THSCC Forums

In the past 5 months I have put 2 fuel pumps in my E30!
1989 325i 2.5
This thing EATS fuel pumps....

The first failed, of which I replaced it with one of those "reconditioned" ones you get at the local non German parts store. It lasted about 3 days the stopped working.

Did more some internet research and purchased an aftermarket pump which was speced out as being the same thing as the bosch..

Installed it... ran fine for 2 days and quit working.

When I pull the pump from the tank and direct wire it to 12v it churns but does spin up... reinstall runs fine for 2 days and quits working.

Trash in the tank right? Its possible but I've got a brand new fuel filter which has been drained at least twice in the past week, there is no rusty color to the gas. Plus the filter on the end of the pump seems fine.

I wonder if there is a problem with the 12v power supply to the pump itself... Kind of like a brown out situation.

this is the car of which i butchered the paint.. so it could be just angry at me.

any ideas

thanks

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http://greenjacketracing.blogspot.com/
1987 Mustang GT Track Car-
1999 Toyota Tacoma
1988 BMW 735i 5 speed
1989 BMW 325i running like German Junk
2004 F-350 Super Duty (NC taxpayer owned)

Could you clarify "churns but does spin up"...does it function correctly and generate the correct pressure when direct wired to an external 12v source?

If it runs fine externally, while it could still be electrical also consider downstream fuel line obstructions..crimped fuel lines, blocked up FPR, fuel rail or fuel injectors. Have you checked those?

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Steve Carter
1972 Datsun 240Z-- resto pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/srcartermd
2007 GPW Honda S2000-- STR 86

absolutely sounds like a rusty tank. check the spec e30 forums, there are several threads on this subject. might as well check the voltage too since it's easy but i doubt that's the issue.

Without knowing more details, I took this to mean "I checked the tank and it seemed fine" so I offered other options. The tank-related issues I've read about (i've not experienced these personally) tended to be related to cornering forces and low fuel environments where an obstruction in the crossover tube manifests itself, or intermittent power loss usually related to the tank pick-up tube being occasionally obstructed by rust, gunk etc. Very rarely have there been electrical problems with poor voltage to the pump but it should be checked.

Of course, if I overinterpreted that statement in the OP, then tank or tank-to-pump issues could still be the problem.

If everything else checks out fine, then I'd drop the tank and take it to Sapp's to get boiled/cleaned out.

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Steve Carter
1972 Datsun 240Z-- resto pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/srcartermd
2007 GPW Honda S2000-- STR 86

Sean O'Connell is the expert in E 30 fuel tanks and pumps. He fixed our Lemon's car's fuel starving problem. He is officially a BMW mechanic now with his new job at the BMW dealership in Wilmington.
A 1974 Chevy Vega fuel pump fits and it is cheap.
If you end up needing a tank. I have a 1986 tank out of the car that you can have.
I'm guessing, but the only way you could repeatedly keep burning pumps up may be they are running dry.

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Rubbin' is Racin'

e30 tanks/pumps changed in 88 (from 55 liter dual pump tank to 63 liter single pump tank).

Many thanks for the leads and advice on this

Spent most of the day working on this. Just got in.

The strainer had fallen off the pump and the pump was clogged with this terrible yellowish gunk. I cleaned it out, wrapped the pump a few times hooked it to 12v source and it eventually spooled up.

I then drained the tank, replaced the gas put it back together and it fired right up.

There wasn't much of a rusty color to the gas, but the smell was pungent.. I can still smell it.

I don't know if I'm out of the woods, as the strainer even though it had fallen off was clogged and nasty after 2 weeks of installation.

_________________
http://greenjacketracing.blogspot.com/
1987 Mustang GT Track Car-
1999 Toyota Tacoma
1988 BMW 735i 5 speed
1989 BMW 325i running like German Junk
2004 F-350 Super Duty (NC taxpayer owned)

well there you have it. Based on this new info it sounds like you need the tank cleaned out. or replaced. Sapp's radiator in Garner did a great job on my 240Z gas tank 5 years ago,and haven't had any problems with it.

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Steve Carter
1972 Datsun 240Z-- resto pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/srcartermd
2007 GPW Honda S2000-- STR 86

If the pump craps out again that's what I'll do.

I'm starting to really like this little car, even though I've had some hard lessons to date with it. My buyer backed out so for now I'm going to get it on the road... It looks really really good in the driveway next to the 88 735i.

Thanks again for the help...

_________________
http://greenjacketracing.blogspot.com/
1987 Mustang GT Track Car-
1999 Toyota Tacoma
1988 BMW 735i 5 speed
1989 BMW 325i running like German Junk
2004 F-350 Super Duty (NC taxpayer owned)

x2 on Sapps. They've done one radiator and 2 tanks for me now.

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91 RallyX Audi Coupe Quattro
89 A-Team Astro-van demo derby winner at 2011 NC State Fair (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MrZqwENRqU)
Broken 89 Subaru GL-10 RallyX turbo wagon - need to sell it and all my parts cars

OK, what is your point? We know all about the different tanks and which years they changed along with the different pumps set ups. We actually put a 1992 tank in a 1986 car and it ended up with three fuel pumps.

I guess you were trying to impress with a useless fact???

_________________
Rubbin' is Racin'

I got a brandy new tank to resolve my rusty E30 tank issues. ~$185 on Ebay.

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“I feel safer on a racetrack than I do on Houston's freeways.” - A.J. Foyt

Kevin Butler
Mobetta Autosport Spec E30 #612
2003 C5 Z06 Corvette
AFR Miata, SM2 61, '93 w/200 SC'd RWHP - soon to be resurrected
Waaaay too many other projects....