Fuel odor after filling.

[Lucky1]

Originally Posted by hobieboy

Hi,
New to the forum & my 128i. I am having the same issue described here.

Reading though the thread, I am confused about "carbon canister" that should be replaced - are we talking about the cabin filter (under the front hood near the windshield)? Or when I look at realoem.com they also list an Activated Charcoal Filter (16137163596) which is way more expensive. This part also seems to use a cartridge (16137161329)? And these are locating near the fuel tank I think?

thanks!

Hobieboy have you read the thread in its entirety? The problem we had was a fuel odour emanating from the car after a fuel tank fill up (noticeable to me especially because I park my car overnight in a very tight and enclosed private garage). The last few posts before yours describe it this way as well. The solutions employed were replacing our cracked fuel pump assemblies and/or fuel sending unit.

Its possible a faulty carbon canister could also cause this problem to occur but so far nobody that I am aware of has confirmed this was a fix for them on the problem stated.

Was that helpful to you?

[hobieboy]

Originally Posted by Lucky1

Hobieboy have you read the thread in its entirety?

Well, I thought I did but I missed the 1 reply that I was wondering like a few others:

Originally Posted by oneBIGtoe

Well I found it as well. Finally got a chance to pull the back seat and it's the regulator side for me. Will order parts this week and fix it up. The reason the smell does not come inside the cabin, is the seal around the entry hatch is working as it should. So it wasn't the charcoal cannister.

In my case, just got the car so no idea if the previous owner was always overfilling and have no idea if the carbon canister was ever replaced. So I want to systematically replace / service stuff that should have been needed.

I pulled the rear seat already & the fuel pump (passenger side) has no sign of leakage. Will look at the driver side one later.

Thanks for the reply!

[Lucky1]

Originally Posted by hobieboy

Well, I thought I did but I missed the 1 reply that I was wondering like a few others:

In my case, just got the car so no idea if the previous owner was always overfilling and have no idea if the carbon canister was ever replaced. So I want to systematically replace / service stuff that should have been needed.

I pulled the rear seat already & the fuel pump (passenger side) has no sign of leakage. Will look at the driver side one later.

Thanks for the reply!

Are you actually experiencing a problem Hobieboy? Could you describe it in detail so we can offer opinion as well? Because I don't see these are standard maintenance items needing to be replaced unless a problem related to their operation has actually been identified. There are probably other areas of your car that may need more attention if no fuel odour after fill up is present.

[hobieboy]

My bad... I am smelling fuel in an enclosed garage the next morning after I filled up the car the previous night. No smell inside the cabin (when I drove home or when I go into the car the next morning). Drove the car for a short errand, then smell disappeared. So the symptom is exactly like what is described in this thread.

I included the carbon canister consideration only because I have no history that it had been serviced.

[oneBIGtoe]

Originally Posted by hobieboy

My bad... I am smelling fuel in an enclosed garage the next morning after I filled up the car the previous night. No smell inside the cabin (when I drove home or when I go into the car the next morning). Drove the car for a short errand, then smell disappeared. So the symptom is exactly like what is described in this thread.

I included the carbon canister consideration only because I have no history that it had been serviced.

Quick check - lift up back seat and remove Fuel Pump cover underneath carpet. You will find out real quick $16 for O ring and smell is gone.

[519.E82]

Sorry to bring up an old-ish thread but with quarantine i finally drove my car enough after taking it out of storage to fill it up. I noticed the driver rear quarter smells very strongly of gas and is stinking up the garage. Read through this thread and removed the cover on the driver side rear seat. Once i did that it smells of fuel inside the cabin now. What part is needed to replace?

[TMR013]

Originally Posted by 519.E82

Sorry to bring up an old-ish thread but with quarantine i finally drove my car enough after taking it out of storage to fill it up. I noticed the driver rear quarter smells very strongly of gas and is stinking up the garage. Read through this thread and removed the cover on the driver side rear seat. Once i did that it smells of fuel inside the cabin now. What part is needed to replace?

Unfortunately you need to replace the pump and the sender, p/n's should be in the thread somewhere. One is on one side and the other is the similar looking unit on the other side of the seat. The top of that unit in your pic is the plastic top of the pump, when you pull it out the pump comes with it. That's the part that's cracked and is allowing the vapor to escape.

[519.E82]

Originally Posted by TMR013

Unfortunately you need to replace the pump and the sender, p/n's should be in the thread somewhere. One is on one side and the other is the similar looking unit on the other side of the seat. The top of that unit in your pic is the plastic top of the pump, when you pull it out the pump comes with it. That's the part that's cracked and is allowing the vapor to escape.

Am i able to just replace the sending unit and its seal/cap since it the driver side i smell it more so, or do i have to do both?

[TMR013]

Originally Posted by 519.E82

Am i able to just replace the sending unit and its seal/cap since it the driver side i smell it more so, or do i have to do both?

You can try just one. But my guess would be if one is cracked the other probably is, or is close. And you don't want to do that job twice.

[519.E82]

Originally Posted by TMR013

You can try just one. But my guess would be if one is cracked the other probably is, or is close. And you don't want to do that job twice.

I was looking on FCP and found the part shown in photo, as the fuel filter/regulator. They sell a BMW repair kit for it, do you think that could fix it if the housing has a crack? "BMW Fuel Filter/Fuel Pressure Regulator Repair Kit - VDO 16117163295"

[TMR013]

Originally Posted by 519.E82

I was looking on FCP and found the part shown in photo, as the fuel filter/regulator. They sell a BMW repair kit for it, do you think that could fix it if the housing has a crack? "BMW Fuel Filter/Fuel Pressure Regulator Repair Kit - VDO 16117163295"

No idea. Not familiar with it.

[oneBIGtoe]

Originally Posted by TMR013

Unfortunately you need to replace the pump and the sender, p/n's should be in the thread somewhere. One is on one side and the other is the similar looking unit on the other side of the seat. The top of that unit in your pic is the plastic top of the pump, when you pull it out the pump comes with it. That's the part that's cracked and is allowing the vapor to escape.

Why do you think everything needs to be replaced? I just put new O ring and metal lock ring. But my pump was in good shape.

[Lucky1]

Originally Posted by oneBIGtoe

Why do you think everything needs to be replaced? I just put new O ring and metal lock ring. But my pump was in good shape.

Guess every situation is different. Tried that and still needed to replace the pump assembly. It was cracked.