Fuel Leak On 91 318is

[HHH_SSS]

So I recently bought my e30 about three weeks ago. Havent had much problems with it. Everytime I would park my car in the garage and hop out the car. I would hear something dripping. I would look for any leaks of gasoline or oil but couldnt find any so i let it slide. Yesterday I just filled up my tank all the way and when I stopped at my friends house we noticed that it was leaking fuel from under the drivers side from the tank next to the fuel filter. Im not sure if its the tank it self or a hose of some sort, but im hoping its not the tank it self that needs replacing. Would any one have any ideas what would be the fix for this?

[Cobra Jet]

jack the car up securely & safely.

You will need to replace the original rubber fuel hoses that are on the driver's side near the fuel filter & tank.  They eventually will crack and leak, which seems to be what is occuring on your vehicle.

Just take off the old ones, go to your nearest parts store and purchase the Good Year EFI fuel hoses.  Match the inner & outer diameters of the old against the new - then cut to proper length & reinstall.  Make sure all clamps are tight, start, check for leaks, if no leaks repair is done.

Also - change the fuel filter while you're under there...

[HHH_SSS]

Thanks a bunch man that helped alot. So you dont think it would be the gas tank it self? And do you know what size hoses I would need to get for the inner and outer?

[carlos318is]

It is very common for the tank to split around the metal pipe I have replaced a few tanks that have gone like this

[HHH_SSS]

Yeah im thinking its the tank and not the hoses. If i got the new tank, do you have any idea typically how much a mechanic will charge to put the new tank in?

[Ramblin MAn]

The gas tank is a beeyotch. You have to drop the muffler from the cat back, the rear driveshaft has to come out, it at least has to be unbolted from the diff and moved out of the way, if you can. Some covers, the connector pipe that goes between the two sides. Getting mine out took me about 8 hours and I had a lift, and a lot of problems.

Going back in took me about an hour-hour and a half.

I would say you will have a hard time getting any kind of an estimate that comes close to the actual price. If everything goes right you are looking at at least 3 hours.


Now, before you do anything, get a freind, pull the back seat out and leave it in the garage. Pull the cover to the fuel pump, grab some rags and a screw driver and go for a ride.

Make plenty of hard left hand turns and make sure you don't merely have gas sloshing out at the fuel pump gasket. Mine isn't tight enough and every time I make a hard braking left hand turn I smell gas. I put a new one on but I have to get back in there because I'm not getting a good seal.

A 3 dollar O-ring an a half hour beats the hell out of dropping the tank for no reason. If you're really lucky you will have a leaky hose clamp and your freind can indentify which one it is

[///m42 sport]

anyone have advice on replacing hose #6?  I had a hell of a time trying to pull that one out.  The space was really tight in that area.

[ak96ss]

I ended up lowering the tank to get to that one. PITA.