When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
History / OriginalityGot a question about 1982-1992 Camaro or Firebird history? Have a question about original parts, options, RPO codes, when something was available, or how to document your car? Those questions, answers, and much more!
So I have the privilege of replacing a fuel pump in a rare 1989 1LE Camaro (non-R7U). Some would think this is not a fun project ... and it wasn't ... but for a history buff it was fun for other reasons. So here we go ... pics of what is inside the famous 1LE tank.
Here is the tank. The car is one of the earliest 89 1LE cars out there. Tank was never out that I can tell. The tank has an interesting number on the side .. no idea what it was ... car number 5? who knows. Maybe just that this tank was a 1LE tank. Other than the number, not much to see. All looks like other tanks. The condition of the tank is quite good considering the car is a northern car.
If any pics don't load ... give me a bit to fix. My uploads aren't working well.
As we go inside the tank, the differences emerge. Here is the fuel pump. The strainer is different than a non 1LE tank. The fuel level float is suppose to be different as well in order to read the fuel down to half a gallon.
AND I can config that with less than 1 gallon of fuel (I added it to an dry tank), the car started up and drove!)
Now here we go inside the tank. The baffle that is always talked about is a plastic basin that the pump, strainer and float all sit in. Somehow this small reservoir is what supplied fuel in hard corners. It worked.
Here in this picture is a stamping inside the tank. No idea what. Sort of reads ALUM 10/0/88 or something like that. An no the tank is not aluminum.
Here is the strainer off the pump.
Pump close up. AC model.
A replacement strainer acquired! Took a while to track down, but easy to get.
And here we have old and new. The new pump is a stock type replacement. No need for BIG flow for this car. It's more of a time capsule.
As always ... hope some find this interesting. I was always wanting to look at a real 1LE and see what the parts were. Most people would not be taking a car apart ... but not me. :-)
The strainer is different than a non 1LE tank. The fuel level float is suppose to be different as well in order to read the fuel down to half a gallon.
Maybe in 89. By 91 all TPI cars got the "1LE" tank, strainer, etc. I uploaded some photos of a tank, fuel pump hanger, etc from a 91 Formula about a year ago in this thread : https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...ml#post5920265
I just did a fuel pump in my 89 formula 350 vert and it also has the baffled tank with double sided strainer. (The original 1LE tank had some rust in it but got lucky and found another 1LE tank)
I'm thinking about dropping my tank again and doing a similar inspection. If I get around to it, I'll let you know. I'm wondering if the ethanol in today's gas deteriorated something inside the lines causing my boiling gas issue. Thinking of doing an entire gas line/return swap. It might not fix it, but I won't have to question it.
Is this not the same as the ACDELCO TS44? AC Delco's website shows that is the "COMPONENTS OF Z28 Perf Pkg(1LE)" and is the strainer listed.
I bought it from Rock Auto and it was the same size as the one I took out of my '92 T/A Convertible 5.0L TPI/5-Speed when I recently changed the fuel pump. Even though Pontiac didn't really allow those (factory convertible) cars to have any of the performance options, as Drew said, mine also had the baffle.
Originally Posted by Mark_ZZ3
A replacement strainer acquired! Took a while to track down, but easy to get.
Is this not the same as the ACDELCO TS44? AC Delco's website shows that is the "COMPONENTS OF Z28 Perf Pkg(1LE)" and is the strainer listed.
I bought it from Rock Auto and it was the same size as the one I took out of my '92 T/A Convertible 5.0L TPI/5-Speed when I recently changed the fuel pump. Even though Pontiac didn't really allow those (factory convertible) cars to have any of the performance options, as Drew said, mine also had the baffle.
I started with that number as well ... and what was shipped was this part. Same design. Only me and you will know the strainer isn't a GM part. :-) I was happy to find the same design just to be "correct" so to speak.
I have 2 89s, both 350 cars 4,000 or so apart on the vin and the early car didn't have the 1LE tank and the later car did.
That's interesting. So on your later car, did it "starve" for fuel in corners?
On my early (build date, Sep 1988) 1989, it starved for fuel when below 1/4 tank. Not sure on the convertible I have now, but it was built after Jan 1989. Maybe even later. I'd have to check.
Sounds good. While we're at it, I wouldn't mind know the build date of the car Mark was referring to in the first post.
This is in my 89 Camaro. Build date was Jan 1989. Tank had a date on the inside of Oct 88 if I recall. This baffle is the "high wall" one referred to on the GM sheets. My 88 car has a similar one, but lower.
That's interesting. So on your later car, did it "starve" for fuel in corners?
On my early (build date, Sep 1988) 1989, it starved for fuel when below 1/4 tank. Not sure on the convertible I have now, but it was built after Jan 1989. Maybe even later. I'd have to check.
I bought a new Formula 350 in 89. Took deliver early February 1989. It was ordered in December. It would sputter on hard corners with a quarter tank.
This is in my 89 Camaro. Build date was Jan 1989. Tank had a date on the inside of Oct 88 if I recall. This baffle is the "high wall" one referred to on the GM sheets. My 88 car has a similar one, but lower.
Mark.
Thanks!
At some point the baffled tank became more or less standard. I've always wondered if my May 1989 built IROC has it, since I've never experienced the sputtering around corners that I have with earlier cars near empty.
Just to clarify, neither of my cars have 1LE rpo code.
I'll have to get the VIN numbers and other info in a bit
Black 89 formula 350 TTOP 03/89 No 1LE tank (It does now) Yes, It used to starve in corners with low fuel, not since tank swap 25yrs ago.
