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Replace your fuel pumps before 150k miles!

10K views 85 replies 36 participants last post by  nekkibasara 
#1 ·
So I go to the store this morning to get milk. Car wouldn't start when I got back in it from the store. It started for one second and then dead. Turns over, won't fire up. I pull the back seat and put my hand on the pump and nothing, nada, dead. My car has 146k miles.

I had no symptoms up to now, no warning, it is just dead. I have seen this time and time again. My last car pump died around 150k miles, same exact way. People on the forums have it happen, people I know have it happen, people who's cars I fix have it happen.

And it is one of the few things that will leave you stranded wherever you are at. So I highly suggest you add your fuel pump to the list of things to do BEFORE it leaves you stranded.

I won't even mention that in my case I forgot my cell phone at home and my wife didn't answer her phone and left me stranded for 2 hours when she was only 5 miles away. :thumbdwn:
 
#5 ·
Fuel pump went at 83K... changed fuel filter as well.

Did preventive cooling system (pump, thermostat, expansion tank, hoses, belts, etc.) at 85K.

Now at 88K the power steering pump went ... doing all hoses and reservoir as well.

Hoping I'm good for awhile... if it wasn't for this site... I'd be out at least 3K in labor at least.

Thanks again
 
#6 ·
I can't remember where (maybe Mike Miller's Tech Talk), that a few well place bangs on the bottom of the fuel tank by the pump is enough to get the pump working again to get under way and either home or a repair shop. Hopefully, I'll never have to use that technique.

Johnny
 
#7 ·
I can't remember where (maybe Mike Miller's Tech Talk), that a few well place bangs on the bottom of the fuel tank by the pump is enough to get the pump working again to get under way and either home or a repair shop. Hopefully, I'll never have to use that technique.

Johnny
Im starting to wonder if maybe this pump isn't the reason for phantom lean codes every once in awhile. :dunno:

I'll know tomorrow.
 
#8 ·
I will add my .02: go with OEM fuel pump, not aftermarket or knock-offs. More expensive, yes but you will not have to replace it in another 20k miles.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Bimmer App
 
#12 ·
I just replaced bad sender unit (117k mi) & was debating doing fuel pump at the same time, but then thought, Nahhh, I'll wait until it breaks. You may have just changed my mind.

Might be time to call Max & order a fuel pump.
I highly recommend doing it BEFORE it breaks. I missed church today as a result of my misfortune. I still can't believe the ONE TIME I leave my cell phone at home my car dies. :mad:
 
#23 ·
Mine was the same as KrisL. I got a "warning" from mine, as I made it ~100 miles from home, but max MPH was ~50. Babied it all the way. If I tried going faster, it would cough and sputter. The next day (I'm so Scottish that I drove it again, the next day...), it left me stranded on the interstate. Finally got it started again and drove it EASY on the way home, and it never moved again until I got the part from Max at oembimmerparts.
 
#28 ·
It's so easy it isn't even funny. Took me about 15 minutes. You remove the lower back seat, remove 4 10mm bolts that hold the cover on, unsnap the electrical connection, remove a clamp and a hose and then hammer the retainer ring out. It is a joke. So on a scale of 1-10 it is a 1.
 
#34 ·
I have had two no-starts in the last 6 months, this may be the culprit. I just checked for pumps on-line, it looks like there are two, one on the left (drivers side), and one on the right (for 2001 325 XI). The video shows the one on the right being replaced, it is also the expensive one. I assume that is the one to go with?
Thanks!
 
#36 ·
The fuel pump is on the right had side (passenger). The left side pump isn't a fuel pump exactly, it is called a sucking jet pump. It sends fuel to the other side of the tank, rarely do they fail, but if you order a "fuel pump" it will be for the back passenger side. :thumbup:

For all those who had to replace fuel pumps: What was your PM schedule on fuel filters?
I changed the fuel filter twice on the ZHP before I bought it for the PO. Once around 70k miles and again at 130k miles or so.
 
#44 ·
Perhaps this is something that should be added to the Wiki? I didn't see anything in there on fuel pumps, other than a mention that replacing your fuel filter will help prolong the life of your pump. But with so much emphasis on a cooling system that will fail like clockwork every 90k miles and leave you stranded, might be a good idea to note the same thing for a fuel pump that will fail like clockwork every 140k miles and leave you stranded.
 
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