Ethanol Problem
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Ethanol Problem
My wife's baby a 98 Vette with 21K miles on it recently had it's first taste of Ethanol. She filled it up, and drove it 20 miles and let it set for 3 weeks. Took it to school and noticed some gas smells around it, later nothing. In the garage that night the gas smell was so bad we had to move the Vette out doors. Took it to the dealer, and it was bad O rings on the fuel Filter. Now that is the original fuel filter, I guess the O ring were not compatible with Ethanol. Oh well, the filter after 10 years need replacing anyway. I doubt many will be in this situation, but who knows. JFYI if you have the same problem.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
No E85 in Florida that I know of, E10 is mandatory now in Florida, Fill up was at a local Shell Station where we generally buy our gas, at least for the Vette. Also Remember the filter was 10 years old. I was talking to a delivery guy and he said some stations have more ethanol than others do. Race track and some other discounters(for lack of a better name) have more ethanol in there gas than Shell or other name brands.
I do see a potential problem on the horizon, many people who burned 93 octane for unknow reasons, are now swithching to lower octane gas so the chance of getting good quality 93 octane at some stations may be a problem.
By the way for the last few years, I have always used a product call Pri-G in all my stuff boat(Optimax engine), truck etc. There web site under test data shows it does help with phase seperation. No, I do not have any connections with them, just a happy user.
I do see a potential problem on the horizon, many people who burned 93 octane for unknow reasons, are now swithching to lower octane gas so the chance of getting good quality 93 octane at some stations may be a problem.
By the way for the last few years, I have always used a product call Pri-G in all my stuff boat(Optimax engine), truck etc. There web site under test data shows it does help with phase seperation. No, I do not have any connections with them, just a happy user.
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Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 669
Likes: 0
From: CA
California has had ethonal for several years. I have used California gas in four different vettes. No problems with any of them. except poorer mileage. The o-ring may have just been ready to fail anyway. Ethonal will absorb water similar to alcohol, this could become a problem down the line. It is suggested that you store your car with a full tank to minimize condensation. I also use Stabil when I let the car set for any time.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 9,369
Likes: 4
From: Zephyrhills, Florida
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Stabil is inexpensive and a good precaution. One of those can't hurt, might help things.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,227
Likes: 15
St. Jude Donor '06
The leaky fuel filter is common in 97 and 98 vettes. Ive seen over 30 or 40 different threads on this forum alone describing exactly what happened to you. I had the same problem with my 97. Its just the nature of the fuel filter and very common. I doubt it had anything to do with the ethanol.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1799640
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1775964
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1675898
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1283575
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1799640
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1775964
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1675898
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1283575
Last edited by Stealthy4; Jun 27, 2008 at 02:24 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 34
From: King George Virginia
I had the exact same problem with my 98 WS6 TA. Filled it up drove a little parked the car and had the gas smell so bad I had to move the car outside. Sounds like we might have a problem.........
