[Sapote]

I bought my 2003 325iT recently and have been working on it (Dr. gives a general checkup). I pulled out the back seat and checked if the fuel pump had been replaced. It was based on the evident.

Here is one way to check if the pump is near end of its life: turn on the dash hidden on-board display to show both fuel tanks capacity. If the right tank is much less than the left then time to change the pump as when it running weak it couldn't pull the fuel from left tank to the right tank leading to engine ran out of fuel while there is plenty of fuel in the left tank.

 

[Mafe]

I bought my 2003 325iT recently and have been working on it (Dr. gives a general checkup). I pulled out the back seat and checked if the fuel pump had been replaced. It was based on the evident.

Here is one way to check if the pump is near end of its life: turn on the dash hidden on-board display to show both fuel tanks capacity. If the right tank is much less than the left then time to change the pump as when it running weak it couldn't pull the fuel from left tank to the right tank leading to engine ran out of fuel while there is plenty of fuel in the left tank.

I’ll do that and see what’s there.
I have an after market pump.
From the time I installed, my gauge has never been accurate.
I’ve run out of gas twice when the gauge is on quarter.
Not sure if pump is weak or something spills have been done.
Have filled tank once or twice but still no change.
And I think even the estimated mileage has never been as before.
It’s on the lower side


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RRRM8E]

There wss a good discussion of this about a month or so ago. The role of the pump and the transfer tube. But yes, monitor tank levels with OBC display. My pump just started cutting out on the highway when it expired.

 

[MrMCar]

I bought my 2003 325iT recently and have been working on it (Dr. gives a general checkup). I pulled out the back seat and checked if the fuel pump had been replaced. It was based on the evident.

Here is one way to check if the pump is near end of its life: turn on the dash hidden on-board display to show both fuel tanks capacity. If the right tank is much less than the left then time to change the pump as when it running weak it couldn't pull the fuel from left tank to the right tank leading to engine ran out of fuel while there is plenty of fuel in the left tank.

In your case it could also be a recent pump replacement (new to you car) and the transfer jet tube is incorrectly hooked up, no?

 

[De Sisti]

"turn on the dash hidden on-board display"

Didn't know there was a hidden display.

 

[RRRM8E]

In your case it could also be a recent pump replacement (new to you car) and the transfer jet tube is incorrectly hooked up, no?

Hooked up to what? I changed my pump and was unaware of this tube being in there. How does one get at it?

 

[Alex323Ci]

Fuel Transfer Pump

Also know as a "jet pump"

www.ecstuning.com

 

[Sapote]

In your case it could also be a recent pump replacement (new to you car) and the transfer jet tube is incorrectly hooked up, no?

My 2003 325i is fine with a new replacement pump done by PO. No issues at all.

 

[MrMCar]

Just being technical.

 

[Alex323Ci]

But but I thought ALL fuel pumps would fail at 7 years/80k miles mark?? geez this forum had some crazy posters. that nonsense thread was 2012, fun to look back at that and facepalm.

 

[alan53]

I changed mine at 220 K miles it was still working fine,it was a precaution.

 

[jdstrickland]

I bought my 2003 325iT recently and have been working on it (Dr. gives a general checkup). I pulled out the back seat and checked if the fuel pump had been replaced. It was based on the evident.

Here is one way to check if the pump is near end of its life: turn on the dash hidden on-board display to show both fuel tanks capacity. If the right tank is much less than the left then time to change the pump as when it running weak it couldn't pull the fuel from left tank to the right tank leading to engine ran out of fuel while there is plenty of fuel in the left tank.

My X5 (E53) acted like it was out of gas when the tank was full (I filled it the day before and had gone less than 20 miles). My car was still sloshing fuel over the transmission hump.

 

[christospap]

But but I thought ALL fuel pumps would fail at 7 years/80k miles mark?? geez this forum had some crazy posters. that nonsense thread was 2012, fun to look back at that and facepalm.

This is what happens in Internet forums, people are eager to post bad experiences while the rest tend to stay silent. We need to apply a correction factor, maybe 80-20?

