E70 X5 Keep getting P0442 Small Evapor Leak

[X5Cat]

Have to say that fire looks like it is coming from the engine compartment rather than the fuel tank/back seat area.

[ard]

Buy it from a BMW dealer. If the ebay deal is a BMW dealership, fine. (My guess is BMW of Atlantic City?) 2 year warranty, at any BMW dealership

[imalabil]

Crap, I just pulled my rear seat and sure enough, one of the pins is discolored and extending way past the other one. Distinct gas smell, too. Interesting, the cover plate nuts were loose, I just spun them off with my fingers.

Not driving it tomorrow for sure - its next stop is the used car dealer where I bought the warranty.

[gregg3gs]

Originally Posted by X5Cat

Thanks, gregg3g. But I fear that may be the wrong part. Best I can tell for my 3.0, to get assembly with new pump and plastic "lid", is $264. Part No. 16117195463. Found it on Ebay for $244 w/ free shipping, although from NJ. I want new pump included just in case there is any problem with worn pump drawing more current, although I don't feel that is the primary issue. I think main issue is just some sort of weakness in the electrical connection at that pin. Corrosion or maybe just loose fit, possibly even reaction between different metal types, who knows. The current found the weakest link and overheated it. I need to find a new pigtail connector, as I want to start out with an all-new connection.

Sorry, I did not notice the 3.0, I also quoted the wrong part. You are right it's in the $250.00 area.

[X5Cat]

I just have a hunch that a number of owners would find signs of this if they were to look. Maybe the problem would not be quite as advanced as ours, but there may be signs of a building problem.

Yes, I am ordering from dealer in Atlantic City. Really need to find a pigtail connector now, though. There's a local foreign parts dealer here in town I may call tomorrow.

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by Skyline

What caused that connector to heat up is not too much current, it's either a slightly loose connection, or a little bit of corrosion. The current bridges the poor connection, in return, making little tinny sparks, and causing heat. Certainly not the best thing around the fuel pump. If the problem reoccurs, I would clean the contacts and pins very carefully on that connector, and use some good contact cleaner on it. I might want to use some dielectric grease on the connectors as well.

Bad idea, the pump is submerge in the gas tank so gasoline act as a solvent to the dielectric grease.

[X5Cat]

Originally Posted by upallnight

Bad idea, the pump is submerge in the gas tank so gasoline act as a solvent to the dielectric grease.

Actually, the pin connection is on top of the plastic fuel pump housing, outside of the fuel tank. It is normally sealed off from gasoline, until you have a problem like this which results in a hole in the fuel chamber. Dielectric, I'm hoping, will reduce the chance of that hole reoccurring, thereby keeping the fuel and its vapors away from the connection.

[ard]

Originally Posted by X5Cat

Actually, the pin connection is on top of the plastic fuel pump housing, outside of the fuel tank. It is normally sealed off from gasoline, until you have a problem like this which results in a hole in the fuel chamber. Dielectric, I'm hoping, will reduce the chance of that hole reoccurring, thereby keeping the fuel and its vapors away from the connection.

Agree. Those pins are in air.


Contacts in a fuel tank are always a bad idea. TWA800.

[X5Cat]

Yes, that flight entered my mind as soon as I saw the charred connection.

Went to a local dealership to order a new electrical connector. There are actually several subpieces to the connector. Ordering was a little complicated, which is why I didn't buy the connector online. $40-something plus tax, and I have to assemble the two pins and other parts to it, and hopefully be able to remove & salvage a little rubber boot from the old one and place on the new.

Guys around the shop seemed familiar with this problem, although they didn't seem to think it happened often enough to trigger a recall. Seemed to think its occurrence is actually forecasting a fuel pump failure (starting to draw too much current). No doubt that if the problem were to continue on unchecked there would be a failure of some sort, IMHO.

[X5Cat]

Oh, I'll also mention I plan on replacing the fuel filter. I'm thinking anything to reduce back pressure on the pump and allow it to draw less current might be a good thing.