Do BMWs suffer from Fuel Filter separation problems?
Discussion
Do some BMWs suffer from in tank Fuel Filter separation problems?
Reason I ask is that I have just obtained a half decent 03-Reg MG ZT Turbo which refuses to start. Checking the Fuel Filter under the rear nearside passenger seat location shows the Filter Top has partially separated and twisted anti-clockwise about 15mm.
The components appear rather complicated and several have the BMW logo clearly on them.
I checked an 03 Rover 75 in a local yard and noted the presence of the FOC ( Fabled Orange Clip ) on the Filter Assembly which had not been disturbed. Conveniently, someone had already removed the actual Fuel Pump form the other Driver's side of the fuel tank which enabled me to carefully extract the Fuel Filter and its various components including those meter long hoses to-from Fuel Pump. Looks like new and perfectly aligned. The presence of the FOC indicates the filter has separated at some stage in previous ownership hence the Orange Clip.
I have bought a FOC and the O-Ring seal which web searches indicate get damaged during separation and repair.
Any pointers and advice here will be greatly appreciated before I tackle the job on the ZT Turbo. I'll x-post this on the Rover 75 and MG PH sites.
Reason I ask is that I have just obtained a half decent 03-Reg MG ZT Turbo which refuses to start. Checking the Fuel Filter under the rear nearside passenger seat location shows the Filter Top has partially separated and twisted anti-clockwise about 15mm.
The components appear rather complicated and several have the BMW logo clearly on them.
I checked an 03 Rover 75 in a local yard and noted the presence of the FOC ( Fabled Orange Clip ) on the Filter Assembly which had not been disturbed. Conveniently, someone had already removed the actual Fuel Pump form the other Driver's side of the fuel tank which enabled me to carefully extract the Fuel Filter and its various components including those meter long hoses to-from Fuel Pump. Looks like new and perfectly aligned. The presence of the FOC indicates the filter has separated at some stage in previous ownership hence the Orange Clip.
I have bought a FOC and the O-Ring seal which web searches indicate get damaged during separation and repair.
Any pointers and advice here will be greatly appreciated before I tackle the job on the ZT Turbo. I'll x-post this on the Rover 75 and MG PH sites.
Ordered a small Filter Kit off ebay which contains the FOC ( Fabled Orange Clip ) and the thin O-Ring ( Viton ) which my searches revealed is likely to be damaged during the removal repair. As it happened, there were TWO of those thin O-Rings displaced in the Fuel Filter assembly so someone has been at it in previous ownership not very successfully. This is the Ebay item I ordered a few days ago which arrived yesterday :~
WJC000230
Anyway, made a start at 5pm this afternoon and fitting it was fiddly rather than difficult not helped by the tank being over 3/4 full! It is recommended to only do this repair with a near empty fuel tank. Now I could have drained most of it off but where do you put 40+ Litres of Ron's best 95 ...
So I worked with the near full tank and used no less than three pairs of blue Nitrile gloves .. 
This picture shows the location of the filter after I had completed the job.
Meantime, pending arrival of that kit, I visited my local breaker yard and there was an 03 V6 Rover 75 there which has the identical fuel tank as the ZT 1.8t. Someone had conveniently already removed the rear seat and the Fuel Pump. The Fuel Filter Access Cover was still undisturbed in place. I soon had the cover plate removed ( four 10mm Bolts and washers ) revealing the Fuel Filter Assembly. A few taps anti-clockwise with a small hammer on the securing ring quickly released it. I then prised out the Fuel Filter Assembly. Guess what. The Orange ( FOC ) Clip was in place! .. 
Here it is already unclipped :~
Even so, I'm glad I had already ordered a new one which came with the new Viton O-Ring. As the Fuel Pump had already been removed from the other side of the fuel tank. It was not difficult to remove the Filter Assembly along with it's long fuel pipes and other lines and connections attached. I bought it anyway as I was keen to learn "how to" without damaging these components in the car.
I found it very difficult, correction, impossible to reassemble the car's Fuel Filter with the new O-Ring in place. So, used the spare got from the breaker car to see what's what. I discovered that by removing the actual filter element and inserting that in the filter cap rather than leaving it in the main body of the filter allowed almost immediate completion of reassembly. Once that was done and with the FOC in place all back together, I reconnected the Battery terminals. Inserted key in ignition and turned to ignition on but not as far as the starter operation. Clearly heard the Fuel Pump hum as it primed the system and this time that took about twice as long as the usual 2-3 seconds. Felt that was a good sign. The turned the key to the starter position and the engine started immediately. Deeop joy .. :lol:
So for a financial outlay of twenty five quid, plus about a total of 3-4 hours leisurely DIY time ( which included scrap yard visit ) I had effected a cure to the lack of fuel pressure. Now consider this :~
My recent web searches for information on this problem revealed some very expensive and unnecessary tales of woe. Some poor devils charged £800-900 quid to rectify the problem which others have sorted for the cost of that Orange Clip ... around six quid...
Another bonus, I learned more about the fuel supply on these cars which use these BMW components.
WJC000230
WJC000230
Anyway, made a start at 5pm this afternoon and fitting it was fiddly rather than difficult not helped by the tank being over 3/4 full! It is recommended to only do this repair with a near empty fuel tank. Now I could have drained most of it off but where do you put 40+ Litres of Ron's best 95 ...
So I worked with the near full tank and used no less than three pairs of blue Nitrile gloves .. This picture shows the location of the filter after I had completed the job.
Meantime, pending arrival of that kit, I visited my local breaker yard and there was an 03 V6 Rover 75 there which has the identical fuel tank as the ZT 1.8t. Someone had conveniently already removed the rear seat and the Fuel Pump. The Fuel Filter Access Cover was still undisturbed in place. I soon had the cover plate removed ( four 10mm Bolts and washers ) revealing the Fuel Filter Assembly. A few taps anti-clockwise with a small hammer on the securing ring quickly released it. I then prised out the Fuel Filter Assembly. Guess what. The Orange ( FOC ) Clip was in place!
.. Here it is already unclipped :~
Even so, I'm glad I had already ordered a new one which came with the new Viton O-Ring. As the Fuel Pump had already been removed from the other side of the fuel tank. It was not difficult to remove the Filter Assembly along with it's long fuel pipes and other lines and connections attached. I bought it anyway as I was keen to learn "how to" without damaging these components in the car.
I found it very difficult, correction, impossible to reassemble the car's Fuel Filter with the new O-Ring in place. So, used the spare got from the breaker car to see what's what. I discovered that by removing the actual filter element and inserting that in the filter cap rather than leaving it in the main body of the filter allowed almost immediate completion of reassembly. Once that was done and with the FOC in place all back together, I reconnected the Battery terminals. Inserted key in ignition and turned to ignition on but not as far as the starter operation. Clearly heard the Fuel Pump hum as it primed the system and this time that took about twice as long as the usual 2-3 seconds. Felt that was a good sign. The turned the key to the starter position and the engine started immediately. Deeop joy .. :lol:
So for a financial outlay of twenty five quid, plus about a total of 3-4 hours leisurely DIY time ( which included scrap yard visit ) I had effected a cure to the lack of fuel pressure. Now consider this :~
My recent web searches for information on this problem revealed some very expensive and unnecessary tales of woe. Some poor devils charged £800-900 quid to rectify the problem which others have sorted for the cost of that Orange Clip ... around six quid...
Another bonus, I learned more about the fuel supply on these cars which use these BMW components.WJC000230
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