Fuel sloshing?

[Active16Bits]

Yesterday I took my 325e to a local drifting event at our speedway. After about three runs the car started bogging down and wanted to die. It was it's first tank of fresh fuel after sitting for who knows how long. So I rushed over to the closest Autozone to grab a fuel filter. Slapped it on and it ran great, until I drift left. It bogs and dies then suddenly kicks in and runs after the car settles or drifts right.


Are there baffles in eta tanks? Should I suspect the pump? The pickup screen? Or should I just throw it all away and put in a cell with an inline pump?

[e34john]

How much gas did you have in the tank?

[jlevie]

Right hand turns can stack fuel up in the driver's side of the tank and deprive the pump of fuel. On this car fuel is equalized between the halves of the tank by a cross over tube. If that tube is plugged starvation in right hand turns is more likely.

A weak in-tank transfer pump is another possibility.

[Active16Bits]

I filled the tank before I got to the track. Within an hour the symptoms started to arise.

Thanks jlevie, but right hand turns the car runs perfectly fine. Should I suspect the intank pump then?

Could any of you tell me how much pressure and volume should be coming from this pump?

[theroundcow]

man these fuel pumps are not fun they are very expensive OEM and anything aftermarket seems to be too weak and not provide sufficient fuel pumping through the corners....

id like to see what other ppl have to say

[Wh33lhop]

I remember some discussion of fuel tank foam quite awhile back. Wonder if anybody ever tried it out.

[jlevie]

I filled the tank before I got to the track. Within an hour the symptoms started to arise.

Thanks jlevie, but right hand turns the car runs perfectly fine. Should I suspect the intank pump then?

Could any of you tell me how much pressure and volume should be coming from this pump?

There is a spec in the Bentley manual for the transfer pump.

[Active16Bits]

Got stuck with strep throat so I havn't been able to go to my shop. I forgot my beaker at home and couldn't find my fuel pressure gauge. So I pulled the pump and found this:



I have a feeling this isn't a stock pump. Awesome.

[E30Gus]

I have the same problem every time I go to the track if I don't have a full tank. Check out Ireland Engineering fuel tank baffle thingy for ~$55. Should help starvation go away.

[Active16Bits]

Hmm I can't seem to find it on their site? Mind sending me the link?

I think I'm going to go with a Walbro pump.

[nismoman]

or just get a later model tank and put a fuel starvation kit in if you have a e tank then you only have one hole/ access port in your tank, later tanks had 2 access holes. one for the fuel pump the other for god knows what. you can put 2 pumps in the tank one serves to the engine the other pumps fuel back into the feed side. other than that you can get a fuel cell. all bmws suck balls with fuel starvation.

[E30Gus]

The link won't work but do a google search for "E30 Fuel Accumulator" and you will find it.
G