the two halves together at the bottom, so the level in each side is always the same, except after long corners, and so is only fitted with a single level sensor. | ||
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| + | The 62 litre tank has a much more sophisticated internal syphon system to transfer fuel from the Left side to the right, which results in the levels in the two halves not being the same. For this reason, the 62 litre tank has a sensor in each half, connected in series, to give an average level for the [[Instruments#Fuel_Gauge|fuel gauge]]. | ||
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| + | Learn more about [[Replacing_Fuel_Tank|replacing the fuel tank]]. | ||
==Filler Pipe== | ==Filler Pipe== | ||
=Fuel Pump= | =Fuel Pump= | ||
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| + | The fuel pump is a relatively simple construction comprised of three components; the pump housing, the pump itself, and a fuel-level sender. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Because of the two types of tank, there are two types of pump housing. A 55L pump housing will have two pipes on it, while a 62L pump housing will have only one. | ||
| + | |||
| + | A two-pipe housing can be used on a 62 litre tank, provided the second pipe is blanked off, and the pipe that was connected to it re routed to a stub pipe on the side of the 62 litre tank. If this pipe is not re-routed, you will only be able to use the fuel in the RH side. | ||
| + | |||
| + | A single pipe housing cannot be used in a 55 litre tank, as there will be nowhere to connect the return line from the fuel rail, although the basic pump can be swapped between the two types. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The actual pump is rigidly fixed to the housing, and its electrical connections soldered in place. It also has a detachable filter mounted to its base. This pump is interchangeable between housings. | ||
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| + | The level sender is held to the fuel pump housing by four screws, and must be removed before attempting to remove the pump housing from the tank. Learn more about [[Fuel_Pump_Replacement|replacing the fuel pump]]. | ||
=Fuel Level Senders= | =Fuel Level Senders= | ||
| + | |||
| + | While all pumps are equipped with a level sender, 62L tanks contain a second level sender on the left side of the tank, wired in series with the first. The construction of each sender is a basic float, which bridges two lengths of resistive wire. When the float is at the top, the wires are bridged close to their terminals, and thus read a low resistance. As the fuel level drops, so does the float, moving the bridge down the wires and thus increasing the resistance. In this way, each level sender works as a 60 Ohm resistor, reading zero Ohms for a full tank and 60 Ohms when empty. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Therefore the gauge for a 55 litre tank needs to read empty when in series with 60 ohms, but for a 62 litre tank gauge, it must read zero when in series with 120 ohms. Both need to read full when in series with zero ohms. This is why there are two types of [[Instruments#Fuel_Gauge|fuel gauge]] available for the E30. | ||
| + | |||
| + | A 62 litre tank can be used with just a single level sensor, but the indicated level will vary, depending on the respective levels in the two halves. | ||
=Fuel Lines= | =Fuel Lines= | ||
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=Carbon Canister= | =Carbon Canister= | ||
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| + | =Diesel= | ||
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| + | The [[324d]] and [[324td]] were Diesel versions of the E30, and thus employed a standard diesel fuelling system. | ||
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| + | [[Category: Technical]] | ||
| + | [[Category: Fuel]] | ||
Revision as of 14:27, 11 October 2011
To keep your E30 moving, it needs fuel. Since the majority of E30s use petrol engines, "Fuel" here is a synonym for "Petrol". For Diesel engines, jump to the Diesel section of this page
Contents
Overview
Fuel Tank
The E30 range benefited from two different fuel tanks; a 55L and 62L. Tourings and facelift M20-engined cars will have the larger tank.
Both tanks are fitted with a pump housing, to which are mounted the fuel pump itself and a level sender.
Because of the low placement of the fuel tank into the floor pan, a central channel was required to allow the prop shaft to travel under the car; this channel effectively separates the tank into two halves.
The 55L tank has a pipe connecting the two halves together at the bottom, so the level in each side is always the same, except after long corners, and so is only fitted with a single level sensor.
The 62 litre tank has a much more sophisticated internal syphon system to transfer fuel from the Left side to the right, which results in the levels in the two halves not being the same. For this reason, the 62 litre tank has a sensor in each half, connected in series, to give an average level for the fuel gauge.
Learn more about replacing the fuel tank.
Filler Pipe
Fuel Pump
The fuel pump is a relatively simple construction comprised of three components; the pump housing, the pump itself, and a fuel-level sender.
Because of the two types of tank, there are two types of pump housing. A 55L pump housing will have two pipes on it, while a 62L pump housing will have only one.
A two-pipe housing can be used on a 62 litre tank, provided the second pipe is blanked off, and the pipe that was connected to it re routed to a stub pipe on the side of the 62 litre tank. If this pipe is not re-routed, you will only be able to use the fuel in the RH side.
A single pipe housing cannot be used in a 55 litre tank, as there will be nowhere to connect the return line from the fuel rail, although the basic pump can be swapped between the two types.
The actual pump is rigidly fixed to the housing, and its electrical connections soldered in place. It also has a detachable filter mounted to its base. This pump is interchangeable between housings.
The level sender is held to the fuel pump housing by four screws, and must be removed before attempting to remove the pump housing from the tank. Learn more about replacing the fuel pump.
Fuel Level Senders
While all pumps are equipped with a level sender, 62L tanks contain a second level sender on the left side of the tank, wired in series with the first. The construction of each sender is a basic float, which bridges two lengths of resistive wire. When the float is at the top, the wires are bridged close to their terminals, and thus read a low resistance. As the fuel level drops, so does the float, moving the bridge down the wires and thus increasing the resistance. In this way, each level sender works as a 60 Ohm resistor, reading zero Ohms for a full tank and 60 Ohms when empty.
Therefore the gauge for a 55 litre tank needs to read empty when in series with 60 ohms, but for a 62 litre tank gauge, it must read zero when in series with 120 ohms. Both need to read full when in series with zero ohms. This is why there are two types of fuel gauge available for the E30.
A 62 litre tank can be used with just a single level sensor, but the indicated level will vary, depending on the respective levels in the two halves.
Fuel Lines
Fuel Filter
Fuel Hoses
Fuel Rail
Injectors
Fuel Pressure Regulator
Carbon Canister
Diesel
The 324d and 324td were Diesel versions of the E30, and thus employed a standard diesel fuelling system.
