Resale value would be my only concern and even that didn't bother me. Just be careful to not cut any lines, follow the write up on ls1tech. I used a piece of sheet metal as a cover with a bunch of screws and rtv to seal it.

I see it this way, to do a trap door I would want to drop the tank first so I don't damage anything while cutting. So if the tank is out already, may as well do the pump with it out. Then... Since you don't plan on modifying the car to the point you'll need a higher volume pump it would just be for maintenance reasons... Which hopefully wouldn't be for another 10 years? So you get my point there!

On the flip side, a trap door should get hidden under the carpet pretty well, so it wouldn't come up during resale unless the buyer asks.

It makes sense, no doubt. I dunno. I still think it's stupid they left no access for such a thing. How much time do people estimate it taking to get the tank out the non-hatch way?

That would have cost GM an additional $0.25 PER car!!! =8-0

They would have gone bankrupt!!


Oh, wait.

I think there's someone who makes nice door panels for that job at leas n a 3rd Gen, isn't there? But yeah, drop the tank anyway, to do the pump replacement job and panel cutting, if necessary. But don't just throw parts t it. Put a gauge on it to see what your initial key-on reassure is, and what the leak down rate is.

This post has been edited by CrashTestDummy: Sep 6 2017, 02:59 AM

Dropping the tank isn't the worst job ever assuming you get the car high enough off the ground. You pretty much have to pull the rear end, I've done it while keeping the control arms and torque arm connected but it made maneuvering the tank a royal pain. With the torque arm pulled from the transmission and the control arms straight down you should have enough room to manage the tank easily. Don't forget to loosen the brake hard line from the body so it drops enough.

I'm horrible at guestimating time, so 4 hours is a very rough estimate.

Also, if you have the plastic has tank the regulator is in the tank instead of on the fuel rail.

This post has been edited by slowTA: Sep 6 2017, 11:42 AM

So it would take me 8 hours. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Drop the tank to cut the trap door? I cut mine without dropping anything, worked great, no issues.

What did you use to cut the hole? Did you find a guide online as to where the hole needs to be?

I used either a manly Dremel or a like a 3" cutoff wheel, it has been years now. I'm sure I looked on LS1Tech for the hole location. The final hole wasn't perfectly where I would have put it but it was good enough to get the assembly out.

In the mid-90s my neighbor had an '87 TA. He went to screw a speaker box into the cargo area and then gas started running out from underneath the car. It wasn't his favorite day.

That's an understatement. They are a complete bag of dicks to deal with. I ordered something on black friday and about 30 minutes later I got an email with a black friday coupon code (unrelated to my order). I emailed them and said "I got the coupon at 8pm....after I placed the order....can I have you adjust the price to the sale price". They refused to do it. On top of that they weren't much help when I had support questions and referred me to their forum for answers. I've pretty much vowed to never buy anything from them ever again.

The "question" I had was that my new fuel pump wouldn't work. So I got to install one in my 1991 Corvette a couple times. Ultimately, I received a wiring harness and pump that weren't wired the same (the pump was running backwards...no fuel pressure). It all came from Racetronix.

They make nice stuff, but hope you never need to ask them anything about it.

Fukwits! Yeah, they suck! Got their 'kit' as an upgrade when I had to replace the pump in our 95 SS. Dropped the tank, replaced the pump assembly, reinstalled the tank, put about 5 gal. Of fuel in, because I was certain that this pump that everyone swears about would fix our problem, only to have the car NOT start, even though I could hear it spin up on key on. Put a pressure gauge on it, and wasn't getting any pressure. Dropped everything back out, this time with 40# of fuel in the tank, only to discover, after emailing them about my issue, and getting no response, that they had fscking wired the pump backward.

I let them know what I discovered, and they were like 'yeah, that happens.'. Azzholes! That was after running their 'kit' in our 95 Caprice, only to have the relay out at the tank end fail on my wife on her way to work.... Twice! I rerouted the harness around that relay, and the car runs fine to this day.

I'm done with those assclowns!!

But I'm not bitter! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/2thumbs.gif)

This post has been edited by CrashTestDummy: Sep 7 2017, 02:45 AM

If I didn't want to go Racetronix, which of the OEM-style units would you recommend? Delco only?

UPDATE

I put a fuel pressure gauge on it and turned the key to the #2 position (just before start). The gauge immediately went up to 53 psi and then began to bleed down almost immediately through the 40's into the 30's and then into the 20's.

I took it off at that point because I thought the system was supposed to hold pressure for quite some time.

Regulator?

It could also be an injector (or more than one) not closing all the way.

Yes, it is supposed to hold pressure for a while. Much more than 10 PSI per minute, and i'd start looking at failed equipment

Hmmm, would a plug show a leaking injector(s), or would you have to pull them before starting to see who is wet?

Another thing to check: pull the vacuum hose off the regulator to make sure the diaphragm isn't blown. Although on a LS engine, one would expect all sorts of CELs, not so much on a LT* system.

This post has been edited by CrashTestDummy: Sep 8 2017, 02:47 AM

I'm not defending cutting the hole, I understand why it's done and on a race car...I might do it. However, here's how I'd do it (and I own that exact brand and model). What's funny, mine said it cut 12 or 14 gauge (and it has). This one says 18. I bought this one because it was far cheaper than the Milwaukee and it cut heavier metal (at least that's what the rating said). It likely won't hang low enough to catch a fuel line as you shear the hole open.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Kawasaki-Sheet-...40358/203125925

You'll probably need a good hole saw so you can cut a starting hole/corners. Oh, and you'll want to practice on some metal before you start on your car. These things take a certain amount of control, and can start 'walking' if you're not careful.

I'd say pulling the plug before starting is probably better. A cylinder that is rich all the time would turn dark brown or black but one that is only extra rich for 2-3 revolutions might not. But the plug could wet foul then turn brown from the cylinder being dead. As a 2-stroke guy I have killed a ton of plugs and many weren't discolored much at all.

But argh, we're talking about pulling 4th gen plugs which is about as fun as dropping the axle to replace the tank.