The original fuel pump in my 2005 330xi failed very recently at 164K miles. It was a sudden death, car ran fine until parked and then it wouldn't start. I would not rely on warning signs before they die. I thought I would see signs, but no...!

I did heed the advice from this forum and bought one to have handy. I got super lucky mine died in my driveway and I had everything I needed to do a quick, 45min swap. May everyone's fuel pump die that way when it's time.

Chris.

 

[Archbid]

But but I thought ALL fuel pumps would fail at 7 years/80k miles mark?? geez this forum had some crazy posters. that nonsense thread was 2012, fun to look back at that and facepalm.

Good lord leave it in the past.

 

[Anticdubai]

Here is one way to check if the pump is near end of its life: turn on the dash hidden on-board display to show both fuel tanks capacity. If the right tank is much less than the left then time to change the pump as when it running weak it couldn't pull the fuel from left tank to the right tank leading to engine ran out of fuel while there is plenty of fuel in the left tank.

My pump died at 306K km, with absolutely no any symptoms of its fail. I just stopped the car and couldn't start anymore. What I say, you might see no any symptoms, and therefore no any difference at tanks level, so such monitoring would be inconclusive.

 

[RRRM8E]

The point is, the pump, like the expansion tank, is going to fail. When it fails, the car is out of commission. If you have to get towed to a dealer, it is going to hurt.
With the pump, I had read that 100k was a reasonable expected life - after that, you're on borrowed time. Mine failed right on time at 105k. Others report over 200k. Comparing such data is pretty much meaningless: What matters is your level of risk tolerance for having the car just stop, with little or no warning. Perhaps in rush hour on the freeway in the rain. So if you're OK with that, by all means keep driving.

 

[Anticdubai]

The point is, the pump, like the expansion tank, is going to fail. When it fails, the car is out of commission. If you have to get towed to a dealer, it is going to hurt.
With the pump, I had read that 100k was a reasonable expected life - after that, you're on borrowed time. Mine failed right on time at 105k. Others report over 200k. Comparing such data is pretty much meaningless: What matters is your level of risk tolerance for having the car just stop, with little or no warning. Perhaps in rush hour on the freeway in the rain. So if you're OK with that, by all means keep driving.

No questions, simply no point to wait till if fails. I just didnt know it could happen at all, till it did)).
So I replace them every 200K km since.

 

[BigBopper]

I bought my 2003 325iT recently and have been working on it (Dr. gives a general checkup). I pulled out the back seat and checked if the fuel pump had been replaced. It was based on the evident.

Here is one way to check if the pump is near end of its life: turn on the dash hidden on-board display to show both fuel tanks capacity. If the right tank is much less than the left then time to change the pump as when it running weak it couldn't pull the fuel from left tank to the right tank leading to engine ran out of fuel while there is plenty of fuel in the left tank.

It's as if you don't know how easy it is to use a fuel pressure gauge.

 

[Anticdubai]

It's as if you don't know how easy it is to use a fuel pressure gauge.

Well, unless you gonna drive with that gauge stuck on your windshield.
You might not have any of symptoms at all; yet one day it just stops. So all those monitorings and pressure metering are good for diagnostics, and could help in case the problem isn't intermittent. Preventive replacement, as I could see it, is pretty much only option to be safe.

 

[BigBopper]

Well, unless you gonna drive with that gauge stuck on your windshield.
You might not have any of symptoms at all; yet one day it just stops. So all those monitorings and pressure metering are good for diagnostics, and could help in case the problem isn't intermittent. Preventive replacement, as I could see it, is pretty much only option to be safe.

PM doesn't require diagnosis. The entire principle behind PM is you replace a part before it goes faulty. There is nothing to diagnose. All PM requires is you take an existing part out and put a new one in on a just-in-case basis. The OP is describing an elaborate and, frankly, rather pointless exercise when all that is required is to attach a pressure gauge to the fuel system an read the pressure. A simple task that requires no speculation. If you haven't got a pressure gauge you buy one.