Engine Performance problem
1996 BMW Z3 4 cyl Two Wheel Drive Manual 109000 miles
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Hi-My 1996 BMW Z3 TODAY began hesitating in exceleration...right after being totally on empty and filling up with $4.29 premium gas at a Phillips 66 store. It was running excellent before...however, the "check engine" light has been on for about 2 years. A friend who was a BMW mechanic told me the way to fix it was to put tape over it...not a real problem he said...and he seemed to be right..until today. Just seems too odd that it coincided with being totally on empty for gas and then with the fill up the problems started? Any ideas? Thanks.

Running the car out of gas with an aged fuel pump might well have killed the fuel pump as the fuel is used to cool the pump. Run a pressure and volume test on the pump and if it doesn't pass, replace the pump and try not to run it out of gas again.