Fuel leak?

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unmol
E30 Zone Newbie
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Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: West London, Southall

Tue Jun 01, 2010 5:55 pm

Hi zoners. My sport is drinking ALOT of fuel recently. Just wanted to no if any one had any suggestions, if it might be the temp sensor as i read a thread abou it. When cold it idles at 1500 rpm for about 5-7 mins and when started i can smell strong fuel in the car. The temp usually sits between 1/4 and 1/2. I havent checked the mpg exactly but i get about 35 miles out of a tenner and the needle is fully on red. Could this be a leak?
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weed1
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Tue Jun 01, 2010 6:19 pm

Where is the fuel smell the strongest? Front or Rear of the cabin?
Have you looked underneath the car while it is at idle?

m
E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
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Location: Norfolk

Tue Jun 01, 2010 6:31 pm

smell of fuel usually is a perished rubber hose or 2.

This will either be the hoses as they come from the tank (down in front of the passenger rear wheel area) or under the bonnet.

You can usually buy fuel hose in 1 metre lengths from the local motorfactors, together with some new jubilee clips. I think it is 6mm internal diameter hose you need.

There is also an inspection cover or 2 underneath the rear bench, pull the rear bench up to reveal black inspection covers. Remove them to check the state of the hoses and replace anything that looks wankered.

Replacing blue temp sensor is never a bad idea.

35 miles out of a tenner is the norm if give it full beans everywhere though
stonesie
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Location: Doncaster

Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:12 pm

Start it up and have a look under the bonnet, when mine did this it was the fuel return pipe that had cracked and is easy to change.


Despite what some will tell you, all fuel pipe is NOT equal, I replaced mine with some that the local parts shop told me was original equipment quality fuel injection pipe... About 6 months later I did the engine swap and noticed that the new length of pipe was cracking although not leaking, it was replaced with BMW pipe which was far more expensive, probably for a reason?
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