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I have a new, unused sending unit, no pump. It is missing the level sensor/float, which you could transfer from your existing sender. I also have my original stock fuel pump, with bucket. Was working fine when removed from the tank in 2000. Was removed because I replaced it with a Bosch 205 LPH high pressure pump, and modified the tank to feed a second Bosch pump off the bottom/rear of the tank. If interested, I'll let the parts go cheap. Hawks wants $125 for a used assembly:
My car has been sitting for about 5 years..... I need to get it back on the road. I'm afraid of what I'm going to find. I'll cut the hatch in the package shelf to inspect. That may still be a problem because my roll bar rear braces have an “X” above the package shelf. If I have to replace the tank, fortunately there is no exhaust in the way (dual exhaust dumps in front of rear axle), all the heat shielding has already been removed. I just need to get the back end high enough to drop the rear axle. I installed the Strange 12-bolt on jack stands, working by myself, but that was almost 20 years ago, and the years have taken a toll on my agility!
Location: Lansing, MI via Bowling Green, KY: Dalton, GA: Nashville, TN & Atlanta, GA
Posts: 1,026
Re: Looking at new shocks/struts and springs, would like some advice.
My car sat in storage for a long time. When I pulled it out of storage and started working on getting it running, we eventually replaced the fuel tank due to rust etc. Removing/installing the tank was a huge PITA, primarily due to the filler neck. We also replaced the pump a couple of times, the last being a Delphi that I got from O'Reilly, as well as the sending unit, which was AC Delco. Messing with the tank might be a lot easier if you had a lift and could remove the rear axle.
I picked up a Spectra tank from AutoZone, but I would check around for pricing. RockAuto might be quite a bit cheaper, but there would be shipping charges. I don't think you can get an OEM tank anymore.
You could call Jason Cromer at Sam Taylor Buick to get pricing on OEM replacements for the pump & sending unit. RockAuto shows AC Delco & Delphi pumps available. The Delphi pump is described as including the "Sender Assembly", but none of the photos actually show the "Sending Unit", so that's a bit confusing. Perhaps the sender assembly and sending unit aren't the same thing or perhaps the descriptions just aren't accurate. Based upon the prices they show, it's likely the latter.
Re: Looking at new shocks/struts and springs, would like some advice.
The tank at Hawks is a great price, but shipping to me was $400 (I live in Vegas). Check with local junk yards for cost. I found that junk yards in my area charge $25 for a tank, but the tanks are drilled. Had I done slightly more research, I would have picked up a tank, then found someone to weld the drilled area.
I ended up converting to a plastic tank, which does give an extra gallon of fuel capacity, lower weight, and easier installation/removal (due to the removable filler neck), it was a major pain in the *** figuring out the process.
Re: Looking at new shocks/struts and springs, would like some advice.
The tank after dropping it and removing the pump and assembly. You can see where the fuel was in the tank and where it was not. So had I been smart and not lazy, I should have either filled the tank all the way with fuel before letting it sit for five years along with a decent amount of Stabil, filled it with non-ethanol fuel (that would have been the smartest choice) or I should have drained the tank completely. I learned my lesson.
Re: Looking at new shocks/struts and springs, would like some advice.
And now for the good news...
As I stated earlier, I bought a Delphi pump from Advance Auto for about $130 (life time warranty). Bought a new AC Delco fuel assembly from Rock Auto for $190-ish and put that together. Super easy that even I could figure it out. After dropping the tank I called around to a few places for tank repair. One person wanted $400 but I'm sure it was a premium job. Didn't want to spend that much so I found a radiator/AC/fuel tank repair place in Tampa. $190 to have the inside chemically cleaned and then coated with an epoxy. Should last another 25 years, easy.
Re: Looking at new shocks/struts and springs, would like some advice.
