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After Jerry posted about the 1LE fuel tank on eBay I decided to do some investigating. I was almost going to bid on it but decided to wait. I have other items I want to buy that take priority – like a set of HMS strut mounts.
Anyway, a little reading at http://www.1le.net revealed some interesting information. Apparently ALL '90-'92 F-bodies received the "baffled" fuel tank.
The difference lies in the fact that the 1LE cars also received the longer fuel pick-up, bigger fuel pump, and double fuel strainer.
So, the tank itself is not rare. It's the parts inside the tank that make the difference. This will probably create a mad frenzy at the dealership, but I did run all the numbers with Dal at VanDevere Olds/Buick and ALL the 1LE fuel components are still available thru GM. I will be doing this upgrade at some point.
Last edited by BretD 88GTA; 01-24-2003 at 09:47 PM.
Originally posted by BretD 88GTA Anyway, a little reading at http://www.1le.net revealed some interesting information. Apparently ALL '90-'92 F-bodies received the "baffled" fuel tank.
I thought this was common knowledge?? Thats why the later model thirdgens dont die when you go around a corner with less than a 1/4 tank of gas.
And the only fuel tank still available for thirdgens is the later model one.
Originally posted by Kevin91Z I thought this was common knowledge?? Thats why the later model thirdgens dont die when you go around a corner with less than a 1/4 tank of gas.
Kevin,
Prior to Jerry's post I had never looked into this before, so to me it was new information. Plus, there's still a bit of mythology floating around reagrding the 1LE cars so I don't think that many people are aware of this.
I do have to say though that I've never had a problem with my '88 sputtering going around corners with low fuel. Now, back in '95 I did have a dealership repair my fuel tank because it would leak at the base of the filler neck when full. I was always under the impression they had repaired the leak. I'm wondering now if the dealership just went ahead and replaced the tank all together. I'm gonna have to check this out.
OK, my car will die out if I take a hard turn with not much gas in it.... ??? The only time the tank has been removed, was when I changed the pump, so I know it is the original......
Originally posted by Dyno Don Usually they just replaced the leaky tank with a new one.
I was at my Chev dealer one day and saw 20 of them stacked up.
The only thing that made me think they repaired my existing tank was that they charged $500 IIRC. That inlcudes the repair to the tank, a new fuel pump, new fuel strainer, and all the labor involved. All this work was also performed in one day. I was going out of town and had to have my car back ASAP. I took the car in on a Friday morning and picked it up at the end of the day.
The prices Dal just gave are as follows:
gas tank 279.93 each
strainer 17.47 each (1LE part)
fuel pump 63.46 each (1LE part)
sender unit 235.91 each (1LE part)
Don, do you know if there's a part number on the tank I'd be able to see while under the car?
Last edited by BretD 88GTA; 01-25-2003 at 06:15 PM.
Originally posted by BretD 88GTA According to Dal, all those numbers have been superceeded by new numbers, but they do come up as available. It's just under $600 for all the parts.
Originally posted by Dwayne88IROC Is the 1LE fp better then say a Walbro 255?
The sender is the killer. What's so special here? Is it because it's custom for the baffled tank or would my stock sender work?
I haven't upgraded my stock stuff yet and I was going to get a walbro.
Dwayne,
I now have all the current part numbers from Dal and am checking into them. It appears that the fuel pump #25116163 is the only pump now available from GM. Similar to the baffled fuel tank. There may or may not be anything special about it. It is supposed to be bigger.
The 1LE sender is supposed to be longer than the standard unit. It reaches to almost the bottom of the tank and allows the car to run reliably down to the last 1/2 gallon of fuel. A nice feature when racing.
The 1LE strainer is supposed to be a dual pickup piece, opposed to the single pickup standard piece.
The newer (read as baffled) fuel tanks are also supposed to be 18 gal. capacity.
Originally posted by Dwayne88IROC Is the 1LE fp better then say a Walbro 255?
Not even close Dwayne. The stock 1LE fuel pump would be designed to handle the stock rating of 245 HP max. An aftermarket fuel pump would support at least twice that.
Originally posted by Kevin91Z Not even close Dwayne. The stock 1LE fuel pump would be designed to handle the stock rating of 245 HP max. An aftermarket fuel pump would support at least twice that.
Does this Walbro fit the stock in tank position or is it in line?
And how much do they cost.
The above part numbers are what chevy gave me after I gave him the 1le part numbers. I am trying to set my car up right, down to the last detail, but GM list is pretty killer.
The plan right now is to take the 91 RS tank I have get it cleaned, put in the sender and strainer for a 1le and use the walbro 255. Should work out to be a good combo.
PS side note... Anyone know if the gas tank "renu" process is any good?
Last edited by Jstcrzyengh; 11-18-2003 at 06:16 PM.
The above part numbers are what chevy gave me after I gave him the 1le part numbers. I am trying to set my car up right, down to the last detail, but GM list is pretty killer.
The plan right now is to take the 91 RS tank I have get it cleaned, put in the sender and strainer for a 1le and use the walbro 255. Should work out to be a good combo.
PS side note... Anyone know if the gas tank "renu" process is any good?
You might want to double-check that sender price. Here are the prices I got from Dal at Vandevere Pontiac-Buick back in January:
gas tank - $279.93 each - current part number is 10269091
sender unit - $235.91 each - current part number is 25027221
strainer - $17.47 each - current part number is 25027354
fuel pump - $63.46 each - current part number is 25116163
Well, the prices he gave you are essentially the prices that show up at gmpartsdirect.com. GM list is the 513. I figure little details like using the 1le sending unit and strainer may be that little bit of difference.
