danewilson77
04-23-2012, 04:22 AM
After driving 60 miles to work, the fuel pump in the e30 went on hiatus this AM.
I decided I was going to drive the e30 to work Thursday to take those interior and exterior pictures (since I was such an awful slacker about it) for anyone who might be interested. My carpool left early and we got down there in seemingly record time, so I grabbed a coffee and headed to the car wash. I painstakingly vacuumed the interior (not really, it was just painful because the suction of the car wash vacuum was pathetic) and started snapping pics. I got the interior and exterior shots - changing camera batteries along the way (meh) - and then attempted to start the car for "the gauge cluster while the car is running" picture.
Car wouldn't run.
The car turned over after a second or two, hesitated, sputtered around 200 rpm and promptly shutoff. I tried this about three or four more times, thinking it was something I did when I shut the car off or when I was cranking it, with the same results. At one point, the car did make it to 500 rpm, hunted between 200 rpm and 500 rpm for about 5 seconds, and then shutoff.
Meh. Fixed in parking lot.
So after calming down and taking a few deep breaths, I walked around the car. I checked all of the belts, fluids, indications, and then started running down the list of maintenance I've done in my head. Then I thought about the conditions for running... air... fuel... spark. I discounted air and spark initially and thought about fuel. I changed the fuel filter some time ago and didn't think I was putting bad fuel in my tank. Then I remembered a similar problem I had driving to work a few years ago - the fuel pump quit. And I replaced it with a used fuel pump with unknown mileage.
I started prepping the car to get to the fuel pump. I remembered an old trick my mechanic mentioned - smacking the top of the fuel pump can sometimes get it going long enough to get home or to the shop.
I sat in the drivers seat, turned the key in the ignition to start the car with my left hand, leaned into the back seat, and rapped the fuel pump with my right hand - I was able to get the fuel pump to start pumping fuel and my car immediately turned over and ran. The trick was successful.
Then I drove back home to switch out cars. The e30 drove like a champ the whole way home - another 60 miles and 1.5 hours back.
DIY - Fuel Pump Failure? Possible Roadside Parking Lot Fix (http://www.bmwmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?765-DIY-Fuel-Pump-Failure-Possible-Roadside-Parking-Lot-Fix.)
I decided I was going to drive the e30 to work Thursday to take those interior and exterior pictures (since I was such an awful slacker about it) for anyone who might be interested. My carpool left early and we got down there in seemingly record time, so I grabbed a coffee and headed to the car wash. I painstakingly vacuumed the interior (not really, it was just painful because the suction of the car wash vacuum was pathetic) and started snapping pics. I got the interior and exterior shots - changing camera batteries along the way (meh) - and then attempted to start the car for "the gauge cluster while the car is running" picture.
Car wouldn't run.
The car turned over after a second or two, hesitated, sputtered around 200 rpm and promptly shutoff. I tried this about three or four more times, thinking it was something I did when I shut the car off or when I was cranking it, with the same results. At one point, the car did make it to 500 rpm, hunted between 200 rpm and 500 rpm for about 5 seconds, and then shutoff.
Meh. Fixed in parking lot.
So after calming down and taking a few deep breaths, I walked around the car. I checked all of the belts, fluids, indications, and then started running down the list of maintenance I've done in my head. Then I thought about the conditions for running... air... fuel... spark. I discounted air and spark initially and thought about fuel. I changed the fuel filter some time ago and didn't think I was putting bad fuel in my tank. Then I remembered a similar problem I had driving to work a few years ago - the fuel pump quit. And I replaced it with a used fuel pump with unknown mileage.
I started prepping the car to get to the fuel pump. I remembered an old trick my mechanic mentioned - smacking the top of the fuel pump can sometimes get it going long enough to get home or to the shop.
I sat in the drivers seat, turned the key in the ignition to start the car with my left hand, leaned into the back seat, and rapped the fuel pump with my right hand - I was able to get the fuel pump to start pumping fuel and my car immediately turned over and ran. The trick was successful.
Then I drove back home to switch out cars. The e30 drove like a champ the whole way home - another 60 miles and 1.5 hours back.
DIY - Fuel Pump Failure? Possible Roadside Parking Lot Fix (http://www.bmwmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?765-DIY-Fuel-Pump-Failure-Possible-Roadside-Parking-Lot-Fix.)