I would like to take a poll on how long we third gen lovers will have to wait before people stop asking "cant I just hack a hole to get the fuel pump out??"

 

I think the argument will always be around. There are people with phenomenal looking cars with custom work done that think it is a good idea. I would never do it to one of my cars. But considering most look like they were opened with a can opener, it will always have a negative connotation for us.

 

Looking forward to doing it on my 91 T/A. Sure, I'd drop the rearend if it were a nicer car, but I figure since it was considered a total loss by insurance anyway, what's the difference if it's got another hole in it that no one's going to see?

I'd never dream of doing the access hole on my '02 though. Comes down to the car IMHO.

 

The difference between a shade tree mechanic and a true technician is apparent. JMO.

 

I'm going to do it on my IROC, but not in the "normal" way. While my gas tank is out, I'm going to cut a proper hole and tack a ring around it with threaded inserts, and make a "cover" from a spare floor pan. The result will be an OEM-quality access point, not the usual hack & slash butchery.

 

I think that Jim85IROC has the right idea. If you want to do it, make the job look professional and the fuel pump serviceable. When making a change like this, lets not forget the safety factor though. A solid panel above the tank may have been required to pass rear end crash testing criteria. Sounds a little crazy but putting in an access panel may not have been possible under our gov't testing criteria. We cannot change the fact that this "design flaw" was incorporated in our cars but we need to insure that we do not jeopardize our safety by putting in a hole that breaches the passenger compartment right at the fuel source. So, if we choose to do the mod, lets make sure the end product is as structurally sound as the original design.

 

I don't like hacking holes in a perfectly good car. Just put a good pump in and forget about it. And after you drop the tank once, it's really not that difficult.

 

Until that "good pump" takes a crap and you have to replace it barely a year after putting it in.

 

You ain't seen nothing nyet.

As these cars filter their way down into .... more .... economically sensitive ........ demographics, it'll just get worse.

Just you wait. Barbarisms will appear that you have not even conceived of yet.

 

That is the funniest thing I've read in a long time.

 

Hacking and car should not be in the same sentence unless you are building a Saturday night dirt track racer.

 

Agreed

 

The problem I see with just hacking a hole in the tank is getting everything out. IIRC the hard tubes run down the front of the tank, so I could not just hack a hole, it would have to be rather huge to do so. Besides, the risk of cutting a line, or damaging the tank was not worth it in the end... Jack it up, drop the axle, and drop the tank.

 

That's why u cut a medium sized hole and cut the hard lines. Then put the lines back together with compression fittings. An access panel does not have to be a hack job. Dropping the a axle exhaust and tank to swap a fuel pump is just another way for a mechanic to squeeze money out of a misguided preservationist. If a 1LE rolled across at Barrett Jackson for 25k how would you know if it has a access panel or not?

 

What makes you think that hasn't already been the case for YEARS!!! Sub $1,000 running third gens have been around for a decade now. They can't get any cheaper...

 

... I traded two non running project bikes for mine. That's about as cheap as it can get.

Now as far as the access panel goes, I'm of the mindset that it can either be a horrible hack or a great mod depending on how its done. I'm going to do it to mine when I get the cash for materials and everything I need to replace in the fuel tank. I'm going to do it up right and use high quality materials and fittings. I just have to decide what style panel I want: hinged or totally removable. I will be dropping the tank to cut it out so it will be done right from both sides. The access panel is simply going to be for maintenance and future mods.

 

On any thirdgen that I may buy from a private sale or even Barret-Jackson, I will be checking for this "hack hole". If the car had 10k miles and in mint condition, but had this "mod" done, I will walk away from the sale. In my eyes, this is structural damage to the body of the car and any car that I am interested in buying is severely devalued by having structural damage. When I worked at the auto auction, a small hole drilled in the door jamb and plugged by any previous dent company was marked on the windshield as "structural damage" and the car was usually sold for considerably less than a comparable "undamaged" car.

 

Oh if mine didn't have 180+k and need body work already I wouldn't be quite so eager to do it. My tank has to come out anyway and I know its no fun from past experience with my '86. I know I'll have to get to the fuel pump again at some point so I figure I'll make it easy on myself. I don't really want to get into the whole argument of if its right or not because everyone has their own opinion on the matter. Sufficed to say I feel it will benefit myself in the long run as I rebuild this car.

 

I'll never do that to my cars.

 

The number of times a fuel pump needs replacing and we have this many people discussing the lazy way of doing the job. My truck is 7 years old and I just replaced the fuel pump the first time at 125k miles. My Camaro was 20+ when I replaced the fuel pump. This isn't a monthly or even annual process. Is it really that difficult to do this once every 15-20 years and do it the correct way? I just don't understand the reason for the shortcuts. I also have to question what this has to do with History or Originality as cutting the hole is far from original.

 

Amen

 

Agreed, they can't get much cheaper than the $300 stinkbug piles on craigslist...they are and have been in the trailer parks for close to two decades already.

Also agreed, I had mine done probably around 2000-2001, did it the right way, and haven't had to do it since. Can't see needing to do it for another 10+ years, at which point it will be done the right way again.

If you don't want to drop the rear axle, just have the dealer or a reputable shop do it. Two days on an indy shop's lift and my car was good as new. The $500 was plenty worth it; and before all the cheapskates come in and talk about how they don't have $500 for a fuel pump when they'd rather spend that money on ratty weld wheels and true dual exhaust, get your priorities straight.

It really saddens me how our cars STILL get treated this way. We deserve the stereotype, every bit of it.

 

Agreed. My car is very modded at this point with pretty much nothing original but when my original fuel pump died i had the choice between dropping the tank or cutting the hole. I dropped the tank and will do it again if need be. I cant see adding a hole when dropping the axle and tank is not really that big of a deal.

 

I can only speak for myself on this so its only my opinion. I plan on cutting one while I have the tank out. For my build its going to serve dual purpose as an access for the fuel pump and as an access point for future mods I plan on doing. I am well aware of the majorities opinion on the matter and I respect that.

Its not so much that I don't want to go to a shop because for some things I'm going to have to farm out the work. I 1) can't afford a shop right now and 2) have other things I need to spend money on. I need to do my head gaskets and put in a new fan for the new radiator I put in. I feel my priorities are pretty straight for what I want vs. what I need.

 

...and there it is.

What other future "mods" could you possibly due through a fuel tank hole in the trunk floor?

 

I was actually thinking of putting on air bags and running lines back through the trunk. I did a similar setup on one of my buddies cars and not made fine tuning so much easier because you are in one spot. I could also use the access for hiding wiring and other small tasks.

This is of course down the line after I get the car running right.

 

How often does a fuel pump really go out?

Not enough to ad an access door imo.

 

Its so easy to remove and replace the pump anyway. Why would you need an access hole??? In MY case the rear stayed in place. 45 minutes to get the tank out.......It takes longer to cut the hole!!!

 

I know at least you have to remove the drive shaft, sway bar, and the track bar, you could drop the axle straight down, but I would think that you could ruin the brake line...

How did you do this?

 

Drive shaft can stay.

There is a bolt holding the centre flex line on the axle. Take that bolt out and also pop the steel brake lines out of thier retaining tabs that are on the axle. This way the axle can be dropped WAY down without opening the brake hydraulics, and still leave plenty of room to wiggle the gas tank out.