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| 1992 - 1999 M3 (E36) (1992 - 1999) BMW's second generation M3, and the first M3 to feature BMW's classic inline six motor. Featuring 240hp (european models had a 286hp and 321hp), a slick shifting gear box, and near perfect weight balance, the E36 M3 was named Car & Driver's "Best Handling Car At Any Price." |
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#1
10-01-2009, 11:36 PM
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awesome my carjust keeps getting better...have a fuel leak...
any way i have some sort of fuel leak. its only when the car sits. starts to smell inside the car as well as out side. seems like its the strongest from the pass side... also car is having a harder time starting(3-4 seconds..) i dont see any leaks on the ground or anything.. where should i start?
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#2
10-01-2009, 11:43 PM
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Remove the bottom cushion of the back seat and look for fuel leaks. It's possible one of your hoses is leaking.
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Kurt for President in 2024
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#3
10-01-2009, 11:46 PM
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+1 It is very common for the seal to go bad and leak fuel, causing a gas smell on the inside. I would check this first.
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#5
10-02-2009, 09:17 AM
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see the thing is i removed the seat and quickly stuck my nose in there and it just smelled like rubber and leather... the fuel leak seems like its coming from the passenger side out side and seeping into my car... regardless i will pull my seat tomorrow pull all that shit off and hope for the best this car is freaken slowly falling apart on me......
also this mysterious fuel leak of mine isnt consistent. i got to work parked my car for about twenty min, loaded my wheels into it and took off to drop them off.. no fuel smell ... car started right up within a second.... seems like my car has this fuel leak ( which smells like old gas) only when my car sits for a longer period of time or something... still not sure this kinda just happened. like last night i parked the car in my garage after driving home from my parents house and within an hour the fuel smell seeped into my vents of my house wtf.
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Last edited by 96bmwcosmosm3; 10-02-2009 at 09:46 AM..
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#6
10-02-2009, 10:12 AM
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Think about it, the tank is under the rear seat, the evaporator lines/canisiter run back from the passenger side to the trunk. The fuel lines run from the passenger side of the tank to the tunnel and up to the front of the motor snaking up near the firewall to the fuel rails. Also one evaporator line runs parallel with the fuel lines to the mani.
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#7
10-02-2009, 11:21 AM
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that makes sense.... tomorrow after work i am going to pull the cover off where the spare is and check out whats going on under all that crap under the seat.... god i hope its something stupid like a gasket or what not...
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#9
10-02-2009, 11:43 AM
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like from the canister that is located in the rear wheel well? the reason i am skeptical is because this leak effects my start up of my car, so i am thinking that i have some sort of leak that is effecting the pressurization of my fuel supply or what not....
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#10
10-02-2009, 11:53 AM
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I don't completely understand the fuel system. The canisiter is for emissions, and the vapor system is so the tank can't build up pressure. Just closely inspect all parts of the fuel system to see if there is anything unusual going on (common sense).
So from the front of the car just before the TB, underneath where the fuel filter is, under the rear passenger fender well where the gas cap is (there is a little reserve tank there), underneath the rear seat with the both covers off, then in the trunk below the spare tire. You should find something. Last edited by Brent 930; 10-02-2009 at 11:54 AM..
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#11
10-02-2009, 12:01 PM
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well i mentioned the evap system because its been throwing a code (p0455)... i have been meaning to change my fuel filter any way, i guess now is a better time than ever. i will check all the things you stated and report back saturday i hope to god its an easy fix. thanks for the help!!
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#12
10-02-2009, 12:04 PM
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you have an evap leak, or one of the 0-rings on the top of the tank or the tank inlet is leaking.
take out the back seat and ispect.... top off the tank.. i mean TOP IT OFF and jack up the car one corner at a time to ensure that you don't have a physical leak. getting harder to start is indicative of the colder weather. your car scares me.... it has the BMW strain of H1 N1
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 current = '99 Estoril/Mulberry M3 Coupe :: past = '97 Alpine/Anthrazit M3 Coupe Last edited by Badgtho is back; 10-02-2009 at 12:05 PM.. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
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#13
10-02-2009, 12:43 PM
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Could be just a broken evap tank accessed in the passenger side wheel well.
These cars have a flaw were evaporative tank connection cracks and can even break off. Could be too much hose pressing on the connection I am unsure. I assume you have a CEL with an evap leak code?
