help

[tobias]

hi need some help identifing some pipes that run down the near sideof my m3 (ns being drivers)

one slim pipe????

two medium pipes.........identified as fuel in and out

one pipe which is thicker than fuel and disappears up behind fuel tank

please help as this is doin my head in.

toby

[gooner1]

Tobias, would it help if you looked on the ecotek and tried to identify the part mate.

[Chris-W]

Brake line.

[tobias]

hi

gooner had a look at etk but cant find the pipe

chris whic one brake line one is much thinner than fuel lines other much fatter

[tobias]

the thin pipe follows the lines of the fuel pipe buth th thick one has its own route which is the closest to the sill ofg the car and as i say goes up behind fuel tank so cant see where it ends

[tobias]

heard that the thick pipe is a vent pipe does this mean anything to anyone?????

[Brianmoooore]

Fuel vent pipe runs from the vapour collector tank in the rear right wheel arch, across the top of the fuel tank area, along with the fuel and brake lines to the front of the car and a) On non emissions cars; ends in a rubber hose that should be tucked inside the reinforcement for the LH front suspension turret, or b) on emissions cars, connects to a charcoal canister on the LH inner wing.

[tobias]

brianmoooore you are alegend.

have you ever replaced one?

[Brianmoooore]

Replace the line under the car, yes. It's the one that goes rusty.

[tobias]

live in the isle of man an over here we have no mot. anyway put my m3 in for its test(one off) and this is one of the few items it failed on.

do i have to remove exhaust prop and tank to replace???

its only the first length of pipe i need to replace.

it goes up side of fuel tank

[Brianmoooore]

The vent line is connected to the fuel tank by a rubber hose on non M3 E30s, and is easily replaceable without removing anything except the clips holding it.
Just noticed yours is an M3. Don't know if it's the same on these.

[tobias]

on mine ythe pipe heads into the dark abyiss up the side of tank and cant quite see where to.

and if i cant see im gonna struggle getting hands or tools up there

unless there is any way in under the seat???

[Brianmoooore]

on mine ythe pipe heads into the dark abyiss up the side of tank and cant quite see where to.

and if i cant see im gonna struggle getting hands or tools up there

unless there is any way in under the seat???

No way in under the seat, although the end of it may well be under the pump access cover under the rear seat.
Unlikely to be rusty up by the tank, so you could add a rubber joining hose to the new bit I would have thought, as long as it is the vent pipe.

[tobias]

will have to get under and have a look. they may be a bit funny if i cut out the rust and replace it with rubber. they can be like that some times. also they belive it to be a fuel pipe. (well thats what they put on failsheet) which has done my head in cos i have been ordering alsorts of fuel pipe from bmw and after all that i have been hunting for the wrong pipe