Mason_99

I've got a 89 Formula that I'm building to run autocross with. Its a TBI car so I'm assuming I have a unbaffled gas tank that would cause fuel starvation issues upon hard braking or cornering. What are guys running autocross running for gas tanks?

The 1LE doesn't seem like an option because its about rare as a unicorn.

The LS1, the main reason I don't want to use this is because it seems complicated to get the gas gauge to work.

Maybe the LT1 tank could be an option or modifying my stock tank?

scooter

iTrader: (11)

I have an LS1 plastic tank in my car and it's not that big a deal to make it work. You just need the fuel sender board, it just clips into the LS1 sender. It took me all of 10 minutes to get it installed. I recently ran autocross and a road course with less than 1/4 tank and had no starvation issues. In my opinion it is worth the effort to run this tank.

Otherwise you can use these in the bottom of the tank, they work AWESOME http://www.autoperformanceengineerin...l/pickups.html
I have 3 or 4 of them in the tank of my 2nd gen Camaro and I was able to run the pump and get all but a little less than a gallon of gas out of the tank. This option gets a bit expensive with all the parts you need to buy to make it work, you can't just run rubber hose in the tank, it has to be special rubber rated to be submerged in fuel, or you have to buy the plastic fuel line to connect the pucks together. APE USA sells everything you need to make them work. The other issue is connecting them to a fuel pump, I think someone here modified a pickup screen to make it work, but I don't know how well that worked out. I ran an "external" Walbro pump in the tank with the screw on barb fittings and used hard drive magnets on everything to hold all the parts to the bottom of the metal tank

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

Have you looked at the Holley Hydramat?

Base91

iTrader: (1)

No special tank here. I run with 1/2 a tank or so and never had any issues.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

All later thirdgens have the "1LE" tank. Not really rare at all.

scooter

iTrader: (11)

Not sure why people have a hard on for that, it's only good for 5 years as far as I have read, something like that. No doubt it works, but I'd rather have something in the tank I don't have to keep replacing

Just looked it up, That is according to Holley, so it is fact. They are saying 5-10 years "depending on the fuel type, how clean your fuel
system is, how much you drive your car, and how aggressively the car is used". Yeah, no thanks. I'll stick with something that I don't have to inspect

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

Oh, that's interesting. I wonder if that is because it acts like the filter sock.

shortcutsleepin

iTrader: (1)

There was no such thing as the "1LE" tank. It was in the marketing stuff but never got produced. There was no 'special baffles' or 'swinging pickup' or anything. I've owned several 1LEs and when replacing the fuel pumps they were the same as any other random 3rd gen. On street tires driven hard they will fuel starve at half tank and on race tires they'll starve earlier.

That being said, I've also autocrossed a good bit (won a few national tours, etc) and have always been fastest with a full tank of gas. My car has stock rear panhard/TA and good dampers, so if you've got to a lower PHB or something it may perform better with less fuel.



A 4th gen team I sometimes drive for in WRL Endurance racing has taken a stock plastic tank and added a hydramat to the bottom and have been successful in racing (on 200TW tires) and running the fuel down to less than a gallon which is incredible. They have lowered PHB, good dampers, etc.

Costas
cars and such...

scooter

iTrader: (11)

I did that on a stock plastic 4th gen tank without a hydramat.

shortcutsleepin

iTrader: (1)

Driving on sticky tires on a race track or autocross?

If so, congrats, and you are the only person I've ever heard who said they could do that out of dozens of 4th gen autocrossers/racers I've known over the years.

The 4th gen team (Pontini...they are on FB) tried a few factory tanks and the car always fuel starved with several gallons left in the tank. They have a good suspension setup and the car handles very well.

Back to OP's original post
-OP, have you tried starting the day with a full tank?


Costas
cars and such...

scooter

iTrader: (11)

I was on the road course at NJMP, on street tires, but it was definitely a VERY low tank, the needle was on E for that and some of my speed stop runs. After that I only drove it on the trailer and then off the trailer when I got home then 1 mile to the gas station and I stalled when I was braking to go into the station and making the RH turn in. It was a little hard to start after that and I put 17.25 gallons of gas in it. Pretty sure it's only a 16 something gallon tank, so it was maybe 2 gallons when I was on my last laps on the road course? and then I did some more Speed stop after and no Hiccups

StunMan

Just about to run a '91 third gen in Lemons endurance racing. We would like to do 1 1/2 to 2 hour shifts on the track. At between 6 to 8 gallons per hour burn we need all the fuel capacity we can get. And hopefully no fuel starvation issues. What is the capacity of the fourth gen plastic tank? Any suggestions from other racers? Trying not to go to a 20gal + fuel cell.

