Well I dropped (literally - oops) the gas tank from my 88 GT today. Of course it had to be packed full of nasty old gas. The thing hasn't run in an unknown number of years. I was going to work on replacing the pump for my 3800SC transplant. But when I got it down the tank was full of rust. I mean big globs and chunks of mud pie chocolate cake rust. "Pull a scoop up with your hand" amounts of rust. You get the picture. Garbage! I know that Hops up in Jacksonville gave me an old gas tank when I bought a parts car from him last year. But the parts car is over 3 hours from my house. Otherwise I would just go and check it out.

To the point...
Are there any differences in the Fiero gas tanks between different years? If so what are they? I imagine that any Fiero tank would work right?

[This message has been edited by 2002z28ssconv (edited 07-30-2006).]

You can make any year work--but the 88 was larger--that will be to your advantage with the 3800SC.

87/88 Tanks are the same the 84-86 tanks are smaller

As meantioned above but also the 87/88 tanks also use a small vapor tank in the rear passenger 1/4 panel.

Tanks can be steamed clean to remove all the crap and even relined. Check your yellow page for someone the does gas tank/radiator repairs.

I had the same chocolate chip chunks of rust in my 84 when I dropped the tank. The path of least resistance is a new tank.

There was one in the mall yesterday, of the 87/88 design. I looked for months for a later design tank and couldn't find one, then the day after I installed mine one pops up in the mall.

If you do go get one, make sure you know how to tell the difference.
87-88 Has the seam of the Top-Bottom halves right near the bottom of the tank, while 84-86 has it more in the middle. The 87-88 tanks also have a fairly flat bottom. The 84-86 has about 1 inch step up/down roughly in the middle of the tank.

View of the seams 87-88 on right 84-86 on left:


View of the 84-86 bottom, note that at about the midpoint the bottom steps up/down, right by the wood block:

[This message has been edited by Xanth (edited 07-30-2006).]

If you can clean out the rust from your tank it can be sealed. I used a bike chain to knock off as much of the loose rust as I could. Next I put rust converter (changes iron oxide to iron phosphate, which is inert) in the tank and waited 24 hours for it to work. Finally, I used Bill Hirsch tank sealer. I did this to a van I have in 1984 and it's still working, no rust through or rust flakes in the gas. As always work safe. Old gas will still burn.

Here is one supplier of the tank sealer:

http://sullivansgarage.com/miva?/Merchant2/merchant.mv+Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SGYMAFS&Product_Code=BHTSOP&Category_Code=PS

http://sullivansgarage.com/miva?/Merchant2/merchant.mv+Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SGYMAFS&Category_Code=PS

The Fiero tank has plastic baffles in it and I think it would be very difficult to clean the tank out. It took me less than 30 minutes to harvest a tank from a parts car. I don't know how long that tank cleaning process takes, but it sounds difficult at best.

I thought the gas tanks were plastic? Is it just the outer shell or something thats plastic?

quote Originally posted by toadson: I thought the gas tanks were plastic? Is it just the outer shell or something thats plastic?

It's the interior baffle that's plastic.

Thanks for the info. Join me for a round of "+"s. I think I'll just use the one I have in the parts car. It's an early model. Maybe I'll change it out one day down the road. It's an easy job anyway.

The outside of my gas tank is plastic. Now Im confused lol. Are the outside of Fiero gas tanks supposed to be metal or all they are plastic? Sorry for my stupidity but Im new to Fieros. Just trying to learn as much as I can while Im addicted.

quote Originally posted by toadson: The outside of my gas tank is plastic. ...

I''ve never seen a plastic Fiero Gas Tank...you must have a rare aftermarket one or something.

If mine is plastic then it's one of those rare polymers that turns into iron oxide over time.

Didn't know about the plastic baffle. I suppose you could use the steam clean process Mickey_Moose mentioned, then seal it.

jscott1 that outside tank is a candidate for rust converter. Bering Hardware used to carry it, if your near them, and they still exist. I think any hardware store carries it. Look for phosphoric acid as the main ingredient.

Hey, I know it's easy to change a tank. IMHO We as a car club have got to start restoring parts, as the parts and parts cars are drying up. These cars are 19-22 years old and counting. Rust never sleeps.

mine's plastic; i'vs seen it! ...???

but in your case, replace it, fewer headaches.
my .02

quote Originally posted by OHNIKO: mine's plastic; i'vs seen it! ...??? but in your case, replace it, fewer headaches. my .02

I'd like to see this plastic tank of yours. Maybe someone coated it in the past. I'm pretty sure none left the factory plastic coated.

Webbee - I appreciate what you are saying, but almost no one restores parts anymore. Nowadays you have access to reproduction parts, and inumerable parts from the junk yards and the internet. I would only consider restoring my rusty gas tank if it was the last one on Earth. It's hard to justify all that work when you have at least THREE parts cars in your own back yard.

I probably alreay know the answer to this but does any make new tanks for the Fiero?

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" DRIVE IT LIKE YOU LOVE IT"

quote Originally posted by ohio86se: I probably alreay know the answer to this but does any make new tanks for the Fiero?

I hear rumors of someone making a stainless steel tank that was a little bigger for the kit car market. I don't know if that is true or not.