...In making it one more day without having to fill up again
Originally posted by formula91 You mean my '92 should have an 18 gallon fuel tank?
When my needle reaches a tick above the E I fill up and get about 14 gallons. Does that mean I actually have 4 more to go?
My fuel dash light is out, otherwise I'd drive it longer just to see how far I go.
No. The only "18 gal" tanks were in the "Players Series" cars. GM owned the cars and when the series end, all of the 18 gal tanks were removed and the racers could buy them outright. It costed $10,000 a year to race the cars and all cars were "sealed" so there wasn't much that could be done to the car so it was really a driver's series.
Originally posted by bluethunder28 No. The only "18 gal" tanks were in the "Players Series" cars. GM owned the cars and when the series end, all of the 18 gal tanks were removed and the racers could buy them outright. It costed $10,000 a year to race the cars and all cars were "sealed" so there wasn't much that could be done to the car so it was really a driver's series.
I've read in magazines that some 1LE owners claim to have 18 gallon tanks in their cars and 1LE.net (while it was still up and running) was making this claim as well. As Glenn posted and from the research I've done this not correct. The street versions of the 1LE cars have the same capacity fuel tank as the non-1LE cars -15.9 gallons.
Sorry to bring this thread back from the dead. My '88 IROC's fuel pump just died(1 week before the April 6th norcal gtg!) and I want to do the 1LE tank+guts swap. Anyways, my nieghbor works at a GM dealership and may be able to research the 1LE parts for me. Did anyone take pics of the 1LE parts they bought and compare them to shorter parts. I understand the double strainer and sender unit are longer and the later model tanks (90-92) have baffles. I just want to make sure I don't buy the same parts as I already have in my IROC. I've always been upset when fuel starve hits! Thanks in advance, Daniel U
__________________ '54 5 window TPI 5.7/700R4/10 bolt posi w/3:73
'85 Chevy P/U TPI 5.7/700R4/10 bolt w/3.73
'88 IROC TPI 5.7/700R4/ 9 bolt lim.slip 3:27
'99 Tahoe Vortec 5.7/4L60E/ 10 bolt posi w/4:11 Doing my part to warm the globe
The above part numbers are what chevy gave me after I gave him the 1le part numbers. I am trying to set my car up right, down to the last detail, but GM list is pretty killer.
The plan right now is to take the 91 RS tank I have get it cleaned, put in the sender and strainer for a 1le and use the walbro 255. Should work out to be a good combo.
Exactly what I want to do!
Last edited by Kevin91Z; 04-08-2008 at 12:44 AM.
Reason: fixed quoting
So the sending unit in the 90-92 tank is the same as the 1LE? Will the Doulble strainer fit on the sending unit. If I could see pictures I may be able to make my own?
No such thing that I am aware of. Another one of those myths about 3rd gens.
Do you mean the 1LE sending unit is a myth, or the "swinging pick up" is a myth? I have the 1LE sending unit part #. It's different from the standard sending unit part #. for your response. I just want the best fuel set up I could have got from the factory. I'm glad I don't have a true 1LE car, because I'd feel bad about using it as a DD. However, the idea to replace/repair my IROC with 1LE parts appeals to me. Kinda like slowly building a 1LE clone. Not for resale purposes, but to improve the cars performance.
No such thing that I am aware of. Another one of those myths about 3rd gens.
I think the confusion comes from the fact that there were two types of 1LE cars. The ones built specifically by GM for use in the Players racing series and the 1LE cars built for sale to the general public.
The 1LE street cars definitely had some extra goodies, but not some of the items of legend – i.e. the race-built cars had 18 gallon tanks with swinging pick-ups and dual strainers, so the street cars must have had the same.
Last edited by BretD 88GTA; 04-22-2008 at 04:32 PM.
Does anyone know if GM galvanized these tanks? I took my 91 tank to be cleaned out before putting all new 1LE guts in and it appeared to have a factory coating that bubbled off the inside of the tank after the cleaning process. Did I ruin a good tank? Any help is appreciated. Daniel U
So has anybody else done a full swap to the 1LE style setup? I was talking to Daniel U and he mentioned that after changing everything over, that his fuel gauge would only read 3/4 full when the gas tank was full of gas.....The 1LE sender not compatible with the 1988 gauge on his car?
I can't figure it out. I could see an old 20 year old sender having problems with the float not going to the top. But not a new system.
Its better to have a guage read 3/4 full when its full then 1/4 full when its empty.
depending on the guage floats, if they slide up and down on a tube not much you can do, if they are on a arm sometimes the arm can be bent.
I guess when I do upgrade the fuel pump I`ll have to look into some of this.I would like to have a baffled tank,however,to do away with the fuel starve.
you can e-mail the part numbers 
This is my upgrase when my FP dies......hopefully in a couple years 
Thats why the later model thirdgens dont die when you go around a corner with less than a 1/4 tank of gas. 
for your response. I just want the best fuel set up I could have got from the factory. I'm glad I don't have a true 1LE car, because I'd feel bad about using it as a DD. However, the idea to replace/repair my IROC with 1LE parts appeals to me. Kinda like slowly building a 1LE clone. Not for resale purposes, but to improve the cars performance. 
