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Re: bmw-digest V2 #53

Barry Wellman wrote..

>As a 1990 Canadian 325iX owner, I just recieve a recall notice: "Your
>car is equipped with a fuel feed hose that could harden & set over
>time due to engine compartment temperatures. If this occurs, seepage
>between the hose & fitting could result. The seepage tends to occur
>only at or immediately after engine start up & is association with a
>conspicious fuel odour. The repair will consit of replacing the fuel
>feed hose(s) & associated clamps with a new design, and will require
>approx. 1-2 hours,,, Prolonged neflect of the situation could escalate
>into a fuel leakage hazard."
>
>Have others experienced/dealt with this?
>
>We don't smell anything at startup so I am inclined to let this wait
>till my next service (3-4 months). I am too klutzky & underequipped to
>work on my own car.
>
>As Canadian & US cars are almost always almost identical, has the US
>experienced this too?
>
>Should I ask them to put in braided fuel lines at the same time, or is
>that a whole other matter?
>- -- 
>- ---------------------------------------------------------------
>Barry Wellman           wellman@domain.elided            8-)

To which Don Eilenberger comments and queries...

HMMMMM.... this is not an uncommon complaint on the E28
series. The usual cause is the hose to the cold start valve,
which especially on the 533/535, is short, bent and a royal
PITA to get at (and leaks right on the starter!)

BOHICA has had this problem on and off.. and usually just
tightening the clamp on the cold start injector cured it
for a while.  Finally, I wasn't certain if it was the hose
or the injector itself (they're also known to leak), so
I replaced both. I used "fuel-injection" hose - rated
at 100lbs working pressure, 500lbs burst pressure (PEPBoys..
about $3/ft - need about 6 inches on the big 6).

This again cured it for a while - then it started to smell
when I started it cold.. so back to tightening the clamp
again - and so far it doesn't stink (hopefully this
tightening will hold for a while once the initial hose
set/shrinkage takes place).. but..

I'd be very interested if this is the hose they're talking
about on your iX - since the design is basically identical.

Also of late - BOHICA has required more cranks than normal
when cold - indicating to me (I checked the thermoswitch)
that the new cold start valve didn't last very long (about
3 months). Although it would be warrantied by BMW - if I
can get THEM to replace it while doing a recall on the hose
connecting it, I would be VERY happy - it's a PITA!

Please pass the details back along - if it looks possible
I'll start harassing BMW-NA to make good!

Thanx!

PS: PITA = Pain in the ass!

=======================================
Don Eilenberger (dje@domain.elided)
=======================================
  '79 R65 FrankenCycle - der Beemer
  '87 535i BOHICA      - der Bimmer
  '75 25' Hunter       - das Boot
=======================================
DOD#1177, BMW-CCA#104316, BMW-MOA#64000
=====================================