Hey guys,
A while back (2-3 months) I upgraded my LPFP with the walbro 455. Works great, no issues. If it matters I regularly try to keep the car tank full or close to it. Yesterday I was clipping along about 80 on the way to work and the car shut off with a "fuel pump" error on the nav screen. It wouldn't restart. I assumed I popped a hose off the pump or something along those lines, but I was a little confused since if I let the car sit for a bit, and tried to restart it, it'd run for a while then sputter out. I watched low pressure fuel pressure and saw it'd hit ~90 psi cranking then a few seconds later sputter out at around 17 psi.
I opened up the tank and saw that the butt-connectors I used, which were included in the common walbro 455 kit, were not ethanol safe. They gummed up, joined, and eventually shorted out. I solved the issue by disassembling the OEM BMW connector and soldering/crimping the walbro electrical lines directly to it, which is kind of a PITA since that BMW connector isn't real friendly to take apart. Staggaring the butt connectors would have helped in this situation but regardless, the material would have degraded and it would have ultimately ended poorly.
So, heads up, be careful what you put in your tank. I assumed the parts that came with the ethanol pump were ethanol safe; I was incorrect. I consider myself fortunate that this didn't end up worse.
A while back (2-3 months) I upgraded my LPFP with the walbro 455. Works great, no issues. If it matters I regularly try to keep the car tank full or close to it. Yesterday I was clipping along about 80 on the way to work and the car shut off with a "fuel pump" error on the nav screen. It wouldn't restart. I assumed I popped a hose off the pump or something along those lines, but I was a little confused since if I let the car sit for a bit, and tried to restart it, it'd run for a while then sputter out. I watched low pressure fuel pressure and saw it'd hit ~90 psi cranking then a few seconds later sputter out at around 17 psi.
I opened up the tank and saw that the butt-connectors I used, which were included in the common walbro 455 kit, were not ethanol safe. They gummed up, joined, and eventually shorted out. I solved the issue by disassembling the OEM BMW connector and soldering/crimping the walbro electrical lines directly to it, which is kind of a PITA since that BMW connector isn't real friendly to take apart. Staggaring the butt connectors would have helped in this situation but regardless, the material would have degraded and it would have ultimately ended poorly.
So, heads up, be careful what you put in your tank. I assumed the parts that came with the ethanol pump were ethanol safe; I was incorrect. I consider myself fortunate that this didn't end up worse.
