Everyone talks about having to drop the tank, but I distinctly remember reading somewhere that you can access it from inside. Something about under the carpet from the back seat? There's a body panel that can be knocked out, and that provides direct access to the pump assembly? Is this ringing anyone's bells or total wishful thinking? Thanks ahead.

-Reno

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'88 Firebird LB8
"Cerberus"
-Supercharged Hybrid LB8/L32 Project-
"Got a green light, got a red light, no cop, no stop, man I don't care, every one of you could be the same, every one of you could play this game, got a green light, got a green light but you're going nowhere..."
http://www.angelfire.com/il/Firebird28/index.html

 

It was said that you COULD cut a hole in your back and do it, but it was risky because of the low clearance between body and fuel tank.

 

I replied a bit on this on your other post.

You have to drop it once to make the hole. If you simply cut a hole, you risk damaging the fuel lines underneath and possible sparking the tank and blasting yourself to the stratosphere.

Another note: You have to cut the lines that come out of the tank and replace them with rubber lines. Only about a 1/2 foot or so. NAPA carries HI_PRESS rubber fuel line for the main fuel feed. You can use regular rubber line for the other three: return, canister and vent.

The first time I did the FP removal, I did not drop the tank all the way; just lower enough to get my hands in there. Yes I cut the hole with the tank still in, but all the fuel was siphoned out. Still NOT A GOOD IDEA. Ya never know!! I tried to pull the pick-up assembly out, but it really was a pain in the rear. Since the fuel line goes out of the pick up and towards the front, then makes a 90 degree turn to the driver side, then 90 degress to the front blah blah blah .... I found myself making the hole larger and larger. I finally got it off (after getting extremely pizzed off) bending the main fuel line a bit. (by that time I had cut the other three since I was not concerned with them) I got it out and after doing a FP test, realized that the bend did not make a difference in flow(on a slow 305, but if I increased anything I would bet I would run into problems.)

My advice: Drop it once, make the hole, modify the fuel lines and put everyhting back up(Including the heat sheilds ..... I did not want to either, but do it so you do not heat up your fuel tank. I added some runner foam in some areas to prevent rattling) and locktie it all down.

Make sure that the fp is the problem by doing a fp test like the one outlined in a Chilton Manual. One time I did not do that cause I talked to several tech guys and they said for sure it was the fp. Turned out it was an injector. I found the faulty injector by measuring the OHMS across all of them. One was erratic.

Hope this helps!! Email me if ya need some more...

Mike

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Michael Graeber

My Garage

1)83 Z-28 T-Top: Full cage, 9" w/ lad.bars, Midwest Engine Tech 406sbc,Strip Dominator, Demon Carb, Phase VI Chevy Bowtie heads, .630" Crower roller set-up, 1 3/4 coated Hookers 3" true dual exhaust th400, fuel cell & still not running

2)89 Formula WS-6 305 TPI Auto For the road: minor motor, more suspension stuff. MODS

 

Mike, I always wonderd how guys pulled the sending unit/pump assembly out with all those steel lines in there! I thought it was impossible unless a really large hole was cut!

I dropped my tank also; aside from a bent bolt in the track bar brace (that I never got out), the job wasn't too hard; just a ton of work.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

First thing is to make sure you have plenty of time set aside to do this.

Get the rear of your car up as high as you can safely. Remove both rear tires. Drop your exhaust from the cat back, you can move it out of the way later when you drop the rearend. Remove your panhard bar and the trackbar. In my case I removed the rear shocks completely to just make sure I had enough room. Make sure you have the rearend supported before you remove the shocks. Then slowly let the rearend down. Undo the gas filler flange from the body. Get up in there and disconnect the lines to the tank. When actually removing the tank, take your time, the higher the car is the easier for removal. I found by letting the passenger side down first I could clear the filler neck and not bend it. More people have bent the neck trying to remove the tank. You know they didn't bend the filler neck to install it, so you don't have to to get it out!

I hope this helps. It's been a few months since I have done this so I might be forgetting a thing or two. Maybe someone else can add a few suggestions.I was able to do the whole job in a day, and I am very slow and thorough.

Good luck.





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1969 Falcon

1992 Artic White Firebird

1997 Black Firebird


1997 Black Firebird w/Y87 Package

 

Actually removing all the fuel from the tank made for an even more hazardous codition, since fuel vapors have a much lower flash point than does gasoline itself.
Just an FYI for those not aware of this fact.

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'86 Camaro SC 2.8 V6, 5spd, T-Tops
Bone Stock, except for:

(Performance)
Flowmaster cat back exhaust

(Non-Performance)
Pioneer DEH-P4000 head unit
Pioneer 6X9 Tri-Ax speakers
Jensen 8" dual voice coil sub
Blacked out tail lights and side markers (VHT
Nightshades spray tint)

(Hopefully these lists will grow quickly)

I like to think of it as a empty canvas

3

 

Why cant our cars ave the fuelpump in the engine and get its pressure from that cool litle extra cam lobe? Hey reno maybe you can put in a FuelPump that puts out more GPH

 

Read my sig and hold back tears. Thanks for the help on this question guys, but it's not a problem anymore...

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89 Formula

 

Did you keep anything off Cerebus? Like the Accel box?


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

All the important stuff. =) Accel box, amp, kickers, cd changer, overhead and center consoles, etc. I'd offer to sell you guys some of the upgrades (the consoles won't fit my new one, underdrive, etc), but I've found a buyer, and I don't want to rip the kid off, even though he's getting it for DIRT cheaper now.

-Reno

 

Well that's cool; you don't have to start from ground zero. You should've switched the rear axles; you're losing the 3.42! (Er, wait, when did the V6's go to 3.23's?)


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

A one legger? No-thank-you! I'd think even a 2.77 posi (stock) would do better with the power then a larger diameter one legger.

-Reno