98 Trans Am Quirks

**tep98ws6** · 11-13-2011, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by SMWS6TA

You must have the only one in existance, I've never seen a low fuel light on any >98 Firebird or T/A. I question the 15.5 gal tank too, because I can only get 15 gal when tank was ran out. I used some of the info from the thread I posted and the fuel tank capacity was one of them. I know mine is metal though.

hmm, strange. i definitely had a low fuel light come on when i was in a place i didn't want to run out of gas, otherwise, i probably wouldn't have known it. i can never get more than 14 gallons in my tank and it's definitely not metal. but, my car also has been rebuilt a few times (salvage title) so it could have mix and match newer f-body parts on it.

**cpop98ws6** · 11-13-2011, 08:03 PM

No low fuel light on my 98, I ran it out of gas and never had a light come on.

**JohnnyBs98WS6Rag** · 11-14-2011, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by SMWS6TA

I should clarify, non ws6 (like mine) had more restrictive exhaust.

That's fine, but then why did you refer to a single tail pipe?? In any case, the point is the factory non-WS6/SS exhaust on all LS1 f-bodies were the SAME across all years '98-'02. So even if you referred to the standard dual outlet exhaust, it should not have been on your list of '98's quirks to begin with. YES, your non-WS6 exhaust was more restrictive than a WS6 exhaust, but it is NOT more restrictive than a '99-'02 non-WS6 exhaust. The same can be said of all years. There is nothing unique or more restrictive about the '98 non-WS6 exhaust system.

BTW, I've never seen a low fuel light on my '98 either (not that I've ever run it dry, but came close a few times), and it was built late in the year.

**justinmc978** · 11-14-2011, 02:00 PM

this 'low fuel' light is probably the 'check gauges' light which comes on when you have low fuel, it is not specific to '98s.

**Rob Mellinger** · 11-16-2011, 08:48 PM

Mine has a low fuel light. Frost did a bench tune when I was a bolt on.

**justinmc978** · 11-16-2011, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by Rob Mellinger

Mine has a low fuel light. Frost did a bench tune when I was a bolt on.

pics? I am very sceptical but would love to be proven wrong..

**ls1ws6ben** · 11-19-2011, 07:17 PM

i dont see an issue with the low fuel light on my 98... then again i never let it get below 1/4 tank.. i saw on here onetime before i got my car thatn its bad for the fuel pump to let it run below 1/4 of a tank because it heats up the pump and more likely to fail.. i dont know if its true, but any vehicle i have had i never let it go below 1/4 of a tank.. i like the blue tint on the mirrors, and the single exhaust wasnt an issue as it was the first thing that was changed...

**cpop98ws6** · 11-20-2011, 06:55 AM

My tuner told me my 98 computer could not be bench tuned.

**Rob Mellinger** · 11-20-2011, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by justinmc978

pics? I am very sceptical but would love to be proven wrong..

I have had the car 5 years now, pretty sure its beside the gauge. I will run it down and take a pic, got me second guessing now, I am pretty sure it is on my 98 and wasnt on my 94.

**justinmc978** · 11-20-2011, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by Rob Mellinger

I have had the car 5 years now, pretty sure its beside the gauge. I will run it down and take a pic, got me second guessing now, I am pretty sure it is on my 98 and wasnt on my 94.

the light beside the gas gauge says 'skip shift' on mine, and I have an Auto.. again when I have low fuel the 'check gauges' light on the upper left side of the coolant temp gauge lights up..

***SMWS6TA*** · 11-20-2011, 08:46 PM

The only reason the check gauges light came on was because I ran out of gas. That is not a low fuel light in my book.

**2001camaroSS** · 11-20-2011, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by SMWS6TA

The only reason the check gauges light came on was because I ran out of gas. That is not a low fuel light in my book.

My check gauges comes on when my gas gets low. I don't let it happen often but when it does that light is lit up.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 11-21-2011, 05:04 AM

For the sake of argument, nobody should ever be seeing a "low fuel light" anyway since running your tank that low is terrible for your fuel pump.

***SMWS6TA*** · 11-21-2011, 07:36 AM

Jon I agree and don't let it ever get below an 1/8, most times a 1/4 of a tank.

What I said above was because I was so use to check fuel lights in my other cars, I got lazy and expected one in the T/A. I was out and ran out of gas, no light ever came on.

Also I've checked my owners manual for the 98 and there is no reference in regards to low fuel in the "check gauges" or a "low fuel light"

I find this funny how we are going back & forth on this one issue.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 11-21-2011, 07:43 AM

I assume your actual gas gauge was broken then? I guess I don't see the point in needing an actual light to tell you when you are low on gas when there is a fuel gauge right in front of you telling you how much gas you have in your tank.

**justinmc978** · 11-21-2011, 07:44 AM

I think that's a myth. in highschool I worked at a golf course and my boss had a silverado with over 200k on it. that truck never had over 1/8 of a tank (no exaggeration, he ran out of gas and got stranded at least once a month) still had factory fuel pump. mind you I'm in TX also, summers here are intense.

**cpop98ws6** · 11-21-2011, 07:46 AM

Maybe the later production date 98 cars have a low fuel light

**justinmc978** · 11-21-2011, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by cpop98ws6

Maybe the later production date 98 cars have a low fuel light

you mean early production 98 cars? because my '99 didn't have it either... my 98 has the rounded older style headrests, I dont remember if that means it's early production or not..

**cpop98ws6** · 11-21-2011, 08:21 AM

Ohh I didn't know the 99s didnt have the light either

***SMWS6TA*** · 11-21-2011, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS

I assume your actual gas gauge was broken then? I guess I don't see the point in needing an actual light to tell you when you are low on gas when there is a fuel gauge right in front of you telling you how much gas you have in your tank.

yes Jon thanks for pointing out that I ignored the fuel gauge. When I got it I didn't quite trust all of the gauges because it was @ 108k in mileage and being the 3rd owner etc. I honestly was out enjoying it and wasn't paying attention to the fuel gauge when it quit. I took it as a learning experience because it validated that my fuel gauge was accurate and I could trust that when it said it was low in fuel it was in fact low in fuel.

I used to have a truck that would read 1/8 of a tank and the tank was empty.

I say we all agree to move pass the fuel light topic.