Coolant Temperature Sensor - small Gasoline Smell

[guapoman2000]

Guys,

Been having that usual condition of starting up my 1987 BMW 325i vert and it starts right up smooth.

Drive it around for an hour to my usual places and turn it off. It is sitting perhaps nothing more than 30 minutes and try to start it up and it seems to want to start then, it dies on me and have to feather it using Gas Peddle (Give it Gas) while during crank up. It starts and again feather it using gas peddle and finally catches and doesn't die.

Idle is smooth.

Reading my Bentley Manual in Section 5, I read that the Coolant Temperature located at near the thermostat housing or as the manual says (in the cylinder head coolant outlet) is the major component that one should suspect of this condition I have described above, according to the Bentley Manual.

I went ahead and performed the Ohm meter measuring per the instructions of the manual and it measured 22,300 Ohms; Should be between 7,000 - 11,600 Ohms when COLD.

I am not even going to bother warming UP the engine to measure the other conditions of higher temperatures as this is certainly way out of limits and it is supposed to reduced resistance when Engine gets warm.

My main concern is the Gasoline Smell. Of course if the freaking Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor is not functioning properly the Engine Computer will think it is still COLD and the Engine has been running RICH. I am just trying to figure out the SMELL of GASOLINE that is somewhat concerning.

I took a careful LOOK at ALL injectors and they don't seem to be leaking nor smell of GASOLINE on the outside case.

I even took a LOOK at the Bottom AX fuel pump below the vehicle and nothing.

I even took a LOOK at the Filler Cap and rubber gasket is like new and it applies pressure well at the Neck of the Gasoline inlet port.

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks in advanced!

Oh, the only recent work was this:
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...-Cluster-Lamps

[superj]

smells like gasoline when sitting after already ran? or when cranking? the smell is in the engine bay or outside?

[e30oe21]

If the smell is out the tailpipe, the CTS should fix it. If the smell is under the hood, check all your rubber fuel lines. If they are over 10 years old (quality brands are date coded) or hard, I'd replace them. All fuel hose under the hood is 8x13.

[Elvir]

When you say CTS you mean on blue sensor ?

13621709966-M14.jpg

[guapoman2000]

If the smell is out the tailpipe, the CTS should fix it. If the smell is under the hood, check all your rubber fuel lines. If they are over 10 years old (quality brands are date coded) or hard, I'd replace them. All fuel hose under the hood is 8x13.

Thank you!

No the smell is just in the AIR within the Garage.

I checked my nose against the car in all areas and can't determine where!

Thanks about the CTS and yes, it is the BLUE one.

Thanks ALL

[superj]

it might be the lines on top of the fuel tank, under the rear seat. my car has a slight leak on one of the lines above the tank so if I fill it up all the way, I get a smell till I burn some fuel out driving around. sometimes, I get a little drip too so I don't fill it passed the point where the pump shuts off automatically, anymore.

[guapoman2000]

it might be the lines on top of the fuel tank, under the rear seat. my car has a slight leak on one of the lines above the tank so if I fill it up all the way, I get a smell till I burn some fuel out driving around. sometimes, I get a little drip too so I don't fill it passed the point where the pump shuts off automatically, anymore.

Oh wow! Thanks for sharing your experience with yours!

I will be looking at it this afternoon when I get back!

Thanks so much!

[superj]

no problem.

[guapoman2000]

Two (2) Pictures I took of my beloved 1987 BMW 325i Vert on Thursday, October 12th, 2017 while at work!

[superj]

looks good.

[guapoman2000]

looks good.

Thanks! It drives like a dream!

[richardodn]

Vague smell of gasoline from the engine compartment with no apparent leaks is usually the injector o-rings. Of course if your fuel line hoses are older than 10 years, consider replacement.

[Elvir]

I change blue sensor yestreday on my E30 M40. It was tricky because I didnt remove intake.

