What size tanks are in the different years? My GT has a 12gal I believe, but I remember someone posting once about a smaller tank in earlier yrs. Is this correct? and what year does it change?
TIA
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04:06 PM
PFF
System Bot
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
When you swap the larger tank into the earlier car you'll need the later year tank straps and mounting hardware, and you'll have to bend the flanges on the tank because they hit the floorpan.
JazzMan
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09:57 PM
fourfoot23 Member
Posts: 383 From: Orange County, CA Registered: Oct 2003
As Theogre points out the tanks themselves are about the same size, they just changed the pickup and changed the expansion system. To be perfectly safe you should also swap in the expansion tank that is mounted on the right rear quarter. It will allow expansion when the gas heats up.
Dang it he posted before I could hit send...
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 03-11-2005).]
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10:24 PM
slickrick2000 Member
Posts: 1369 From: Temecula, California Registered: Oct 2004
Thanks for the info. Really doesn't sound worth it for one gallon.
The reason I ask is I have an 87 tank still on the frame, but it is not easy to get to and I was going to just junk it with the frame.If the tank was considerably larger, I might have took the time to get it and save it for an 86 I might be able to get my neighbor to sell me in the future.
What's the deal? My car ran out of gas tiday on a flat surface. I topped off the tank and put in 8.25 gallons in my 86 GT. My 4 spd 86 GT took the same amount, never more.
Where is that extra 2 gallons hiding?
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Originally posted by stimpy: Ken, there is one thing I've learned in the past couple months, pissing in Cheerios. the Cheerios are on fire people! piss on Cheerios.
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12:27 AM
mrfiero Member
Posts: 8996 From: Colorful Colorado Registered: Mar 99
Some early cars seem to run out of gas at 8-8.5 gallons......not sure why. My convertible ('86 GT) runs out well past the 10 gallon mark, so go figure. I will be installing the bigger '87-'88 tank because even 1.7 more gallons will help a lot on long trips.
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12:48 AM
iced_theater Member
Posts: 1755 From: Green River, Wyoming, United States Registered: Jun 2003
A lot of people with the 10 gallon tank report that the pump starts sputtering after about 8 gallons. So its more like 3 gallons difference on some cars. I think it has to do with the pickup location. With the larger tank you can easily suck out 10 gallons and have more than one to spare. Thats an easy 50 miles difference which adds up on a long trip.
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02:19 AM
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10648 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
What's the deal? My car ran out of gas tiday on a flat surface. I topped off the tank and put in 8.25 gallons in my 86 GT. My 4 spd 86 GT took the same amount, never more.
Where is that extra 2 gallons hiding?
The tank has a big plastic baffel in the center were the pump sits in the tank. That plasic stops the gas from sloshing around to much and also works like a windage tray type oil pan in race cars. It holds gas up around the pump so you can get as much gas out of the tank as you can. Remember the tank is LONG and flat on the bottom. So the gas will spred out and "hide" from the pump when it is low. The baffel catches the gas like a scoop and stores it for the pump. The problem is the plastic cracks and or brakes and looses the ability to catch and hold the gas for the pump. So the two gallons or so of gas just sloshes around and the pump cant suck it up.
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03:50 AM
slickrick2000 Member
Posts: 1369 From: Temecula, California Registered: Oct 2004
OK, I might try and get it out today if I have the opportunity. Whats the easiset way to drain it and get it out.
Right now the car is stripped down to frame and is up on wheel dollies under each wheel. I can only do this in my crowded garage and CANNOT spill anything all over the ground right now. Also before I can get underneath this car, I will have to clear out the gazilion spiderwebs underneath it. The stupid cat won't even go under there right now....lol
I'm still trying to figure out if it is worth it or not. I basically just want this thing out so I can start projects on my 87'
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11:24 AM
iced_theater Member
Posts: 1755 From: Green River, Wyoming, United States Registered: Jun 2003
OK, I might try and get it out today if I have the opportunity. Whats the easiset way to drain it and get it out.
Right now the car is stripped down to frame and is up on wheel dollies under each wheel. I can only do this in my crowded garage and CANNOT spill anything all over the ground right now. Also before I can get underneath this car, I will have to clear out the gazilion spiderwebs underneath it. The stupid cat won't even go under there right now....lol
I'm still trying to figure out if it is worth it or not. I basically just want this thing out so I can start projects on my 87'
I'd say go for it. Since it's already stripped it should be fairly easy now.
Tanks that run out early are usually a problem with the pickup... In Fiero's case I think you'd need to drop the tank and extend the fuel pump lower into the tank. I don't know off hand if the baffles are also a factor.
You don't want the pickup right on the bottom or you'll suck in any water that ends up in the tank.
Tanks that run out early are usually a problem with the pickup... In Fiero's case I think you'd need to drop the tank and extend the fuel pump lower into the tank. I don't know off hand if the baffles are also a factor.
You don't want the pickup right on the bottom or you'll suck in any water that ends up in the tank.
Actually, after removing any water it would be a good idea to pickup off the bottom to make sure that you get any small amounts of water as soon as it gets in there. The higher the pickup the more water will accumulate in the tank and eventually the pickup will suck it up, better to do it when it's a very small amount. Also, getting the water out immediately eliminates the potential for rust.
JazzMan
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11:28 PM
Mar 14th, 2005
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10648 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
Tanks that run out early are usually a problem with the pickup... In Fiero's case I think you'd need to drop the tank and extend the fuel pump lower into the tank. I don't know off hand if the baffles are also a factor.
You don't want the pickup right on the bottom or you'll suck in any water that ends up in the tank.
The pump screen cant sit on the floor of the tank. It has the baffel that the pump sits in and the baffel has a space between the floor of the tank and the screen. The pump sits in a "chamber" that is suposd to hold the last bit of fuel that the baffel catches as it sloshes around the bottom of the tank. The pump does not sit out in the open at the bottom of the tank. And the pump is held in place by a braket and is not adjustable? So the depth of the pump pickup is set and would require mods to change? At least this is the way the 87-88 tanks that I have worked on are.
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12:16 PM
PFF
System Bot
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10648 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
You can see the baffel and how it sits in the tank. Notice the gap between the baffel and the tank. The pump cant reach the bottom of the tank, and depends on the baffel to work right. You can also see that this baffel is busted and leaked out the fuel from the baffel "Sump" and would not be able to use the last few gallons.