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30 winters without using fuel stabilizer. Usually 5-6 months storage--winters are long in MI. Never a problem.
Though to be honest, so far-so good with no hibernation yet!
Also agree with other statements, these engines now are built to run on ethanol (unfortunately).
Looks like the corn lobby's drive to allow or mandate 15% ethanol has failed, or at least stalled, for now. Thank god....
Originally Posted by mikez06
Though to be honest, so far-so good with no hibernation yet!
Also agree with other statements, these engines now are built to run on ethanol (unfortunately).
Adding stabilizer, like insurance, is usually a waste of money. Gas usually has little or no dissolved water, and in that normal situation, it will store just fine over the winter without stabilizer. But sometimes, through mistakes somewhere in the delivery chain such as leaking storage tank roofs, poor procedures in line washes, barge leaks, etc, the gas can become saturated with dissolved water. If you are unlucky and your last tank of gas before storage has dissolved water, when the tank cools off over the winter, a water layer will form in your tank. Stabilizer prevents that. The fact that most of the time, gas does not have dissolved water explains why many people report good experience without stabilizer. So whether or not you use it depends on your view of insurance.
The problem can happen both with and without ethanol. The only difference is that with ethanol, the problem is slightly worse because the resulting water layer will be bigger. But if you are unlucky and get even pure gas with dissolved water, you will have a problem. The final caveat is that if you do use gas with ethanol, be sure not to use an IPA-based stabilizer like Seafoam. IPA-based stabilizers will not prevent dissolved water from separating if the gas contains ethanol.
I'm not as concerned about the water as I am in preventing the fuel from gumming up over time. I had always understood that fuel sitting for long lengths of time can gel up and get gooey. I though that fuel stabilizer is added to the fuel to prevent this problem and extend the life of the fuel.
Maybe this is more of a problem with older gas formulas and engines with a carburetor, not DI?
All I know is that I put fuel stabilizer in my mower, snow blower and 79 Z/28 -maybe just a habit, so I also put it in my Corvette.
I'm not as concerned about the water as I am in preventing the fuel from gumming up over time. I had always understood that fuel sitting for long lengths of time can gel up and get gooey. I though that fuel stabilizer is added to the fuel to prevent this problem and extend the life of the fuel.
Maybe this is more of a problem with older gas formulas and engines with a carburetor, not DI?
All I know is that I put fuel stabilizer in my mower, snow blower and 79 Z/28 -maybe just a habit, so I also put it in my Corvette.
Under extreme conditions, gas can leave gum deposits, but you have to have two things not present in winter storage with a modern car to make the gum risk enough to worry about. First, higher temperatures increase the odds, and by definition, winter storage is cool, if not downright cold. Second, you really need some evaporation to concentrate things. That’s a potential problem with well vented carburetors in things like lawn mowers and snow blowers, but isn’t much of an issue with either direct or port fuel injection cars. So the only significant winter storage risk with a modern car is the dissolved water issue, and even it is very low probability. On the other hand, a can of stabilizer is cheap insurance.
Under extreme conditions, gas can leave gum deposits, but you have to have two things not present in winter storage with a modern car to make the gum risk enough to worry about. First, higher temperatures increase the odds, and by definition, winter storage is cool, if not downright cold. Second, you really need some evaporation to concentrate things. That’s a potential problem with well vented carburetors in things like lawn mowers and snow blowers, but isn’t much of an issue with either direct or port fuel injection cars. So the only significant winter storage risk with a modern car is the dissolved water issue, and even it is very low probability. On the other hand, a can of stabilizer is cheap insurance.
I am not a chemist but what you are saying makes perfect sense to me and that is precisely the reason I spike my fuel with a little additive at sleep time.
How about our tires? Can I leave the C7 jacked up resting on the jacking pucks?
Should we do this especially with the run-flat tires?
Thanks guys and ladies, wish you all happy holidays.
How about our tires? Can I leave the C7 jacked up resting on the jacking pucks?
Should we do this especially with the run-flat tires?
Thanks guys and ladies, wish you all happy holidays.
Inflate the tires to the correct pressure. Use Flatstoppers to preventflat spots on your tires.
How about our tires? Can I leave the C7 jacked up resting on the jacking pucks?
Should we do this especially with the run-flat tires?
Thanks guys and ladies, wish you all happy holidays.
Inflate your tires about 5 psi over the normal 30 psi. No need to jack car up flats pots are a thing of the past.
What about the battery? I thought I read somewhere that you have problems starting the car if the battery goes dead. Will be gone February and March. Should I hook up the Battery Tender, just disconnect the battery or do nothing?
Get an intelligent battery maintainer that will keep the battery charged but automatically regulate the current to prevent over charging. I use a CTEK Multi US 7002. Very good piece of equipment. I also leave the battery in the car.
What about the battery? I thought I read somewhere that you have problems starting the car if the battery goes dead. Will be gone February and March. Should I hook up the Battery Tender, just disconnect the battery or do nothing?
Hook up The Battery Tender
From what I've seen some reported they don't have as much trouble with dead batteries like we did with the C6's.
But regardless, these cars still don't fare well if the battery goes dead or even just gets low, so it 's good to hook up the Battery Tender.
Another reason it's good to use a Battery Tender is it brings the battery up to 100% charged which just driving does not always do.
Every so often, even if I know it'll only be a few days before I drive mine again I'll put the Tender on it just for good measure to get the battery up to 100% and leave it there for a couple days.
I keeps the battery in good working condition and prolongs battery life.
Your leaving the car sitting for 2 months, why take a chance for any reason for the battery to drain or go completely dead
Can't really use it much until the ice melts, so I drain the cooling system to avoid freeze damage, put the battery on a trickle charger, fog the cylinders, put stabil in the gas tank, and store it under a cover on a trailer in the far corner of the garage.
That is what I do with the boat. What I do with my Corvette during the winter:
I drain the entire tank of gas multiple times (through the fuel injectors and combustion chambers).
I keep the battery topped up (using the car's in-board charging system).
I keep the tires from getting flat spots (by driving at least 60 mph once or twice a week).
I do confess to using a touchless car wash to rinse the dust off (and salt).
I store the summer tires on a shelf along with the crappy summer performance tires that came on my wife's Ford Explorer Sport.
Though to be honest, so far-so good with no hibernation yet!
