orthopod

iTrader: (1)

I'll be doing this one in the parking lot up here at school and am starting to prepare for it as the rest of my parts will be here Wednesday. I have done a lot of searching and have seen varying reports as to whether it is necessary to remove rear shocks/panhard bars/drop axle? Luckily I have a dumped exhaust before the rear axle so hopefully I won't need to touch the exhaust? The tank is full and I was unable to get any gas to suck out using the $6 Harbor Freight transfer pump but luckily I do have a Harbor Freight low lift transmission jack ($66 with a 20% off coupon). As far as lifts go I only have a Harbor Freight aluminum racing jack (small one) and the aluminum jack stands up here at school so hopefully I can do this as the stands only go up to 14" or so. Of course this didn't happen last week when I had a near empty tank and I was at my parents in southern California with full equipment/tools but oh well. What do you guys think...how much of the rear suspension should I plan on removing to get this full plastic tank out?

jrpimp00

iTrader: (17)

In your situation id cut an acess hatch in the rear instead of dropping the tank and get it in within a couple of hours, just my opinion

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

I've swapped the fuel pump in my previous Trans Am. Going to do it in this one. I didn't drop the rearend. I drove onto my bro-in-law's ramp and we just unbolted the shocks and jacked the car up off the rear slightly. I can't remember, but I think we had to unbolt the panhard rod and LCAs as well.

Then we pulled the tank out - the filler neck is the pain in the *** part. If you take the rear out, you don't have that problem.

Burken01

iTrader: (88)

Trap door method!! Just did one yesterday.. Took me 15 min with a dremel!!

Camaro9969

iTrader: (12)

What he said. ^^^ I have threads on this very easy f dropping the tank no reason to

Burken01

iTrader: (88)

Yeah it can be scary cutting into your car, but I've already gotten that outta my system..

My car is my guinea pig now! Lol

orthopod

iTrader: (1)

I have read about the trap door and have seen the youtube videos but as I have bought the transmission jack, required sockets, wrenches, breaker bars etc. (good to have my own set up here at school since my wife and I live 400 miles away from my dad's garage and the more I get into this car the more it will need the supporting tools to keep it going strong) for the job I'm going to go for the tank drop so I can give the tank a good cleaning. Trap door method will be a backup if for some reason the tank won't come out. I searched for good write ups with pics and found a so so one on a camaro site. Anyone have a good guide? I've dropped tanks for fuel pump failures on some of my past cars (90 Jeep YJ, 70 Pontiac Le Mans, 70 Nova, 2004 BMW 330ci, etc.) but never one that requires parts of the rear end to be unbolted.

orthopod

iTrader: (1)

Anyone else want to pitch in what they had to remove to get a plastic 99- fuel tank out of their 4th gen fbody?

orthopod

iTrader: (1)

Moved this to the right forum please delete.

Randy WS6

iTrader: (69)

Removing the tank is a pain in the ***, cut the access door. no body will every know. I can have my twin pumps out in about 10 min. taking my time. Removing the tank is about 3 hours.

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

I need to look into this trap door method. F dropping the tank. Biggest pain in the *** ever.

VandykeT/A

Trap door method for sure. I've done 5 of them. I think its best to have a donor car to cut a slightly larger panel out of, paint to match your car, then self tapper and rtv it back in place. Hardly noticeable.

FEAR LS

iTrader: (8)

x2 on the trap door Mod!! I used some weather stripping,sheet of metal, and self tapping screws to create a cover panel. Plus it gets recovered by the carpet. (No road noise, wind, or debris coming from this. Would recommend it every time!)

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

Fear, when you make the cut do you make it in the center but toward the back of the car? There's those valleys in the sheetmetal that pretty much center it 98s are dead center in the mdiddle, but I believe 99+ are off closer to the back of the car correct? Do you have any pics?

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

dropping tank is easy........not cutting my car up !!!!!!!!!!!

DropTopBird

iTrader: (17)

https://ls1tech.com/forums/fueling-i...-write-up.html

Here ya go. Hope it helps give you an idea of whats involved

Burken01

iTrader: (88)

1320Chicken

iTrader: (4)

I did on mine but that was because my exhaust was welded together. I just did another one on an 02 that the exhaust was clamped. I just pulled everything from the over the axle pipe back and got the car high enough to let the rear droop. I did pull the panhard on the 02 as well. Since your exhaust is dumped before the axle you should be ok, letting the rear hang and pulling the PHB, upper and lower btw.

I've seen a couple of these cars split the quarter seams from hard launches, personally I'm not going to cut holes in the floor that I don't have to. Would it have any ill effects? I doubt it but I'm not in that big of a rush that I'd want to cut up the floor to save a little time. Especially for something you're not going to be replacing all the time.

FEAR LS

iTrader: (8)

Jake, mine was closer to the rear of the car. (Just like Burken's)

orthopod

iTrader: (1)

Just did it today. Dropping the tank was a piece of cake with the 450lb capacity low lift transmission jack from harbor freight. You turn the jack with a 1/2 ratchet so it moves very slowly and very controllable. Scissor style not a hydraulic. 66 with the coupon and 7 dollars shipped. Only removed heat shield, Panhard brace and Panhard bar. One aluminum racing jack, two jack stands, and hand tools in a parking lot. Tank was full and two different siphons did not work so I emptied and cleaned the inside after it was down.