I am swapping a LS1 into my v6 Firebird and I have the opportunity to get a 4th Gen fuel tank. My car has very low milage on it and the tank is in very good shape. Should Consider changing it when I replace the fuel pump, I know wiring and other mods will need to happen. What are the benefits of the swap other than it being lighter and it will never rust?

 

What I considered a huge benefit a couple of decades ago when/why I swapped to the 4th gen tank was the removable filler neck. Several fuel tank service drops since then always remind me of that choice. Next big benefit to me was the almost starvation proof plastic bucket design the fuel pump sits in. I am happy!

M

 

Walbro 255 L/hr pump will support a naturally aspirated LS1. Easy install in stock fuel tank.

I don't think 4th gen tank is worth the work in your case unless you want the charcoal canister out of the engine bay. 4th gen tank has charcoal canister mounted to it.

Might be worth getting the tank anyway so you can think about it and do the swap later if you want. Sometimes you just buy stuff when it's available because it might not be available when you want it. And you can always sell it for same price.

 

Thank you, I wanted to get rid of the charcoal canister and i was not sure if you could make it work without it. I have a friend that is big into 4th gen's and I can trade with him so i think that i will get the tank.

 

To me the fuel bucket in the tank to prevent starvation is so nice. Always so frustrating to be at half or below and get starvation on corners depending on how hard you turn. When its really low you can starve on a 90* corner at like 15mph.

 

If you're already dropping the tank to do the fuel pump, I'd seriously think about swapping it. Read up and plan ahead, and it's honestly only an extra couple of hours of work to put the 4th gen back in.

 

Also the late model 4th gen gas tank is plastic and won't rust and it holds 18 gallons of fuel vs the stock 3rd gen's 15.5 gallon gas tank

 

I've been meaning to get to a junkyard and find one of these 4th gen gas tanks. Do you know what year cars the bigger, plastic tanks were in?

 

99-02 is what I've seen. Be aware the fuel sending units are the most difficult part of the swap now.

 

 

Thank you, ratfink and Airwolfe! I'm not concerned about the different fuel sending unit because I'm installing a Holley 12.3" ProDash. I have one in my LS376/480, Tremec T56 Magnum swapped '91 Fox coupe. I'm spoiled with that ProDash in the Mustang so I'll go through the misery of figuring out how to make it fit in the dash of my '87 IROC.

 

Make sure to ask how they drain the tanks when the cars come in. I know two of the local yards to me just drill a hole in the lowest corner and plug it with a plastic cap, effectively ruining the tank. It's just quicker for them.

 

Wow! I never thought about that. I guess I should've known that they may drain the gas tanks but it never occurred to me. Thank you for the heads up. Now I'm kinda worried about getting a junkyard gas tank.

 

Yeah, I did the same thing, and the guy at the counter mentioned it. I ended up just keeping an eye of CL and Marketplace for someone parting out a car and snagged theirs.

 

You can also easily drop in dual 525 pumps if you're ever planning on going that way

 

when i was in your shoes, i stayed with the stock style tank.
holley, i think, makes an efi style tank with another 1.5 glllan capacity.
so i went with that.