The BMW UUC Digest Volume 3 : Issue 438 : "text" Format Messages in this Issue: Re: <OT> but BMW built: Mini cooper Fuel pump(s)? Re: <OT> but BMW built: Mini cooper Fuel pump(s)? Painting rims Re: Painting rims ahh :-P Re: <OT> but BMW built: Mini cooper Fuel pump(s)?
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2007 13:30:07 -0400 From: Neil Maller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com" <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: <OT> but BMW built: Mini cooper Fuel pump(s)? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> on 4/3/07 10:20 AM, "Alex Cagann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I have an 04 S that won't start. Had it brought in under warranty, they said > squirrels had eaten through a fuel pump electrical line. Price was $1,200 to > fix. Frayed wires...well, I can fix. I get it back home, no evidence of > rodents, the fuel lines and wires are all behind corrugated plastic tubing. > I hear a fuel pumping buzzing like crazy, but it is in the engine > compartment, or just below it. If this car has a pump in the tank, then > there is a secondary one I am hearing. Alex, according to my Bentley manual (which in two years of Mini ownership I've so far never needed to use) the Mini's fuel tank/pump system is very much like my E36. There's a two lobed plastic tank which straddles the central tunnel under the back seat, with a pump on one side but fuel level senders on both. Each is has a cover secured by 5 screws, and a large plastic ring holding in the sender/pump assembly under that. Once you remove the seat base and the covers you can see the wiring, fuel hoses, etc. There's no fuel pump in the engine compartment. You may be hearing the electrically driven hydraulic power steering pump. You can test for fuel pressure at the injector rail in the normal fashion, but the intercooler has to come off first to get to it. If you want to pursue this yourself you really should order up the Bentley. If not you could take the Mini to an independent in Indy such as Waylan at <http://www.waymotorworks.com/>. I've never had need to use him, but I've heard good things. Neil Fort Wayne, IN 96 M3 - Bastard child 03 525iT - Sterling Grey Metallic 05 Mini - Cooper S with LSD ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 14:41:17 -0500 From: "Alex Cagann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com> Subject: Re: <OT> but BMW built: Mini cooper Fuel pump(s)? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> OK, it's all fixed. You were all of GREAT help to me in locating the fuel pump. I pulled the rear seat bottom and saw two black 'circles' that came off to reveal the access areas to the fuel tank. As Neil said, this is a tank that straddles the rear end of the car under the seat. Behind the driver's seat is the actual wiring harness to the pump, I'm not sure what I was seeing on the other side of the tank. After I removed the access cover I saw ground up acorns and crap everywhere. There it was....the squirrels or chipmunks had eaten through 5 of the 6 wires in the harness. Totally through...not just frayed. I soldered the wires, slipped over heatshrink tubing and waaalaaa...she started right up. I guess the pump I was hearing yesterday was the power steering pump...so this car has an electrical power steering pump? It is not run off the fan belt? Interesting. It is funny working on these cars...if you are a BMW guy, you can tell in about 3 seconds that these suckers are built by them. Alex Cagann ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 14:44:16 -0400 From: "Fuerst, Chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com> Subject: Painting rims Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Is there a good way to paint stock aluminum rims? Sandblast, prime and paint, etc.? http://www.duplicolor.com/products/wheel.html Duplicolors site shows just hand sanding and painting, Not sure how well that will go over on my sons rims. http://www.wheelcollision.com/wccpix/59184.JPG Thanks, 1st ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 15:00:32 -0400 (GMT-04:00) From: Chet Dawes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Fuerst,Chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com Subject: Re: Painting rims Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hey Chris, First off, MANY BMW wheels are powder-coat primed, then painted with auto-grade finishes. Thus, you can't really get the same finish with a poof-can. Secondly, sandblasting will damage the surface of the aluminum. Walnut shell or glass bead is MUCH preferred. Thirdly, I went through this about a year ago after some wet weather track driving on race pads left my wheel finish ruined. I spend a considerable amount of time walnut shell blasting only to discover the powder coat primer which is VERY tough stuff. If you can leave that in place it is highly recommended. So a scuff sanding is preferred. Also, I tried the Duplicolor wheel paint you referenced and the finish is OK at best. Poof can paints dry very quickly and you can't coat the entire wheel without over-spray causing surface roughness. I spent hours carting around, blasting, prepping, painting my wheels only to be unhappy with the finished product. The metallic flake in the silver is almost impossible to match. I recommend using professional level paints, not poof cans, or if you must, Griot's Garage has a silver wheel paint that matches much more closely the factory finish. http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=20229 If you're doing 4 wheels, you'll probably need at least 3-4 cans of paint plus clear. Best regards, Chet Dawes -----Original Message----- >From: "Fuerst, Chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Apr 3, 2007 2:44 PM >To: bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com >Subject: [UUC] Painting rims > >Is there a good way to paint stock aluminum rims? >Sandblast, prime and paint, etc.? > >http://www.duplicolor.com/products/wheel.html > >Duplicolors site shows just hand sanding and painting, Not sure how well >that will go over on my sons rims. > >http://www.wheelcollision.com/wccpix/59184.JPG > > >Thanks, >1st > >Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com > > >__________________________________________________________________________ >In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. > >UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate >Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! >908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 11:50:33 -0700 (PDT) From: Brian Ruiz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: UUC Digest <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com> Subject: ahh :-P Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hey gang, Looks like next year's 530i is going to be a 535i :-P. http://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/futurevehicles/new5?source=NEW5FVTOPNAV Brian ____________________________________________________________________________________ Now that's room service! Choose from over 150,000 hotels in 45,000 destinations on Yahoo! Travel to find your fit. http://farechase.yahoo.com/promo-generic-14795097 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2007 23:21:55 -0700 From: Roger Baker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com, "Alex Cagann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: <OT> but BMW built: Mini cooper Fuel pump(s)? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> In addition to what the other guys have said, the fuel pump is located in the tank under the rear seat, with access just like in a BMW. I have a 2004 MC40 Cooper S and I've never heard of any extra pump under the hood. Some of the wires for the fuel pump trigger come off the DME which is in the engine compartment. There is also a secondary relay panel in the footwell IIRC. Other wires still run under the car where rodents may have external access. It's possible the damage is just buried under some parts you didn't see. You need to look in the right spot & to do that it's possible some covers need to be removed to expose it. Also, these things have electric power steering pumps (with fans too), so I'm not sure but that could be one thing you're hearing up front. -- Roger "Alex Cagann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I have an 04 S that won't start. Had it brought in under warranty, they said > squirrels had eaten through a fuel pump electrical line. Price was $1,200 to > fix. Frayed wires...well, I can fix. I get it back home, no evidence of > rodents, the fuel lines and wires are all behind corrugated plastic tubing. > I hear a fuel pumping buzzing like crazy, but it is in the engine > compartment, or just below it. If this car has a pump in the tank, then > there is a secondary one I am hearing. If I can see no damage, and > everything is covered in this piping, how did a squirrel or chipmunk or what > have you get to this 'mysterious' area? I don't see it. The tank will not > accept gas, but the dash reads ZERO gasoline. Could the tank be filled with > air so as not to let it down the chute? Perhaps the tank is full (although > it was near empty when I sent it up to the dealership) and the rodents ate > through the sending wires for the whole outfit. BUT, I don't see it. Any > ideas? > > Alex ------------------------------ End of [bmwuucdigest] digest(6 messages) **********
