fuel leak??

[markdemon]

hi bods

i filled up the motor last nite with fuel and now the inside of the car reaks of the stuff,have i over filled slightly or is there a diff reason.??

[redchurch]

Mine always smells a bit when I fill it up but it doesn't last long

[jcjdavis1]

Hi have you checked underneath at the filler neck/ tank as it is a common place for leaks.

[darkchild]

As above. The tanks themselves are also known to rot.

[no1_jazz]

Guys how long do the original tank last before it corrodes away. I have a 31.8IS and it's never had its fuel tank replaced as yet Thank God.

Hopefully it's a simple question to you zoners?

All help will be much appreciated

Cheers guys

Jazz

[Jamese30]

Jazz,
It depends how the car has been looked after and where it has lived. My '90 318is had a new tank a few months before I got it but my '86 327i still has its original very solid tank.

If it isn't rusty make sure you suitable rust protect it.

Mark Demon,
have you checked the fuel lines from the fuel filter to the engine - sometimes these come loose and start to leak. You normally smell this on start up when the fuel pump pressurises the system - the pressure being enough to force any petrol out of the little leaks.

[no1_jazz]

Cheers James, well I know one thing for sure is that the fuel pipe lines are rusty but the tank it self I have not exactly examined.

The car has been treated fairly well as I know the last 3 owners but again before that I'm not sure as to how it was treated but form the last couple of years its been treated well. The fuel filler pipe was replaced before I bought the car, now weather it's been replaced with a stock BMW one I don't know.

Is it a big job to change the fuel pipelines which run along the left of the underneath of the body?

Cheers Jazz

[darkchild]

Guys how long do the original tank last before it corrodes away. I have a 31.8IS and it's never had its fuel tank replaced as yet Thank God.

Hopefully it's a simple question to you zoners?

All help will be much appreciated

Cheers guys

Jazz

The later tanks seem more prone to this for some reason (thinner steel????).

[markdemon]

hi guys thanx for the replies, it seems a lot worse when i give it some right foot and when cornering

[daimlerman]

Just replaced a rusty fuel tank on my '94 316i touring.....lie under the back axle area and look up for the filler pipe,there is a rubber joining hose from the end of the filler pipe to the tank.Grab this hose and give it a wiggle,I did this and the pipe fell off the tank end...complete with the stub pipe that goea into the top of the tank... .. the '89 320i 4 door is well covered in oil underneath,so the tank is sound on that one..could be the M40 engine keeps it's oil in better...