Working on my brother's 87 GT that had been sitting for about ten years. The gas tank was rusted like swiss cheese so I started my search for a replacement. At that time I couldn't find one online unless I wanted to pay $500 to get one shipped from CA.

I started calling local salvage yards and after about 50 calls I got a woman who said they may have a new one that someone had left in a Fiero they sold for scrap. She went and checked and it was still there and they wanted $75 for it. I immediately drove there and got it. It had 87-88 Fiero written on the outside. I was so happy!

Fast forward to today, after struggling for a while with the idling problem (that many of you helped me figure out, thanks) I decided to find out why the brand new sending unit I bought from the Fiero Store wasn't reading correctly. I remembered when I first put gas in the new tank it was reading 3/4 full. Over time it never seemed to drop and I really wasn't driving it just working on the idle problem. I topped of the tank last week and the gauge went to full so I was happy to see the gauge moving. But then I drove every day last week and the gauge dropped to 3/4 and stayed there. I followed the directions that came with the sending unit about being careful about the float hitting the side of the tank.

I decided to drop the tank today and investigate. I had compared the FS sending unit to the one I removed and they looked the same. I started digging deeper and noticed something different about the new tank. The baffle, which is steel on the new one is located closer to the sending unit hole by a lot. The distance from the center of the sending unit to the baffle on the old tank is approx. 6 inches, but the new one is only 3 inches. So when I installed the sending unit in the new tank the float arm is sitting on top of the baffle wall, hence the 3/4 full reading and never dropping.

One picture is old tank with plastic baffle, the other is the new tank. The red stuff is sealer I put in the new tank.

Has anyone ever seen this before. I have no idea who made the tank, there is no stamping or labels, but externally it matches the original tank exactly.

I'm trying to think of solutions now to fix this tank so I can utilize the sending unit functionality. So far my only idea is to cut two slits in the baffle and bend it back so the float will have room to travel up and down freely. My concern is how to cut the steel without creating a spark. Is draining and airing out the tank for a week good enough.

quote Originally posted by ketstang: I'm trying to think of solutions now to fix this tank so I can utilize the sending unit functionality. So far my only idea is to cut two slits in the baffle and bend it back so the float will have room to travel up and down freely. My concern is how to cut the steel without creating a spark.

Is cutting the tank a simpler solution than modifying the sender/float?

Here is one solution. I did the same to mine prior to install.

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/143901.html

bending the float rod is safer in other ways...

Mod'ed the baffle can make it weak & break later.
Even slotting it wrong can make the car "run out of gas" going down or up a hill.

Any time you run out & let pump to run dry, the pump Hates this & damage done adds up until it fails.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave

quote Originally posted by ketstang: after struggling for a while with the idling problem (that many of you helped me figure out, thanks)

Hey ketstang,

I asked in the end of the 'smoke test' thread if you got your high idle problem solved but I didn't get the 'memo.'

Smoke test help by ketstang (09-20-2023)
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/147204.html

Can you please 'close the loop' in this thread on your high idle problem?

Thanks!
VN

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Original Owner of a Silver '88 GT
Under 'Production Refurbishment' @ 136k Miles

I used Rodney’s tank . A little more capacity but boy was it a tight fit for the sending unit locking ring and putting it in the car. Very impressed with the overall quality.

Sorry, I have added a closure post to that thread.

quote Originally posted by Vintage-Nut: Hey ketstang, I asked in the end of the 'smoke test' thread if you got your high idle problem solved but I didn't get the 'memo.' Smoke test help by ketstang (09-20-2023) https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/147204.html Can you please 'close the loop' in this thread on your high idle problem? Thanks! VN

RD Tank? http://rodneydickman.com/pr....php?products_id=551 W/ better pic showing steel baffle.
Did you Read the page?

quote NOTE: Some have told me the sending unit the Fiero Store sells may not fit as it should. The float hits the baffle tank. If you are using a Fiero Store unit you may have to bend the arm some so it does not hit the baffle.

If think can't make TFS unit work then return before you bent it & buy RD sender.

FWIW the Rodney tank did not need to sealed. It was coated on the inside. I used the orig sending unit.

Glad I ran into this thread and related subthread before putting my tank together! the fiero store float rod pops off its plastic holder in 2 seconds and i hand bent against some wood. you dont need much to get it to clear the baffle.

Put it back together and sending unit checks ok with a fishing wire and an ohmmeter. i dont see any reduction in length (how far float drops) due to the bending.

Yes i shoudnt have to do this but i didnt want to go thru hassle of returning. still surprised TFS hasnt fixed it by now.

quote Originally posted by Patrick: Is cutting the tank a simpler solution than modifying the sender/float?

Did you see Patricks post above?

I think bending the road is easier it's less risk and don't have to cut up the tank baffle. Truth be told the float is now a little cocked now relative to bottom of tank but its not too bad.