Third Generation Chevy Camaro 1982 - 1992: Street Performance and Race Mods

 

Camaro Fuel Systems:

The fuel system starts with the fuel tank. Fuel is either sucked out of the tank or pushed out with either an electrical or mechanical engine driven fuel pump. Fuel is delivered to a carburetor or fuel injection system which atomizes the fuel and delivers an air-fuel mixture to the engine to burn and develop power. Performance enhancements are available for the fuel pump and tank.

Fuel Tank: The stock Camaro fuel tank is too small for high horsepower engines when used for driving long distances. Racing fuel cells are typically too small for street driving. We show an installation for a Fuel Safe bladder lined, foam filled racing fuel cell for the third generation Camaro which supports the needs of both racer and street driver. We also show an installation of a high capacity street tank. These two tanks increase capacity to 24 gallons and improves crash safety. The tanks are custom designs for the 1982-1992 third gen Camaro and install in the stock fuel tank location.

The racing fuel cell has a nylon reinforced bladder lining to offer puncture protection to the thin aluminum fuel tank. The foam is designed to reduce the movement of the fuel. In the event of an explosion, the foam reduces flame propogation and the air volume in the cell. If the fuel cell does ignite internally, the foam absorbs the expansion and the energy of the explosion. According to racing fuel cell manufacturer, Fuel Safe, the cell must be filled with at least 80% foam to perform effectively and the foam only requires 3% of your tank capacity.

Note that all tanks should be grounded to avoid a static sparks. The movement of fuel in the tank and through the hose during re-fueling, can generate a static build-up.

Fuel Pumps: The CamaroTech project car used a GM submersible 1989 Corvette fuel pump (#25163463), an in tank fuel strainer (#25055458) and pressure regulator (#10185094) provided with the GM/3rd Gen Camaro ZZ3 engine swap kit. See the CamaroTech ZZ3 third gen installation.

The advantage of the submersible fuel pump is that it is at the beginning of the fuel delivery system thus pushing fuel and allowing the entire system to be pressurized. Older systems often had a mechanical pump on the engine sucking fuel, drawing fuel to the engine under low pressure. The advantage of a fuel system under pressure is that it reduces the chance for vapor lock, a condition where a fuel vapor bubble forms in the fuel line, blocking delivery of fuel and stalling the engine.

Performance fuel pumps are often required when an engine is upgraded in horsepower requiring additional fuel above and beyond its stock predecessor. Under high RPM and peak horsepower conditions, the engine may require a performance fuel pump to deliver the additional quantity of fuel required.

Fuel pressure gauges are often added to performance vehicles to verify a minimum fuel delivery pressure to achieve full engine horsepower potential.

Also see the GM ZZ3 engine kit installation which includes a conversion to a submersible electric pump.

Aircraft Rubber MFG., Inc
Fuel Safe Cell Div.
[Part # SA114]
1550 NE Kingwood Ave.
Redmond, OR 97756
(800)433-6524
(541)923-6005

24 gallon tank

Fuel Safe aluminum bladder tank for the third gen Camaro

Camaro Fuel Bladder and Aluminum tank (available black powder coated) for a third generation Camaro. (Weight: 25.35 lbs. - without top plate, sender, etc. Stock tank weight without pump, sender and top plate: 21.4 lbs)

Foam baffles
Foam (open cell foam) baffles to avoid excessive fuel weight transfer due to cornering, acceleration and braking. Entire tank is full of foam blocks cut to the tank shape.

Fuel Safe - bottom view of tank
Bottom view of tank

Fuel Safe - bottom view of tank
Stock Camaro fuel connections were terminated with fittings to allow for the use of threaded connections.

Installation Notes:

Fuel tank support strut:

Tank strut mount for the Fuel Safe aluminum bladder tank for the third gen Camaro

Tank strut for the Fuel Safe aluminum bladder tank for the third gen Camaro

Note: The kit comes with a spacer to lower the support strut to allow for the extra size of the tank. I found it necessary to cut the support strut (and reinforce) due to the incorrect location of the valley in the tank. Attach with 3 bolts of M10-1.5x30mm.

