I have a 1991 318is and I was driving home from work today its 23 miles one way. Outside temp was 79 or 80. I got about 18 miles or so then all the sudden the car stalled out. No sputter or anything it just quit. I was able to coast to a parking lot which was good.
I had this happen when I first bought the car, but then the fuel pump was very noisy and I suspected that the culprit. I drove the car with that pump since and it never happened again. At the time though I was taking very short trips.
Now that I have moved and am driving longer distances to work I installed a new TRE Performance pump about 3/4 weeks ago. So today I suspected a bad pump again. Since I was in a parking lot I pulled the pump cover, turned the key and still no start but I could feel the pump working. So I thought maybe I was out of gas. Pulled the sending unit and found 1/2 tank. Tried starting the car again and it sputtered a bit but still wouldn't start. I just waited about 10 minutes like I did when it happened way back and it started right up, idled fine. I let it idle for a few minutes and after no issues I started back home.
I got about a mile up the road and damnit it happened again. This time no parking lot or shoulder to pull on to. Just stop in the lane and block traffic. I waited about 10 minutes again and it fired right up. Jumped in, made the green light and went on my way. This time just in case I drove in the left lane so I could stop in the median if it stalled again. Sure enough it did so I stopped in the median. There was a gas station 1 block away so I waited 10 minutes started it and drove to the gas station.
Here I got out of the car, checked fuses, checked ground cables in the motor. They are tight but the plastic covering on them is cracking. Just looked for any obvious reasons the car would quit. Nothing found. It has the classic symptoms of vapor lock but I know our cars won't really do that with the fuel system it has. I didn't get any check engine light or other lights either. A couple times I was cranking the car though I could smell fuel.
Any ideas?
I had this happen when I first bought the car, but then the fuel pump was very noisy and I suspected that the culprit. I drove the car with that pump since and it never happened again. At the time though I was taking very short trips.
Now that I have moved and am driving longer distances to work I installed a new TRE Performance pump about 3/4 weeks ago. So today I suspected a bad pump again. Since I was in a parking lot I pulled the pump cover, turned the key and still no start but I could feel the pump working. So I thought maybe I was out of gas. Pulled the sending unit and found 1/2 tank. Tried starting the car again and it sputtered a bit but still wouldn't start. I just waited about 10 minutes like I did when it happened way back and it started right up, idled fine. I let it idle for a few minutes and after no issues I started back home.
I got about a mile up the road and damnit it happened again. This time no parking lot or shoulder to pull on to. Just stop in the lane and block traffic. I waited about 10 minutes again and it fired right up. Jumped in, made the green light and went on my way. This time just in case I drove in the left lane so I could stop in the median if it stalled again. Sure enough it did so I stopped in the median. There was a gas station 1 block away so I waited 10 minutes started it and drove to the gas station.
Here I got out of the car, checked fuses, checked ground cables in the motor. They are tight but the plastic covering on them is cracking. Just looked for any obvious reasons the car would quit. Nothing found. It has the classic symptoms of vapor lock but I know our cars won't really do that with the fuel system it has. I didn't get any check engine light or other lights either. A couple times I was cranking the car though I could smell fuel.
Any ideas?
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