Ordering a new fuel tank..

hilux30 · Post by **hilux30** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 4:10 pm

I'm about to order a new original tank from Schmiedmann, but I'm a little confused on the fuel pick-up system. I thought Euro cars only have a pick-up and no pump inside the tank, but my car has electrical connections meaning pump inside and it's bolted down. Would the 'slotted' opening of the Euro tank work with this setup? thanks

10ringarcher · Post by **10ringarcher** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:57 pm

My US spec 78 has no pump inside the tank.
It has wires on top of the pick up for the fuel gauge.

hilux30 · Post by **hilux30** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 8:57 pm

Ok thanks, but is your euro fuel pick-up bolted down or locked in with a twist? Maybe I should take it apart to see what I'm dealing with.. I'll post a pic to clearify things..

Mike W. · Post by **Mike W.** » Wed Oct 12, 2016 12:17 pm

A pic would be best. Realoem appears to show a bolt in sending unit/pickup for that car, but their illustrations aren't always accurate. It would need 3 wires to it just for the sending unit so there should be some wiring.

hilux30 · Post by **hilux30** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 12:40 am

The new Euro tank doe not have the six threaded holes to install this sending unit in .. or I'm missing something?

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Mike W. · Post by **Mike W.** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 12:05 pm

That looks like the standard US spec 528i tank/pickup/sending unit. Any chance the tank has already been replaced once before? Then again, the pic on Realoem looks like a bolt in pickup/sending unit, but without the prepump. Not that the images are always right and it cross references to the standard 530i pickup which is camlock, not bolt in. Maybe someone else with an M535i could take a look and see what they have in there, or just keep the existing pickup and get a US spec tank either new or used.

hilux30 · Post by **hilux30** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 12:34 pm

Yes thanks, Chris who owned it did tell me that the tank might be US, which now you confirmed.. I had doubts for a second because John (previous owner) several years ago on mye28 was looking/buying a euro tank and thought it made it into the car, but now we know for sure... So to return to Euro spec I need a sending unit and external pump? Gotta do more research... but with snow coming and trying to get it into storage, maybe like you said a cheap US tank will get me by 'til the tear-down starts this coming summer...

I did send an Email to Schmiedmann's regarding the tank in question but it's the weekend ..

here are a few more pics:

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