Fuel pumps have a limited lifespan - usually somewhere between 100,000 and 200,000 miles. Some owners are cautious and see the fuel pump as a maintenance item after the 100K mark, but for the majority of us, we run our fuel pumps until they die. There are valid arguments to be made for each situation as a fuel pump can be very expensive. Spending $300 pre-emptively may be a waste of money if the original pump will last another 50,000 miles. However, for cars that need to be relied upon for business travel or family matters, replacing your fuel pump after 100K will often ensure at least another 100K of breakdown-free motoring, assuming the rest of the car is maintained in a similar fashion.
Gareth is here to show you how to change the fuel pump in his revered E39 BMW 528i. For the DIY'er, it's a straightforward job that can be done in the driveway, and only takes a short afternoon. Eliminate the possibility of getting stranded out of town, and save a few hundred bucks over giving this job to the BMW dealer.
Parts list:
BMW Fuel Pump (E39) - Genuine BMW - 16146752368
BMW Fuel Tank Level Sending Unit Right (E39) - Genuine BMW - 16146752370
About the Author
Gareth runs the BMW catalog at FCP Euro, he can be reached at gareth@fcpeuro.com