With the help of a neighbor, I was able to get the filler nozzle back through the frame. It was as difficult getting the tank back in as it was getting out. Not fun at all. Today I completely reinstalled the tank with the straps and reconnected everything. Put in five gallons of ethanol free fuel along with some octane boost and some Lucas upper cylinder lubricant and prayed for the best. It took a bit but after several minutes of trying to crank the engine over, it finally started. It ran rough at first but smoothed out and then idled fine. I think it was because it had to burn up all the old fuel in the fuel lines. This weekend, I'll put all the odds and ends back together under the car including the suspension bits and the exhaust. Then it's time to change all the fluids.
With that being said, I did notice another problem. When I push the clutch in, the engine runs real smooth but when I let the clutch out (transmission in neutral) there is a loud knocking or clunking noise coming from the bottom of the engine area. Anyone have any thoughts on what is causing that?
I still have the drive shaft and rear diff hanging lower than normal due to the tank install but it does not seem like that should cause any problems as the transmission was in neutral. But I just don't know that answer.
Injuneer, if your Camaro as been sitting for five years the inside of your tank may look similar unless you used non-ethanol fuel or Stabil or something similar. Here's to hoping your tank looks okay.
Last edited by AccessBowtie; 05-02-2018 at 12:22 AM.
Re: Looking at new shocks/struts and springs, would like some advice.
Thanks for the followup/feedback. Very helpful. I fear opening my tank. I'm just hoping that the presence of some heavily leaded racing fuel (VP Fuels C16 + VP Fuels Air Race) didn't do even more damage.
Re: Looking at new shocks/struts and springs, would like some advice.
The filler neck on these tanks is such a nightmare. I spent maybe an hour cussing at the tank as I pulled it out. I am happy to have the plastic tank now, but it would have been nice for the tank to have just stayed where it was. I had fuel stabilizer in mine, and it looked the same as yours. Moral: drain the fuel if its going to sit.
My car is making the same noise as you are describing, in the same scenario. The current thought process is that either a leak at the rear of the intake manifold, or a possible RMS leak, has caused oil contaminated of the clutch, and when engaged, the noise is coming from the clutch slipping. Do you currently have any oil leaks? Do you know what kind of clutch you are running?
Location: Lansing, MI via Bowling Green, KY: Dalton, GA: Nashville, TN & Atlanta, GA
Posts: 1,026
Re: Looking at new shocks/struts and springs, would like some advice.
My tank looked similar after sitting for 6-7 years. I considered having it lined, but decided to just buy a new tank. I also installed two new fuel pumps. The first was an aftermarket pump from Autozone and was installed in the factory tank. It didn't last long, probably due to rust etc. We didn't really take a close look at the tank until that pump failed. The second was a Delphi pump I purchased at O'Reillys and it went into the new tank, along with a new AC Delco sending unit.
I believe we cracked the welds/solder joints around the filler neck when we installed the new tank. Years after the fact, when I went to fill it up for the first time, which was also the first time I had really driven the car in 17+ years, gas ran all over the parking lot. I didn't even notice it was leaking until the person at the adjacent pump informed me. It probably leaked for 15-20 minutes, and maybe longer, until the fuel level got below where the filler neck enters the tank. That was a totally awesome feeling. I've since tried to patch that up with JB Weld, but I haven't filled it up. I would like to get a borescope type camera I can stick in there to see how things look.
Re: Looking at new shocks/struts and springs, would like some advice.
Originally Posted by AccessBowtie
Okay so I guess I'll keep the factory ride height, which I am actually fine with. I think I'd like to stay with Bilstein shocks. Which would be preferred, the Bilstein SLP or the Bilstein B6 HD? And what springs would be recommended with the recommend Bilstein shock?
I'd like to thank both of you for your time and information so far.
Don't know if you've decided on shocks or not, but FYI the B6 Bilsteins (fronts) are on back order and have been for over two months. No real ETA even from Bilstein. I ordered the fronts from Strano in March and I'm still waiting. I've looked everywhere for them, even contacted Bilstein. Nobody has them and nobody really knows when they will. It's holding up my project.
04-08-2018, 01:11 AM