[Kershaw]

Vague smell of gasoline from the engine compartment with no apparent leaks is usually the injector o-rings. Of course if your fuel line hoses are older than 10 years, consider replacement.

Don't just consider, do it. Everyone who has an e30 and does not know exactly when the fuel lines were replaced should replace them. I had a ix burn down years ago due to cracked fuel lines. Now it's part of my just purchased maintenance. I see so many cracked fuel lines on e30s, it's just a matter of time before they fail. It's only $20 and 30 minutes to do.

[guapoman2000]

Well guys, I finally had an opportunity to changed out that Engine Coolant Sensor and inspect those Fuel Lines carefully.

I can tell you that there is just NO cracked Fuel Lines and there is NO Leaking from the Injectors whatsoever.

As a matter of fact, I placed my Large Fat Head right over the Engine where the Fuel Rail is located and place my fingers with a paper towel to see if any Fuel was collected and it came OUT BONE Dry.

I am not saying that I WILL NOT replace the Fuel Lines, just that I am completely stumped as to why my E30 Vert is hard to start when warm.

I took it for a drive about 11 miles round trip with Central Florida Traffic and I was rather disappointed that it didn't start right away when I attempted to start it when warn. When I got to the house and placed it in my Garage, I quickly restarted it but, it needed some feather on the Gas Peddle to catch, otherwise it will quit.

If anyone here has some sound suggestions as to why and how to fix, apart from telling me to Replace Fuel Lines etc..., I would appreciate greatly!

Some pictures of today's work while replacing the Engine Coolant Sensor.

[guapoman2000]

More Picture!

[e30oe21]

As a test, get the car hot wait the ~20 min to the point it doesn't start easy. Instead of trying to start it, 1st manually jumper the fuel pump, then try to start it. This will tell you if it's a partially clogged fuel filter / weak fuel pump / fuel supply issue.

[guapoman2000]

As a test, get the car hot wait the ~20 min to the point it doesn't start easy. Instead of trying to start it, 1st manually jumper the fuel pump, then try to start it. This will tell you if it's a partially clogged fuel filter / weak fuel pump / fuel supply issue.

Thanks for that and really appreciate it, however, I did that 2 years ago because of a NO START issue and it turned out both Fuel Pumps needed to be replaced.

The internal Fuel pump and Filter assembly within the Fuel Tank was replaced and the other Fuel Pump below the Driver's seat underneath the vehicle was replaced at a tune of $725 US.

Thanks anyway!

Anyone else?

[e30oe21]

FWIW, my last new German made VDO fuel pump lasted 6 months.

Do you have any rust / crud in the tank?

[guapoman2000]

FWIW, my last new German made VDO fuel pump lasted 6 months.

Do you have any rust / crud in the tank?

Like I said, if it's anything associated with the Fuel Pumps (which is not) as the vehicle starts UP without any hesitation when cold and sitting more than 3 weeks without starting. I only use Ethanol Free Gasoline (90 Octane) and nothing else in case you are wondering.

No Sir, this is not a Fuel issue or Fuel Pump issue as when cold and sitting there long would have been very evident.

I have not seen any Fuel pump of this type of construction to exhibit the conditions of what my E30 Vert is doing.

Again, anyone else.

[guapoman2000]

Vague smell of gasoline from the engine compartment with no apparent leaks is usually the injector o-rings. Of course if your fuel line hoses are older than 10 years, consider replacement.

Would leaky injector O-Rings cause a stumble to start when Engine is Warmed up at it's operating temperature?

Leaky Injector O-Rings, would that cause Gasoline to drip on Engine Block externally?

[superj]

not on the block but could cause the stumble start easily. dripping on the block will be a bad connection at a junction for a t or some type of leaking line.

if its leaking from an o-ring onto the block, than there is way more wrong than the o-ring and you don't have that

[guapoman2000]

Okay guys,

I have my new O2 Sensor and it's ready for installation!