Racetronix Fuel Pump Kit 99-02 Fbody (Plastic)

Why a Racetronix F-LS1 Fuel System?

Custom Racetronix / Walbro pump Venturi feed system - Racetronix exclusive Red anodized billet T6 aluminum pump assembly Racetronix to GM Teflon wiring harness High-pressure non-kinking G.M. fuel tube Custom 30 micron filter sock

 

 

The 1999-2002 LS1 F-body cars have a pump that is inside a plastic fill-bucket. The fill-bucket is equipped with two inlets on the bottom.  The equalization checkvalve is used to fill the bucket when the level of fuel in the tank is greater than in the bucket. The equalization checkvalve does not allow fuel to exit the bucket. The venturi system's inlet is a combination checkvalve and powered suction system. The factory pump supplies pressurized fuel via a small tube which feeds a calibrated jet inside the venturi system. This jet of fuel shoots across the base of  the checkvalve inlet thereby creating a suction effect which draws more fuel from the bottom of the tank through the filter sock. This venturi system keeps the bucket full all the time even when the fuel tank is almost empty. A full bucket keeps the pump immersed in fuel regardless of the tank level so that when the tank is low on gas and you are doing some hard cornering or acceleration the pump does not run dry and start aerating (air bubbles) the fuel. This happens as the fuel sloshes from side to side in the tank leaving the center low on fuel. This can cause detonation and possible engine damage. The 99+ F-LS1 cars with plastic tanks have no baffling in them so the bucket is very important. The bucket also allows the car to operate with lower fuel levels in the tank due to its scavenging effect. The fill-bucket improves motor crank-to-run time as the priming time is reduced under most conditions. The return line feeds the pressure regulator on the fuel module which diverts fuel back into the bucket so that the unused fuel also helps keep it full at all times. Keeping the pump constantly immersed in gas within the bucket can extend the pump's life by not allowing it to be exposed to open air. Open air within the tank contains moisture and in time will cause the pump to rust / seize up especially if left to sit for long periods of time without the tank topped-up (i.e. winter storage).

The Racetronix pump assembly is shrouded in a T6 anodized aluminum housing. This housing simulates the proper outer diameter of the factory pump for proper fitment. WARNING: Some copy-cat pump kits use a foam rubber sleeve which will deteriorate using today's pump and race gas which can contaminate the fuel module. This can cause pump failure and engine damage. GM does not use rubber parts in late model fuel systems so why introduce this potential menace now?

The Racetronix pump is equipped with a factory type fuel tube not a rubber hose. This fuel tube is important as when the fuel module is placed back in the tank it must bend sharply which can cause standard rubber hose to kink. This fuel tube is much more resistant to the solvents in today gas and it will not crack, split, swell and collapse like a rubber hose. This is why G.M. uses them as OE equipment. WARNING: Some copy-cat pump kits use a longer generic flex-tube which can bind up and puncture once the module is compressed back into the tank.

The Racetronix pump assembly is equipped with an outlet which supplies the factory venturi system which is required to keep the factory system functional! All other pump solutions to date do not have this feature which requires a hole be punched in the bottom of the fill-bucket thereby dangerously disabling its functionality. WARNING: Some copy-cat pump kits use questionable venturi fitting insertion processes which could lead to internal pump contamination and pre-mature pump failure. Racetronix insertion process was perfected and proven after two years of development and field testing prior to production. Racetronix has stress analysis tests to backup our process.

The Racetronix fuel module is equipped with a one-piece soldered wiring harness made with Teflon wire. This is the same type of wire used at the factory as Teflon is the most resistant to deterioration when exposed to modern pump and race gas. This harness has a pump connector at one end and a GM factory connector at the other which plugs directly into the pump module. No crimping, splicing or wiring adapters are required. Due to the age of some F-LS1 cars much of the in-tank connectors are black / corroded. The Racetronix harness replaces all these questionable components. WARNING: Some copy-cat pump kits use fuel resistant plastic wire which is not as durable as Teflon. As well they do not have a new connector installed on the end of the in-tank harness which forces the customer to re-use the questionable old factory connector body. This has also let to some confusion as to the proper polarity forcing some people to remove their tanks again in order to fix the problem!