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

About 16.5 gallon. 16.8 gallon, per the 2000 Camaro owner manual.

jczoka

As a previous LeMons racer (and winner in class B), hitting the 2 hour mark is pretty critical if you want to do well. We were using a 1979 Olds Ninety Eight with a 403ci. All the top teams can go at least 2 hours on a stint. But the other key is filling the fuel quicly without spilling. You should make it a goal to do a pit stop in less than 3 min tops. We got it down to 2min 30 sec.

jczoka

BTW, I don’t think a Third Gen. has ever won a LeMons race. Good Luck and go represent!

shortcutsleepin

iTrader: (1)

We finished second in Texas in 2008 (out of 75 entries!!!).



Not sure if a third gen has ever won overall either. We dropped lemons (too much to talk about here...LOL) for WRL/Chump and have won our class with a third gen a few times.

We are still using that same chassis, but it has been updated and painted. Heh.




Costas
cars and such...

IROCZman15

iTrader: (25)

I was with scooter (James) at NJMP this august doing autoX, speed-stop, and the road course. I have the stock style metal tank. I definitely did have starvation issues when I had less than 1/4 tank (while stationary), kept filling up the tank to about 3/4 full throughout the weekend and that all worked fine until I got back down to the 1/4 fuel level territory.

Plans for a big engine are coming next winter, and of course I will have to throw in a big capacity pump as well. while I m in there i should do something about the sloshing as mentioned above since I do plan for this car to be doing track days for may years to come. subscribed!

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Yes there was a plastic baffle/tub and dual sided pickup sock developed for the regular gas tanks in the 1LE car. Which then became regular production parts for all the cars around 1990 or so. I have seen them in regular cars in 89 too.

Justin Hertel

Anyone running one of those $3500 24 Gal. cells that Fuel Safe sells?

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

http://www.behindbarsracecars.com/category-s/34.htm

Beater79TA

We ran 430 autocross laps this year and 20 road course sessions with the stock tank. I watch the gauge and top it when it gets down to 3/4 or less as we've found the added weight over the axle helps with traction. Keeping it full also prevents fuel starvation. I usually only have to top it off during an event when it's one of the multi format events like LSFest or Midwest MuscleCar. For most autocross days, the tank starts full and isn't an issue all day. Road course days I top it between sessions 2 and 3 with a single 5 gallon can taking it back to full.

I have 2 LS plastic tanks that I will eventually install in the cars because I like the bucketed pump design better than stock. I'll still watch the gauge and keep it filled when the tank starts to go low.

StunMan

What are the years of 4th gen tanks are we talking about swapping into a third gen? Do they fit without a lot of fabrication? We are staying with a 305 TBI so no high volume/pressure fuel pump is needed. Still trying to avoid the $1,000 20 gal fuel cell option Thanks

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

3rdgen and 4thgen share the floorpan in that area so you can swap anything from 82-02.

scooter

iTrader: (11)

99-02 is the plastic tank with the fuel bucket. Direct bolt in, just have to shorten up the filler neck hose some, and the fuel level resistance is different, so you have to swap out the sender board. That has been covered here many times.

IROCZman15

iTrader: (25)

i'm considering doing the Holley Hydramat for my tank this winter when I upgrade from my stock pump to a 340lph pump and wiring upgrade. I know the hydramat is expensive and will only last 10 or so years, but it seems like one of the best solutions for my car and setup. The only part I am concerned about is how to connect the hydramat to the new pump/sending unit assembly while it is inside the tank?



the hydramat uses magnets in the corner which will hold it from moving around and has a 3/8"NPT fitting type output, and the pump typically used the fuel sock. I know I will remove and not use the fuel sock, and then have to adapt it somehow to connect the hydramat to the pump inlet... but how the heck will I make this connection inside the tank via the small access hole, while the hydramat is mounted in place?! oh well, I am sure it has been done and maybe I am over thinking this... but if someone knows any tips/tricks.. let me know.

http://www.jegs.com/i/Holley/510/16-...IaAhwDEALw_wcB