2nd autocross, 1st mechanical gremlin

[Jand3rson]

Today was my second autocross, and man, was it a HOT ONE. Hit about 93 degrees at around 2:30, no shade anywhere. So my friend Tyson was dual driving my car today, and on his last run in the second run group, he comes around the first hairpin, and the car just up and dies. WTF mate?

So they close the track while we push it off to the grass, and try to figure out what's going on. It's turning over, but just won't fire. After checking fuses, connections, etc, we figure out that it's not getting any fuel. So I call Crivvy, he suggests swapping the 2 orange relays on the strut tower, still nothing. Then I remember that my external pump under the car has been buzzing for a while now, so Tyson jumps in the car and tries to start it, and sure enough, not a sound from the pump. Nothing. Fuck.

So then, lightbulb! I remember that I just last weekend got done parting out my buddy's '86 325es, and forgot to pull the external pump. I call him up and thank (insert diety here), he hadn't yet had the shell hauled off yet. So I high-tail it over there, and he tells me that it's new within the last 4-5 years, and that I can have it. Score!

So I hoof it back out to the fairgrounds, jack the car up, swap the new pump in (while getting a few good mouthfuls of 92 octane), drop it back down, and she's back to life. So it's back at it tomorrow, hopefully with no more hang-ups!

[backtrail69]

Glad to hear it wasn't the same failure my ETA had at a skills day earlier this year... the reference pickup on the flywheel falling off causing my car to not start/spark over 3 hours from home...

[Jean]

It was damn hot here too.... I was autocrossing my e30 w/o coilovers or camber plates, man what a difference it makes (in the wrong way) lol, but I did get one re-run because of a car in-front of me that broke down.... Todays layout was fast, most people would get to the top of 2nd and/or shift into 3rd for a second or so... my little m10 was screaming for mercy as it was chirping 2nd gear every run hehe.

[rwh11385]

maybe replace a fuel pump that is buzzing before participating in an auto-x?

[Teaguer]

maybe replace a fuel pump that is buzzing before participating in an auto-x?

Blasphemy !! That wouldn't be r3v way .


Josh congrats on your luck that is was only the external pump , I was already guessing the reference sensors . :)

[ddavidv]

maybe replace a fuel pump that is buzzing before participating in an auto-x?

Even the older and wiser among us don't do that. :ohsnap:
My Audi gave me plenty of warning until it left me dead in the water at a car show one day. I knew the clock was ticking, but procrastination knows no age/sex limits.
OTOH, the replacement pump I put in growled the entire time it was in the car and never caused a problem, so that's not necessarily a sign death is imminent.

[Jand3rson]

maybe replace a fuel pump that is buzzing before participating in an auto-x?

That would have been the smart thing to do, yeah... lol

I just kept putting it off and putting it off, mainly just forgot about it.

[jlevie]

maybe replace a fuel pump that is buzzing before participating in an auto-x?

Even the older and wiser among us don't do that.

There are those of us that see a whining high pressure pump as cause for immediate repair, myself included. And on an E30, the repair can include replacement or cleaning/sealing the fuel tank if it is loaded up with rust, which will cause premature pump failure.

[backtrail69]

Also.. those pumps are damn loud to start with, so it is hard to judge...

[rwh11385]

Hindsight is 20/20 but preventative maintenance > mods when it comes to driving events or even parking lot shuffles. Who gives a shit if you have a 2.7i if your XXX breaks and wastes $300 for the weekend DE if your shit breaks down first session. Who cares what if you get swaybars if your balljoints fail?

[318isbmw]

haha, my dad did the same thing when he had an e30. It whined forever and he never did replace it before he sold it...