The Pumps

The Racetronix F-LS1 pump assembly is based on Walbro gerotor pump technology utilizing the most powerful armature and gear set currently available. Walbro has set the industry standard in high-performance in-tank pumps. Walbro pumps are QS9000 certified and are used as OE equipment in many production performance vehicles such as the C5 Corvette. Walbro's gerotor design is able to maintain high pressures while providing high volumes as well. This is done by squeezing the fuel out between two gears instead of pushing it like most factory vane pumps do. (i.e. factory F-LS1 pump). This positive displacement design makes high-performance Walbro pumps small, light weight, quiet, efficient and reliable. Tests in the field have proven the Racetronix F99+ system will support upwards of 600RWHP and 700RWTQ in some applications.

The Wiring Harness

High performance fuel pumps need a good power source in order to perform to their full potential. On average a Walbro high-performance fuel pump requires twice as much power as a factory fuel pump. Factory wiring is just enough for a factory pumps power requirements because manufacturers need to save cost and weight. Racetronix field tests have shown that running a high-performance fuel pump off of the factory wiring can cut pump performance by 30% or more. Problems with failing factory relays, connectors/terminals and fuse contacts are also common when excessive load is placed on them.

The Racetronix plug and play harness is designed to remove all fuel pump load from the factory pump circuits while providing the pump with a new heavy-duty power source. The Racetronix harness gets its power directly from the alternator's battery terminal. The voltage at the alternators output is typically 1-2 volts higher than at the battery when the motor is running (high charge/load conditions and WOT). This means that your Walbro high-performance pump can provide as much as 20% more fuel in some cases. The Racetronix harness uses high-quality automotive-grade wire which is resistant to oil, gas, heat and rot. The main length of wire in the Racetronix harness is ten-gauge stranded copper. This is three to four gauges thicker than factory wire which helps reduce resistive power loss to almost non-existent levels. This helps improve pump performance by as much as another 10-20%.High-quality weatherproof fuse holders and relays are used for maximum reliability. The Racetronix harness has factory-type connectors which plug directly into your fuel pump module/sender so no cutting or splicing is required. The Racetronix harness has a redundant ground upgrade as it is necessary to improve the harness on the negative side of the pump's supply as well.

There is nothing worse than being in the middle of an installation only to find that the manufacturer has skimped on installation hardware. This is why Racetronix supplies a spare ATM fuse, 25 black nylon wire ties, silicon grease and stainless mounting hardware with each kit.

Racetronix harnesses are considered the best by which all others are judged. Attention to detail in every Racetronix harness is evident at first glance. Racetronix spares no expense to ensure reliability, ease of installation and performance.  All Racetronix harnesses are assembled using our computerized crimp-quality monitoring system and then circuit checked for the utmost in reliability. This harness is covered by our limited lifetime warranty.

Why use a Racetronix Fuel Pump Upgrade Harness?

Plug & Play (no cutting or splicing required) Weatherproof factory connectors Heavy- automotive-grade copper wire Heavy-duty weatherproof relay Weatherproof fuse holder Alternator-direct power for maximum pump performance Silicon grease, spare fuse, wire ties included Stainless steel mounting hardware Body ground upgrade with battery nuts (optional)

UPGRADE OPTIONS:

BGK
An optional battery to body ground upgrade kit is available (P/N BGK8). This kit upgrades the under-rated factory ground wire running from the battery to the chassis. It includes an 8 gauge copper wire fitted with terminals and battery nuts with accessory taps. We highly recommend this inexpensive option because this is a weak point in these cars.

PBIC
The Racetronix harness comes equipped with an interface connector just after the relay (see product picture above). This connector in combination with an optionally supplied connector set (P/N PBIC) allows for easy plug and play addition of a pump booster / voltage amplifier such as the MSD or KB units. These voltage amplifiers / boosters will allow the Racetronix single in-tank pump system to support an additional 100-200 flywheel HP (B.S.F.C. dependant) when run at 16-17 volts. This configuration offloads the excessive current draw placed on the factory wiring onto the heavy gauge Racetronix harness system. System diagnosis becomes easier by simply being able to unplug, isolate and bypass sections of the wiring system.