maggiefitz
06-02-2009, 06:55 PM
Hello,
Every once in a while I come on here to ask a question about my 1992 325i. I need your help with something else.
Today I filled up my tank, got on the freeway, and drove home. After about an hour, I got in my car to leave again. The car smelled like gas as it does when I fill it, so I didn't think anything of it. (I've had the fuel line and o rings replaced, and it still smells.) There was a big puddle of gas under the car when I backed up. I backed up a little more and waited, over and over. Each time there was about a basketball sized gas puddle and drips leading to the puddle in a matter of about 15 seconds. I got out and looked for a detached hose or something. No detached hose, but about a foot away from the driver's side passenger door, the gasoline was pooling there (inside the metal) and dripping at a steady pace. It looked like condensation. I thought about parking it overnight, but realized that potentially 14 gallons of gas could leak out, so I called the fire department.
Fire department came and checked it out. At that point, it had stopped dripping significantly at about one drip every 3-4 seconds. They asked if I topped the tank off. I didn't top it off, but I did leave the car while filling it with gas (something I don't do often).
They suggested that I overfilled the tank. I looked at my repair manual, but don't know the mechanics of the car well enough to figure out what the diagrams even say.
My questions are:
What is that metal tank thing about a foot inside of the under carriage, about a foot from the back wheel well, in the middle of the driver's sided passenger door? Would that be leaking if I did overfill the tank, even though it's on the opposite side of the car? Can I drive the car even with this overflow?
I'm not doing any more to the car to repair it. At this point, even though I like driving the car, I'm going to sell it for whatever I can.
Thanks in advance. Everyone has been very helpful to me and I appreciate it!
-Megan
Every once in a while I come on here to ask a question about my 1992 325i. I need your help with something else.
Today I filled up my tank, got on the freeway, and drove home. After about an hour, I got in my car to leave again. The car smelled like gas as it does when I fill it, so I didn't think anything of it. (I've had the fuel line and o rings replaced, and it still smells.) There was a big puddle of gas under the car when I backed up. I backed up a little more and waited, over and over. Each time there was about a basketball sized gas puddle and drips leading to the puddle in a matter of about 15 seconds. I got out and looked for a detached hose or something. No detached hose, but about a foot away from the driver's side passenger door, the gasoline was pooling there (inside the metal) and dripping at a steady pace. It looked like condensation. I thought about parking it overnight, but realized that potentially 14 gallons of gas could leak out, so I called the fire department.
Fire department came and checked it out. At that point, it had stopped dripping significantly at about one drip every 3-4 seconds. They asked if I topped the tank off. I didn't top it off, but I did leave the car while filling it with gas (something I don't do often).
They suggested that I overfilled the tank. I looked at my repair manual, but don't know the mechanics of the car well enough to figure out what the diagrams even say.
My questions are:
What is that metal tank thing about a foot inside of the under carriage, about a foot from the back wheel well, in the middle of the driver's sided passenger door? Would that be leaking if I did overfill the tank, even though it's on the opposite side of the car? Can I drive the car even with this overflow?
I'm not doing any more to the car to repair it. At this point, even though I like driving the car, I'm going to sell it for whatever I can.
Thanks in advance. Everyone has been very helpful to me and I appreciate it!
-Megan
