So this happened last night

"Old Red Wagon" (wr10) 01/18/2017 at 12:43 • Filed to: None

5

36

So i was driving home last night and out of nowhere heard a really loud bang from underneath the car. It sounded like i hit a very deep pothole, it could have been because i honestly don’t know what it was. After driving about a half a mile i was concerned so i pulled into a gas station to see if i noticed anything damaged. I was very low on gas as well so i was going to stop anyway to fill up. After filling the car up i go to get in the car and noticed fuel gushing out all over the parking lot. Turns out whatever i hit made a nice sized hole in my tank and emptied all the fuel i just put in.

This was a huge pain in the ass, it was late, i was tired, and i was just trying to get home. Called roadside assistance to get the car towed to my place and after explaining to them what was going on they said they had to get the fire department over there to make sure the scene is safe, i was after all, at a gas station. FD came out and put some sort of epoxy in the hole to stop it from leaking but by then the tank had already pretty much emptied. Got the car towed back to my place and now the fun part begins of getting a new tank and getting that put in.

shop-teacher > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 12:46

0

OUCH!

duurtlang > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 12:47

0

I hope for your sake that the Touring tank is the same one as the one in a sedan, coupe or convertible.

edit: looked it up. For the 320i Touring the part number of the tank is the same as it is for the US market 325i sedan . I haven’t looked at other US versions, but I assume they’re all the same.

Steve in Manhattan > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 12:47

0

Ugh. Do they make a plastic one for this?

OPPOsaurus WRX > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 12:48

12

That’s a lot better then what I thought with a quick look at the first picture. I thought u ran over the gas station attendant

whoarder is tellurium > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 12:49

0

That freakin sucks.

EL_ULY > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 12:50

0

There used to be a huge Mercedes/BMW only junkyard on 410 south loop somewhere by Roosevelt Ave maybe? If it still exists, i’d try calling there

Old Red Wagon > duurtlang 01/18/2017 at 12:50

0

Luckily it is the same one as a sedan or coupe. It’s a 63L tank, an OEM BMW tank is over $1,000 new. Gonna have to do some research and see what i can find. I’m hoping it might be repairable but at this point i’m not sure.

Old Red Wagon > Steve in Manhattan 01/18/2017 at 12:50

0

Nope, it’s a metal tank.

Old Red Wagon > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/18/2017 at 12:50

0

Haha i can see that, it is a bit misleading.

Steve in Manhattan > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 12:52

0

Was thinking it’d be more durable... maybe google it. Or you could plastic coat inside? Dunno.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 12:53

0

Sounds like a rough night.

DasWauto > duurtlang 01/18/2017 at 12:53

0

It is the same across all body styles. The wheelbase is the same as well, amusingly. I never thought it was until someone told me that and I had to check out of spite.

Urambo Tauro > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 12:56

0

FD came out and put some sort of epoxy in the hole to stop it from leaking

It still blows my mind that it’s even possible to make epoxy that sticks to wet surfaces.

jimz > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 12:57

0

back in high school I was a pump jockey on weekends (worked in the garage during the day) and had to get the spill kit out more than once. the worst was some guy trying to fill up his van only to have it go straight onto the ground. Apparently he just picked it up from another shop who did some work back there, and they didn’t reconnect the fuel fill neck to the tank.

Oops.

duurtlang > DasWauto 01/18/2017 at 12:59

0

I’ve only owned E30 Tourings, none of the other body styles, but it doesn’t surprise me it’s that same as the other ones. It doesn’t really look longer.

DasWauto > duurtlang 01/18/2017 at 13:01

0

I’m not surprised by the touring and sedan, the coupe always looked shorter to me though. Not so, as I learned begrudgingly.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 13:02

0

That sucks. But it obviously could’ve been much worse. Glad nothing got lit.

MonkeePuzzle > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 13:06

1

at least it was a gas station, where a fuel leak is at least prepared for.

DipodomysDeserti > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 13:07

0

Sounds like a good excuse to install a fuel cell. Because racecar.

Old Red Wagon > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 01/18/2017 at 13:13

1

Yeah definitely, i’ve had bad luck with fuel leaks on this car. Had to replace the feed line a few months ago because it was leaking all over the engine bay. Now this.

Old Red Wagon > MonkeePuzzle 01/18/2017 at 13:14

0

Yeah, i almost stopped after it happened but that road is dark and i wouldn’t have been able to see anything anyway, and it’s not very safe. I knew i would be passing this gas station soon so i just babied it there in the event there was something wrong.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 13:21

0

Once I had to drive my CRX around the block with a broken fuel line leaking all over the place. Scared me stupid.

Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 13:25

0

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/VER0/90180/N0398.oap?ck=Search_N0398_-1_-1&pt=N0398&ppt=C0063

They make kits. I had no idea.

Tazio, Count Fouroff > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 13:29

0

Dang that sucks

Also, very good to read that the fuel tank ended up being the only issue. :) As has been pointed out there was potential for more

Looks like a sweet E30 Touring btw (this is from a huge E30 / BMW fan)...here’s betting there’s a cool backstory of how it came under your care. Best wishes with the fuel tank R&R! Any dismantlers around with affordable replacements?

Milky > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 13:29

0

No shit, you have a red E30 wagon. Besides the last 24hrs, how do you like it? I’m genuinely considering one.

But sorry about it costing $1000. I punctured a tank once in an old Cherokee with a stump, but that was real cheap to replace.

samssun > Steve in Manhattan 01/18/2017 at 13:32

0

Bedliner or something similar on the outside might be the better bet, to ward off future corrosion

smobgirl > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 13:36

2

That is a sexy wagon, even when it’s peeing all over the parking lot. Feel free to share photos more often!

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 13:42

0

Ugh, sorry to hear. Can you find the pothole and claim damages from the state?

Old Red Wagon > Milky 01/18/2017 at 13:48

0

I love the car, i’ve owned it for three years and bought it when i lived in Germany. When i moved back to the US it brought it with me. Car is rust free and runs beautifully.

Old Red Wagon > smobgirl 01/18/2017 at 13:53

1

Thanks, here are a few pictures of the car right before i had it shipped to the US.

smobgirl > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 13:55

0

I’m allergic to German caRs (not cats, phone) but that makes me really want one.

Milky > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 14:25

1

Great to hear. There’s a restored one up in Canada for $20k ($15 US) that also has a turbo’d engine. It seems like a great way to get a reliable/unique fun car.

TorqueToYield > Old Red Wagon 01/18/2017 at 14:52

0

The epoxy patches are ridiculously strong if applied correctly. Like, stronger than the base material strong. If it was me I would just leave it if it isn’t leaking, but I also drive beaters and live in a state with no mechanical inspection, so, meh.

Dusty Ventures > smobgirl 01/18/2017 at 17:47

0

Allergic to German cars?

smobgirl > Dusty Ventures 01/18/2017 at 18:12

0

It’s hereditary.

My dad was always stumped by fixing them so Japanese is all I ever learned. But to be honest, my limited experience with German cars has terrified me.

Nauraushaun > Old Red Wagon 01/19/2017 at 03:18

0

At least you didn’t die. You could’ve died.