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 The Green Machine 
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#14
10-02-2009, 12:48 PM
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yes the code is o0455 i checked the forums and people have said the nipple on the evap tank fails or what not...
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#15
10-02-2009, 12:50 PM
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Quote:
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current = '99 Estoril/Mulberry M3 Coupe :: past = '97 Alpine/Anthrazit M3 Coupe
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#16
10-02-2009, 01:27 PM
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its like i fix/figure one situation out and then a new one arrives lol.
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#17
10-02-2009, 03:07 PM
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Accessed ONLY via the passenger outside wheel well see diagram
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It's is NOT accessable via the back seat IT IS ONLY accessed via a plastic hatch from the rear outside passenger wheel well. Behind the hatch and held up high with connections and hose on topside where they aren't easy to see. You can see the hatch in the diagram too. See here .... http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...14&hg=16&fg=10 Here is the expansion/evaporative tank for sale via at Rmeuropean http://www.rmeuropean.com/Part-Numbe..._E095124A.aspx Might also be a cracked charcoal canister which is located under the spare tire via the trunk. Unlikely unless you have been in an accident from the rear. Also unlikely since you say the smell is coming from the passenger side. See here .... http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...02&hg=16&fg=10 Could be a lot of things but the evap tank is a common weakness. These cars have a few common weaknesses and being more than 10 years old with typically more than 100,000 miles they do new their maintenance. It's bad if you can't/don't DIY. If you DIY and get parts online cheap then not a big deal IMHO. Love my economy M3!
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The Green Machine
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#18
10-02-2009, 03:08 PM
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Accessed ONLY via the passenger outside wheel well see diagram
Quote:
It's is NOT accessable via the back seat IT IS ONLY accessed via a plastic hatch from the rear outside passenger wheel well. Behind the hatch and held up high with connections and hose on topside where they aren't easy to see. You can see the hatch in the diagram too. See here .... http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...14&hg=16&fg=10 Here is the expansion/evaporative tank for sale via at Rmeuropean http://www.rmeuropean.com/Part-Numbe..._E095124A.aspx Might also be a cracked charcoal canister which is located under the spare tire via the trunk. Unlikely unless you have been in an accident from the rear. Also unlikely since you say the smell is coming from the passenger side. See here .... http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...02&hg=16&fg=10 Could be a lot of things but the evap tank is a common weakness. These cars have a few common weaknesses and being more than 10 years old with typically more than 100,000 miles they do need their maintenance. It's bad if you can't/don't DIY. If you DIY and get parts online cheap then not a big deal IMHO. Love my economy M3!
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The Green Machine
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#19
10-03-2009, 12:06 PM
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i havent had a chance to take the car apart yet, ( doing it after work any special tools needed that i would need to grab from work to do this at home?) but i am starting to think maybe my leak is not a leak... when i said it smelled like gas i am not talking about like you go to the gas station and smell gas. it smells like old gas, and the leak is not consistent.. everytime i have this gas smell my car doesnt want to start... i am starting to think that fuel is leaking into my cylinders after i turn the car off possibly even onto my plugs or what not hence the difficult start up. i dont have any back fires or anyhting but like i said the fuel doesnt smell fresh it smells like it sat for 5 years.. regardless i am going to tackle the those two areas and hope it is not something by the engine.
so i was walking by my car at work ( out side) and noticed it was smelling again... so i popped the hood and holy crap, i definitely think this is where the smell is originating from... just not sure where to start looking and or for what. the weird thing is it sat for about an hour and then thats when the smell arose. any ideas of where i should start looking?
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#20
10-03-2009, 12:12 PM
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id follow the natural fuel path.. starting at tank and follow that all the way to the injector. if it ever happens to mine thats how id look for the leak.
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#21
10-03-2009, 12:27 PM
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well the strongest smell is from the engine bay, and it isnt a constant usually happens shortly after i shut the car down.. almost as if it were to loose pressure at the fuel system and then dumps the fuel i dont know.. not really familiar how the pressurization of the fuel system works.. i guess i will start from the evaporative tank, then check out the charcoal canister... FML......
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#22
10-03-2009, 12:53 PM
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i'll come and have a look for a few minutes if you'd like.
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current = '99 Estoril/Mulberry M3 Coupe :: past = '97 Alpine/Anthrazit M3 Coupe
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#23
10-05-2009, 09:49 AM
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so of course the car would not do its legendary fuel leak when i put it in the garage and took the valve and fuel rail cover off....
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