Drain the fuel from C5
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
From: Dover Oh
Drain the fuel from C5
So after the kiddies arrived, the vert has been sitting in the garage. The fuel is getting a little old. Although I treated with Stabil, it's still 2 years old.
What is the easiest way to get the fuel out other than driving?
- Pull hose off the intake and let the fuel pump push out the fuel when trying to prime?
- Stick a hose in the fill port and suck it out?
What is the easiest way to get the fuel out other than driving?
- Pull hose off the intake and let the fuel pump push out the fuel when trying to prime?
- Stick a hose in the fill port and suck it out?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,416
Likes: 1,144
From: Dyer, IN
So after the kiddies arrived, the vert has been sitting in the garage. The fuel is getting a little old. Although I treated with Stabil, it's still 2 years old.
What is the easiest way to get the fuel out other than driving?
- Pull hose off the intake and let the fuel pump push out the fuel when trying to prime?
- Stick a hose in the fill port and suck it out?
What is the easiest way to get the fuel out other than driving?
- Pull hose off the intake and let the fuel pump push out the fuel when trying to prime?
- Stick a hose in the fill port and suck it out?
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
If you put STA-BIL into the tank, it should be fine. It might be a little degraded in octane level, but the computer should be able to adjust for that. If you can, top off the tank with premium and drive it (easy). Do that a few times to insure the fuel quality.
Draining fuel from a C5 isn't as easy as the cars of the ol' days.
Draining fuel from a C5 isn't as easy as the cars of the ol' days.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
From: Dover Oh
The fuel is 2 years old. Still starts right up, but will be stored again all winter. There is about 1/2 tank full. I thought I could pull the fuel out and run in my work car while it still burns (versus weed killer later).
Maybe I can suck out 5 gallons and replace with a fresh 5 gallons?
Maybe I can suck out 5 gallons and replace with a fresh 5 gallons?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,416
Likes: 1,144
From: Dyer, IN
The fuel is 2 years old. Still starts right up, but will be stored again all winter. There is about 1/2 tank full. I thought I could pull the fuel out and run in my work car while it still burns (versus weed killer later).
Maybe I can suck out 5 gallons and replace with a fresh 5 gallons?
Maybe I can suck out 5 gallons and replace with a fresh 5 gallons?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
That's not the answer he was looking for though. He might not feel good about burning old gas in the C5 or running old gas through his injectors. You can't just dump it out so why not feed it to a work car or fishing car?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 10,924
Likes: 78
From: Forney Texas
OP, if you insist on draining your tank, you can remove the relay and short the contact positions. Standing at the passenger fender looking toward the motor, the relay box is just to the right of the battery and the relays are labeled under the cover. Remove the relay and short the top left and bottom right pin positions.
Remove the schrader valve at the end of fuel rail and screw a -4 line at the end and extend it to a fuel can. You can also use a fuel line disconnect tool and slide a hose over the main feed line between the brake booster and engine.
Once you have the hose secured, turn the key on and the fuel pump will run wide open.
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Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 137
Likes: 8
From: Dallas Tx
Remove the schrader valve at the end of fuel rail and screw a -4 line at the end and extend it to a fuel can. You can also use a fuel line disconnect tool and slide a hose over the main feed line between the brake booster and engine.
Once you have the hose secured, turn the key on and the fuel pump will run wide open.
Once you have the hose secured, turn the key on and the fuel pump will run wide open.
Is there a 4' fuel hose that screw on the fuel rail and depress the schrader valve?
Or am I just over thinking this?
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,389
Likes: 3
From: somewhere shooting my assault rifles
If you dont wanna do the relay way.... You can just key on, key off to drain it and it will spit some out each time. I did it that way once and took maybe 5 mins to get 3 gallons out cause the fuel pump does not stay on unless car is running and only pumps for about 4 seconds each time, but it pumps quite a bit each time. I couldnt get the damn relay way to work for whatever reason so I said F it and did it the ol fashioned way...I just slid a tight fitting hose over the threads and it stayed on just fine. Here are instructions for relay way Bret described above from A&A website with some pictures: http://www.aacorvette.com/pdf/aa_fue...structions.pdf
Last edited by Z06supercharged; Nov 28, 2011 at 06:42 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
Personally, I would take it out for a few hours and run it. That would to two things, burn the fuel and lubricate the internals of the motor real well. Then re-fill and put it away. I am not a big fan of emptying the tank with the fuel pump. Too risky IMO when there are much simpler alternatives.
Last edited by vettenuts; Nov 29, 2011 at 05:17 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 18,643
Likes: 14
From: Norman Oklahoma - The Only State in the Union with no Blue Counties!
Go drive it and burn off the old fuel down as far as you dare. Add Stabil and fill it all the way up then drive it for ten miles or so. This will get treated gas through out the fuel system. Space in the tank is your worst enemy for moisture forming and moisture is way worse than anything old fuel would cause. Stabil works for 18-24 months. I use it all the time in small engines that are WAY more sensitive than an LS series V8.
I am in landscaping and I lay up several engines for the winter! Never had and engine not restart in the spring because of a fuel problem!
My $00.02
I am in landscaping and I lay up several engines for the winter! Never had and engine not restart in the spring because of a fuel problem!
My $00.02
Racer
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 359
Likes: 7
From: St. Paul MN
By the way, Congratulations! Sounds like time for a couple trips! With plural kids, the first time in the Vette is fun to watch their reactions, and they all need a turn. Should've thought about this earlier when top-down would have been an option. Hopefully you have an '00.5+ with the airbag disable switch, or an '03+ with the LATCH hooks on the passenger seat frame. Might want to update your profile.
However you decide to burn it out, you may want to run some Seafoam in the next full tank to dissolve any varnishes that may have begun to form.
As a side note, I don't know if I could go two years without a drive in my Vette. You must be a man of considerable self control, or your wife had hidden the keys.
Todd
However you decide to burn it out, you may want to run some Seafoam in the next full tank to dissolve any varnishes that may have begun to form.
As a side note, I don't know if I could go two years without a drive in my Vette. You must be a man of considerable self control, or your wife had hidden the keys.
Todd