View shoing notch in the strut for the Fuel Safe aluminum bladder tank for the third gen Camaro

Heat shields:

The stock GM fuel tank installation used a heat shield to isolate the tank from the muffler/exhaust system. I chose to bend this shield so that it was included in this installation.

Use of the stock heat shield protecting the gas tank from the exhaust pipe
Stock heat shield mounted in the stock location shields heat from the rear exhaust pipe which passes over the differential.

Use of the stock heat shield protecting the gas tank from the muffler
Stock muffler heat shield. Muffler removed for installation and to be installed next after heat shield.

Use of the stock heat shield protecting the gas tank from the muffler

Fuel Lines and Fuel Pump:

This project was part of the Chevrolet ZZ3 engine swap for the Gen 3 Camaro. This GM kit included a submersible Corvette electric fuel pump. This assembly was attached to the end of the pickup hose.

Fuel Safe provides a marine fuel level gauge which you have to calibrate before installing.

The attachments on the top plate are:
  • Fuel feed - attaches to the submersible pump
  • Deep return - long hose to the bottom of the tank. Includes a strainer.
  • Electric wires for the fuel pump.
  • Vent fixture was removed from stock installation and welded to a fitting. This is used for the charcoal canister vent.
  • Large vent - connects to fuel filler tube.
  • Small vent - local vent
This configuration was used for an emission legal installation using the charcoal canister.

Fuel Safe top plate
Top plate

The fuel level sensing unit is manufactured by Centroid Products Inc and comes with the Fuel Safe tank. It is compatible with the GM Camaro fuel gauge and ranges from 0 ohms (empty) to 90 ohms (full) in resistance.

The fuel level sender has three electrical connectors:
  • Positive (12 volts)
  • Negative ground
  • Sending: connects to the gauge

Fuel Safe top plate
Top plate - tank side

Filler Tube:

I had to cut off the stock filler tube and weld it to a pipe which fit the rubber hose provided by Fuel Safe. The vent fitting was also welded to the tube.

Filler tube
Filler tube

Bladder Lifespan:

The bladder must be changed every 5 to 6 years as the rubber will decay.

Fuel Safe bladder after 20 years
This is what the bladder looks like after 20 years. The rubber has mostly dissolved by the gasoline and only the Kevlar remains.

Filler Neck Supply:
Hose reducers 		Filler Neck Supply: Hose reducer
Yup this company specializes in fuel filler necks. Really. Thankfully they had a 2-1/4" to 2" Fuel Fill Hose I.D. Reducer.

Rick's Tanks: custom tank:
San Antonio TX
Stainless steel tanks. 		AEM high volume fuel filters

Fuel Safe bladder after 20 years
A custom third gen Camaro stainless steel tank (tank only, top plate not included). Better longevity than a bladder lined tank (but double the weight: 57lbs).

ATL Aero Tech Labs:
Reticulated Polyester Polyurethane Foam 		ATL Reticulated Polyester Polyurethane Foam
Foam baffles to prevent sloshing and weight transfer of fuel in corners. 12" x 6" x 24"

AEM Performance Electronics:
  • High volume fuel filters
  • fuel rails
  • pressure regulators
  • water injection systems
  • methanol injection systems
  • gauges
  • sensors
  • fuel/ignition controllers
  • data loggers
 AEM high volume fuel filters
Machined from 6061 Aluminum, double Viton O-ring seals, 7 micron filter, 12 gpm@ 45 PSI.
Uses replaceable filter cartridges.
Squash Performance:
(262)724-8035
Gen 5 Camaro 2010+ 		Squash performance submersible in-tank dual electric fuel pump
OEM replacement submersible in-tank dual electric fuel pump with a pre-programmed Uber Fueler electronic control. Plug and play wiring harness. Works with stock crossover tube and level sensor.
FueLab:
Litchfield IL
800-541-2345
Digital brushless fuel pump and digital regulator. Fuel regulator communicates with fuel pump digitally to avoid over-pumping and unnecessarily circulating and heating fuel.

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