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Thread: Gas leak

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Apex, NC
    Posts
    471

    Default Gas leak

    Anyone have any ideas on this?

    Only had the 318is about 6 weeks, don't drive it much. Can smell gasoline around the outside of the car (not inside) usually near the front, but could be anywhere (seems to drift). This ONLY happens right after a fill-up, which I've only done twice, and goes away once the car is driven about 20 miles (about 1 gallon).

    Last time after a fill-up, drove about 10 miles then parked it in the driveway for a few days without using it, could smell the gas very faintly - but never see any evidence of leakage. After a couple days I backed it out the driveway and saw a bunch of wet spots following me. Stopped and check, sure enough it was gas. Got back in and moved the car, saw a PUDDLE of gas where I had stopped! Looked like the puddle and the drops came from the area of the fuel filter. Was in a hurry so drove the car round trip 4 miles. Stop and get under the car to see where it's leaking - can find no evidence, no smell, no nothin'!

    Gonna take it to my shop later this week, but thought maybe someone would have an idea. All I can think of is maybe a small leak at the front of the filter that collected enough to make the puddle (I parked on an incline) that dumped when I got the car level.
    Scott
    '93 525iT 245k miles (sold, but not forgotten)
    '11 TSX Sport Wagon
    '00 328i
    '78 MGB
    '08 Saab Aero


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    755

    Default Scott, I had a leak in a similar spot on my E30...

    Quote Originally Posted by ScottyWM
    Anyone have any ideas on this?

    Only had the 318is about 6 weeks, don't drive it much. Can smell gasoline around the outside of the car (not inside) usually near the front, but could be anywhere (seems to drift). This ONLY happens right after a fill-up, which I've only done twice, and goes away once the car is driven about 20 miles (about 1 gallon).

    Last time after a fill-up, drove about 10 miles then parked it in the driveway for a few days without using it, could smell the gas very faintly - but never see any evidence of leakage. After a couple days I backed it out the driveway and saw a bunch of wet spots following me. Stopped and check, sure enough it was gas. Got back in and moved the car, saw a PUDDLE of gas where I had stopped! Looked like the puddle and the drops came from the area of the fuel filter. Was in a hurry so drove the car round trip 4 miles. Stop and get under the car to see where it's leaking - can find no evidence, no smell, no nothin'!

    Gonna take it to my shop later this week, but thought maybe someone would have an idea. All I can think of is maybe a small leak at the front of the filter that collected enough to make the puddle (I parked on an incline) that dumped when I got the car level.
    Had a similar issue on the 318is. It was the fuel hose feeding the fuel filter. Fuel leaks are so hard to find, as they tend to evaporate

    Here's a link to the post I made on roadfly about it in 2003.
    fuel leak

    I guess it could also be the charcoal canister?
    Bill B.
    95 525i


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