winter fuel storage
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 32,089
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Same here, as long as streets are dry and clear in winter months I drive mine, no need for any special efforts. Check tire pressures and keep battery on tender. Mine does sit in an unheated attached garage. I have car covers and don't even use them. Only **** thing I have with my Vettes is I don't drive them in rain or snow, they stay cleaner that way. I've got my truck and wife's Honda for that.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,470
Likes: 442
The salt from the snow on streets is what ruins cars undercarriage. I ran our auto shop for near 40 years and with cars up on the lift you could really see the damage salt did to frames, brake and fuel lines when owners never have an underbody wash done. Once a month or so in winter especially would have saved lots of corrosion. People can't see the underside chassis and don't give it a second thought. I've never run any of my Vettes thru an auto car wash but always did a good under body high pressure wash with the wands. Our other cars always get the underbody wash when in an auto car wash. It really helps.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,055
Likes: 9,817
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
In general, the main benefit of a full tank when storing a car is that it minimizes the space for air, which helps prevent condensation build-up inside the tank that can lead to rust.
The best way to store them is to drive them. Even in the northern part of the lower 48, there is usually one day per month the car can be driven for 30 to 40 miles. Having lived in UpState NY I found that to be true through 42 winters. Even the ones where we got 50 inches of snow in one storm and drifts were 9 to 10 feet high. The longest I ever waited was 60 days between drives, the shortest was one day, there are a lot of people in southern climes that don't drive their car that much. Plan your winter properly and you can probably drive the car all through the year. As for newer Vettes being damaged by salt, there isn't that much iron left in the cars. Brake rotors, hubs, and other small parts that are exposed to the elements. There is no way the fiberglass is damaged.
Bill
The best way to store them is to drive them. Even in the northern part of the lower 48, there is usually one day per month the car can be driven for 30 to 40 miles. Having lived in UpState NY I found that to be true through 42 winters. Even the ones where we got 50 inches of snow in one storm and drifts were 9 to 10 feet high. The longest I ever waited was 60 days between drives, the shortest was one day, there are a lot of people in southern climes that don't drive their car that much. Plan your winter properly and you can probably drive the car all through the year. As for newer Vettes being damaged by salt, there isn't that much iron left in the cars. Brake rotors, hubs, and other small parts that are exposed to the elements. There is no way the fiberglass is damaged.
Bill
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,459
Likes: 3,288
From: Hartford WI
In general, the main benefit of a full tank when storing a car is that it minimizes the space for air, which helps prevent condensation build-up inside the tank that can lead to rust.
The best way to store them is to drive them. Even in the northern part of the lower 48, there is usually one day per month the car can be driven for 30 to 40 miles. Having lived in UpState NY I found that to be true through 42 winters. Even the ones where we got 50 inches of snow in one storm and drifts were 9 to 10 feet high. The longest I ever waited was 60 days between drives, the shortest was one day, there are a lot of people in southern climes that don't drive their car that much. Plan your winter properly and you can probably drive the car all through the year. As for newer Vettes being damaged by salt, there isn't that much iron left in the cars. Brake rotors, hubs, and other small parts that are exposed to the elements. There is no way the fiberglass is damaged.
Bill
The best way to store them is to drive them. Even in the northern part of the lower 48, there is usually one day per month the car can be driven for 30 to 40 miles. Having lived in UpState NY I found that to be true through 42 winters. Even the ones where we got 50 inches of snow in one storm and drifts were 9 to 10 feet high. The longest I ever waited was 60 days between drives, the shortest was one day, there are a lot of people in southern climes that don't drive their car that much. Plan your winter properly and you can probably drive the car all through the year. As for newer Vettes being damaged by salt, there isn't that much iron left in the cars. Brake rotors, hubs, and other small parts that are exposed to the elements. There is no way the fiberglass is damaged.
Bill
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 32,089
Likes: 4,613
The salt from the snow on streets is what ruins cars undercarriage. I ran our auto shop for near 40 years and with cars up on the lift you could really see the damage salt did to frames, brake and fuel lines when owners never have an underbody wash done. Once a month or so in winter especially would have saved lots of corrosion. People can't see the underside chassis and don't give it a second thought. I've never run any of my Vettes thru an auto car wash but always did a good under body high pressure wash with the wands. Our other cars always get the underbody wash when in an auto car wash. It really helps.
(Shadows in photo from shooting photo through my closed driver's side window of my 2002 E450 cutaway RV.....)
