Gas tank leakage
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Gas tank leakage
I just purchased a '01 C5 a few months back. Recently, I noticed a gas smell in the interior. I filled the car and went for a drive and on my way home my gauges said the tank was empty. I could hear a grinding noise. What's going on?
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,421
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From: Lake Mary Florida
These tanks have a vent valve that can leak fumes. Also, add Techron to your gas and/or use gas with Techron in it to solve the faulty gage problem. Check the stickies out at the top of C5 General for weights, measure... etc. You'll see a picture of the sender and why it misbehaves.
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Good advice. The Techron will help remove sulfur deposits that may have formed on your sending unit, thus causing the gauge to read in error.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,157
Likes: 5
From: Eastern PA
Word of caution.
Yes; the smell may be caused by a bad or improperly installed fuel filter, bad sealing gas cap, etc.
HOWEVER...
A number of C5 model years (don't remember year or years) reportedly had issues with gas tank delamination and/or cross-over tube issues, causing leaks, thus the smell. (I think there are a few CF threads on this.)
WRT my 2002, it was the gas tank that was causing my smell, but it was due to a knicked tank from when my welded-in roll bars were installed. Not cheap to fix (upper hundred dollars for the mxs dept at my local dealership to drop the tanks and repair pin-sized hole).
Had the gas gauge issue as well (i.e., gage suddenly dropping to zero or remaining "stuck"). The techron fix didn't solve my issues and both my gas tank sending units were ultimately replaced under warranty (back when my warranty was still in effect). At the time, I was told it all had to do with sulfur in various brands of fuels attacking the units and causing the issues. No problems since replacement.
Good luck on the grinding sound.
Yes; the smell may be caused by a bad or improperly installed fuel filter, bad sealing gas cap, etc.
HOWEVER...
A number of C5 model years (don't remember year or years) reportedly had issues with gas tank delamination and/or cross-over tube issues, causing leaks, thus the smell. (I think there are a few CF threads on this.)
WRT my 2002, it was the gas tank that was causing my smell, but it was due to a knicked tank from when my welded-in roll bars were installed. Not cheap to fix (upper hundred dollars for the mxs dept at my local dealership to drop the tanks and repair pin-sized hole).
Had the gas gauge issue as well (i.e., gage suddenly dropping to zero or remaining "stuck"). The techron fix didn't solve my issues and both my gas tank sending units were ultimately replaced under warranty (back when my warranty was still in effect). At the time, I was told it all had to do with sulfur in various brands of fuels attacking the units and causing the issues. No problems since replacement.
Good luck on the grinding sound.
