david888

Hello everybody

It's me again with my BMW 525i 2007 3.0L

My question is about fuel feed line replacement...

After getting helped with fixing a starter/crankshaft sensor, I realized I had a gas leak. I've had this weird smell of gas every time I got out of the car for a while. The smell was coming off the rear left (behind driver) wheel well. I Thought it could be a charcoal canister but when took a car to the shop, they said it was a fuel filter (either the rubbing seal or fuel filter cracks).
To note, the engine check light was off UNTIL after we removed the seats to see the little lake of fuel on top of the fuel pump. It basically overflows and leaks on the ground. Very similar to what this BMW technician explains. https://bmwtechnician.com/2016/02/06/e60-fuel-leak/ (The only thing is that you cant really see anything on the floor, it didnt drip or anything)
So Iunpluged the fuel feed line, removed the screw cap to get to the seal to see if anything was wrong with it, put everything back, started the car to see if the leak was coming from the hair line cracks on the fuel filter, it looked to me that it was also leaking from the fuel feed line which connects to the fuel filter on top. Part # 5 is the fuel feed line
RealOEM.com - Online BMW Parts Catalog

So I ordered a fuel filter and got the fuel feed line to replace it too. So my question is the following:

Do I need to drop the fuel tank in order to replace the fuel feed line?
The reason I am asking is because some claim that I have to do that, including the one on pelican parts. But I believe they are talking about the second fuel feed line which also connects to the fuel filter (the rear side) but it's longer than the one I am talking about. The line I want to replace goes underneath the car and I can see it from the bottom.

Also, the engine service light went on after the latest procedure and it looks like it's leaking more as I can see some drops on the floor. Maybe the seal got damaged when the screw cap was removed or rubber spacer (part number 16111183134) went bad after disconnecting the feed line

Thank you

david888

I guess, I would have suspend this post as the hair line cracks were the culprit. Got "JB Weld 50133 Plastic Bonder 25 ml" at advance auto parts and it did the trick. if you use it for the cracks, make sure you patch all the cracks especially the ones on the bottom of the plastic nipple to which the line is connected. Those little cracks are hard to see but they need to be patched. ,.....Though, I would still have to replace the fuel filter