Fuel flow from tank?

[joe_keefer]

merry christmas everyone! most people i know think i`m totaly nuts!! i`m like a kid at christmas when it comes to working on this e12.

todays question(s) are:

1) when the fuel line from the tank to the pump is off shouldn`t fuel be dumping out on my face? because almost no fuel came out(yes there is gas in the tank like 8 gal or so).

2) the new in-line pump i got has spade connectors not studs. like a jack ass i tried to loosen or remove it by twisting it hoping the studs were under them. if you`re cringing right now you know what happened next. i twisted the spade right off and you guessed it, no stud there. so do you guys have any suggestions to attach my positive lead? can i solder it? or is that to hot? or even strong enough? i do have power there and the new pump does run. just can`t get fuel from the tank. which leads to my 3rd question

3) i have never had to take out a in-tank pump before. i know i`m a lucky s.o.b. are there any hints, or tips to removing them? do i have to drop the tank? or can i just draw it out through the access hole in the trunk?

any info at all is very much appreciated!!

thanks again, joe

[T.Hanson]

1 through 10 when playing with gasoline: pools of it, the resulting vapors will absolutely blow up large given any source of ignition. Not funny.

Disconnect the battery. Odd you got a pump with spade connectors. My guess is you'll have to start over at a parts counter. Maybe a wizard can save you reattaching the teeny tab but all the other wire end(s) monkey business to hook up a (wrong) weird pump seems not worth the time.

If you read (Google Search here) previous posts you'll discover opinions on even pumps making noise continuing to work. Not that I advocate pushing one to death listening to it warning you. Rather, the new one I installed, I swear, makes noise now and then.

While you're under there, unless all the fuel line is very obviously new, thirty years can fool you. The ends get mushy or an eight inch long piece can split lengthwise and dump five gallons on the garage floor in a minute. (!)

Always use BMW OEM spec line. Do make notes how the pieces fit, from where to where, in, out. Unless you are in a totally rust free part of the country you'll find corroded tubes, elbows, clamps. ( toilet bowl cleaner that says rust stain remover works good to boil off surface crud.)

The in tank pump, again, gets reviews for either working while making occasional noises or not needing to work much. Referred to as a pre-pump, think of it as an assist to get the fuel over the hump out the top of the tank so the bigger in line pump can do its thing.

And the fuel lever sensor is the long tube in the middle. Take the circular cover off. Clean the dirt and crud from around the connectors and hex nuts.

Disconnect the connector and fuel line. Object of the game is not to let the fuel line go someplace you can't reach it, and removing ALL the hex nuts to FIRST remove the center tube, then finagle the pump,...without dropping any nuts in the tank. Or dirt lumps.

No hot shop lights, etc.

You'll see the teeny mesh screen on the foot of the pump. If it's pretty darn clean, odds are the tank isn't all that rusty cruddy.autopartswarehouse.com sells pumps, or parts for the in tank.

When done, do take a few peeky weekys for puddles, drips.

[Mike W.]

T.Hanson covered it pretty well, I'll just add this about Q #1. No, you shouldn't see gas draining, while the pickup is in the bottom of the tank, it goes up and over the top of it to get out, so unless you get a syphon going it should just drain out what's in the hoses. Do not however try to access the intank pump or sending unit with a full tank, full means full and if you notice the sending unit/pickup is in a recess. BTDT many years ago.