Blue 89 formula 350 asc vert can't read door tag Has 1LE tank. Doesn't starve in corners with low fuel.
That's interesting. So on your later car, did it "starve" for fuel in corners?
On my early (build date, Sep 1988) 1989, it starved for fuel when below 1/4 tank. Not sure on the convertible I have now, but it was built after Jan 1989. Maybe even later. I'd have to check.
Just checked my Convertible. It was built Feb. 1989
At some point the baffled tank became more or less standard. I've always wondered if my May 1989 built IROC has it, since I've never experienced the sputtering around corners that I have with earlier cars near empty.
My earlier 5.7L car (Sep 1988 build on a 1989 GTA) would cough and lack power in a corner. It was awful.
On my convertible, I have yet to really drive it much. I just put my 2nd tank of fuel in the car in 1.5 years. Thought about fuel in cornering, but didn't "check" the issue. That was when I put gas in the car earlier in the month. I'll have to check next time it's low, which won't be until the salt/snow is off the roads.
FWIW my 89 was built in Feb of 89, and it used to sputter around hard corners when it was low. I was DD'ing the car when I bought it back in '98 and I was a young buck barely making enough to make ends meet. It was under a quarter tank a LOT! .....I knew of 3 turns on my way to work that would make the car sputter like clockwork when it was low.
FWIW my 89 was built in Feb of 89, and it used to sputter around hard corners when it was low. I was DD'ing the car when I bought it back in '98 and I was a young buck barely making enough to make ends meet. It was under a quarter tank a LOT! .....I knew of 3 turns on my way to work that would make the car sputter like clockwork when it was low.
Sputtering is a good thing.... You know your low on gas even if your fuel gauge isn't reliable!!
btw - I still have original fuel pump and strainer. looking forward to comparing them with these pics.
That's interesting. So on your later car, did it "starve" for fuel in corners?
On my early (build date, Sep 1988) 1989, it starved for fuel when below 1/4 tank. Not sure on the convertible I have now, but it was built after Jan 1989. Maybe even later. I'd have to check.
When I had my 1991 1LE Z28 at Lime Rock in October it "starved" for fuel with 1/3 of a tank. 1st lap I noticed it - it did it on 2 turns, next lap it did it on all of them, so I pulled off and got fuel.
When I had my 1991 1LE Z28 at Lime Rock in October it "starved" for fuel with 1/3 of a tank. 1st lap I noticed it - it did it on 2 turns, next lap it did it on all of them, so I pulled off and got fuel.
All the baffle does is slow the fuel from sloshing around the tank. The return line dumps the excess fuel back into the plastic tub with the fuel strainer, but eventually you'll have burned the reserve that the baffle and return provides.
All the baffle does is slow the fuel from sloshing around the tank. The return line dumps the excess fuel back into the plastic tub with the fuel strainer, but eventually you'll have burned the reserve that the baffle and return provides.
The tank as designed solved the fuel starvation issues for the Players tracks. (Some of those guys would run the least amount of gas to save weight). No issues afterwards. Baffle size was probably more than just a guess. Not sure for the Firehawk or SCCA guys ... perhaps they ran longer laps and ran lower on gas. Same goes for the brakes ... prior the the larger ones, teams were driving through corners because the brakes faded. Add larger rotors and for the most part it fixed the issues. Teams still used brake cooling ducts to better the stopping - but those were just repurposed air deflectors for the radiators on Irocs. TAs got neat sheet metals ones.
I should have asked the fellow running the 87 Iroc how his ran in the corners when I was running my car. I never had any issues other than hanging on! I do recall my 89 Formula would sputter in corners.
Anyone have pics of the plastic tub? That would be similar to the 4th gen setup and if those parts are still available could be a better swap alternative than a 4th gen tank.
Anyone have pics of the plastic tub? That would be similar to the 4th gen setup and if those parts are still available could be a better swap alternative than a 4th gen tank.
Originally Posted by Drew
Maybe in 89. By 91 all TPI cars got the "1LE" tank, strainer, etc. I uploaded some photos of a tank, fuel pump hanger, etc from a 91 Formula about a year ago in this thread : https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...ml#post5920265
Back in the day, the Tech Data was a text document called "Camaro Technical Database" on F-body.org covering more than just Thirdgens. It didn't necessarily originate there, but that was the first place I remember seeing it in it's entirety. That original document credited "Original By Pierre-Henry Marbot (phm@brl.ee.washington.edu)" can be viewed here - http://www.teufert.net/camaro/67-95camaro.htm Note some of the hotlinks still direct to the defunct f-body.org website. The text from that document was copied and pasted, shared wide and far across the internet. Parts of it are copied verbatim on many websites.
When Thirdgen.org came along, the 82-92 section was copied, and a few bits of Firebird trivia were added. People started noticing glaring, obvious errors, so I did a rather extensive edit somewhere around 1998, or 99. I fixed a bunch of little errors and more obvious errors, and notably expanded a lot of the Firebird data. 1LE info was more open to debate at that point, so I left it alone.
I'd intended to go back and do another edit, but I really just lost interest in fixing it. When Dirk stopped administrating the forum, that pretty much ended my contributions to the site since that was my avenue for making contributions.
That's the origin, as best as I remember, and kind of how the rumor has spread, and why it's still in the Tech Data.
I
I can confirm that an 88 Iroc had the plastic baffle inside the tank. I just replaced my fuel pump and looked inside the tank. Also cleaned the tank as well.
06-21-2016, 09:57 PM