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2024
Posts: 172
Likes: 36
From: NE Indiana
GM says 1/4 tank to not have fuel stay on the sending unit and cause damage...the design of newer fuel tanks especially dual tanks in C6 and newer makes "filling it all the way up to prevent condensation" a thing of the past.
people will do whatever they want to with their cars, but GM says quarter tank, so you don't hurt the senate unit, so that kind of makes sense to me. No sense in arguing with idiots that have been doing the same thing for the past five thousand years, and we'll tell you about how they have had a 1981 corvette that they are stored completely full and that they run shops for a living in etc.....
do whatever you like, but if you store it completely full and you come back and have an issue with your sending unit, at least you'll know why lol...
people will do whatever they want to with their cars, but GM says quarter tank, so you don't hurt the senate unit, so that kind of makes sense to me. No sense in arguing with idiots that have been doing the same thing for the past five thousand years, and we'll tell you about how they have had a 1981 corvette that they are stored completely full and that they run shops for a living in etc.....
do whatever you like, but if you store it completely full and you come back and have an issue with your sending unit, at least you'll know why lol...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,459
Likes: 3,288
From: Hartford WI
GM says 1/4 tank to not have fuel stay on the sending unit and cause damage...the design of newer fuel tanks especially dual tanks in C6 and newer makes "filling it all the way up to prevent condensation" a thing of the past.
people will do whatever they want to with their cars, but GM says quarter tank, so you don't hurt the senate unit, so that kind of makes sense to me. No sense in arguing with idiots that have been doing the same thing for the past five thousand years, and we'll tell you about how they have had a 1981 corvette that they are stored completely full and that they run shops for a living in etc.....
do whatever you like, but if you store it completely full and you come back and have an issue with your sending unit, at least you'll know why lol...
people will do whatever they want to with their cars, but GM says quarter tank, so you don't hurt the senate unit, so that kind of makes sense to me. No sense in arguing with idiots that have been doing the same thing for the past five thousand years, and we'll tell you about how they have had a 1981 corvette that they are stored completely full and that they run shops for a living in etc.....
do whatever you like, but if you store it completely full and you come back and have an issue with your sending unit, at least you'll know why lol...
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From: Rotonda West, FL 2015 Z51 M7 3LT
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,459
Likes: 3,288
From: Hartford WI
What difference does it make whether he has a C7 or a C6 or whatever forum he is in? He said GM said saddle tanks in the C6 and newer had instructions so even if he rides a Vespa scooter, it's irrelevant. All that matters is that GM has a published manual or TSB stating that you have to have a quarter tank of gas.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 32,089
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What difference does it make whether he has a C7 or a C6 or whatever forum he is in? He said GM said saddle tanks in the C6 and newer had instructions so even if he rides a Vespa scooter, it's irrelevant. All that matters is that GM has a published manual or TSB stating that you have to have a quarter tank of gas.
A. L O T ! No warranty is one. C7 envy is the other!😜
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,459
Likes: 3,288
From: Hartford WI
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 2,817
Likes: 1,157
From: Wauconda Il
GM says 1/4 tank to not have fuel stay on the sending unit and cause damage...the design of newer fuel tanks especially dual tanks in C6 and newer makes "filling it all the way up to prevent condensation" a thing of the past.
people will do whatever they want to with their cars, but GM says quarter tank, so you don't hurt the senate unit, so that kind of makes sense to me. No sense in arguing with idiots that have been doing the same thing for the past five thousand years, and we'll tell you about how they have had a 1981 corvette that they are stored completely full and that they run shops for a living in etc.....
do whatever you like, but if you store it completely full and you come back and have an issue with your sending unit, at least you'll know why lol...
people will do whatever they want to with their cars, but GM says quarter tank, so you don't hurt the senate unit, so that kind of makes sense to me. No sense in arguing with idiots that have been doing the same thing for the past five thousand years, and we'll tell you about how they have had a 1981 corvette that they are stored completely full and that they run shops for a living in etc.....
do whatever you like, but if you store it completely full and you come back and have an issue with your sending unit, at least you'll know why lol...
👍
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 32,089
Likes: 4,613
GM says 1/4 tank to not have fuel stay on the sending unit and cause damage...the design of newer fuel tanks especially dual tanks in C6 and newer makes "filling it all the way up to prevent condensation" a thing of the past.
people will do whatever they want to with their cars, but GM says quarter tank, so you don't hurt the senate unit, so that kind of makes sense to me. No sense in arguing with idiots that have been doing the same thing for the past five thousand years, and we'll tell you about how they have had a 1981 corvette that they are stored completely full and that they run shops for a living in etc.....
do whatever you like, but if you store it completely full and you come back and have an issue with your sending unit, at least you'll know why lol...
people will do whatever they want to with their cars, but GM says quarter tank, so you don't hurt the senate unit, so that kind of makes sense to me. No sense in arguing with idiots that have been doing the same thing for the past five thousand years, and we'll tell you about how they have had a 1981 corvette that they are stored completely full and that they run shops for a living in etc.....
do whatever you like, but if you store it completely full and you come back and have an issue with your sending unit, at least you'll know why lol...
^^^ C7 envy, much!!!No one's saying it isn't a "known issue." As identified by GM. GM was hanging c6es AND C7s out to dry, before they gave C7 owners a; "10 year, unlimited miles warranty on the fix." So, what's your hand wringing and bleating have anything to do with the C7 forum anyway?? You should be on your c6 forum preaching what we already know in C7, and are covered by GM for 10 years.🤪
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,459
Likes: 3,288
From: Hartford WI
^^^ C7 envy, much!!!No one's saying it isn't a "known issue." As identified by GM. GM was hanging c6es AND C7s out to dry, before they gave C7 owners a; "10 year, unlimited miles warranty on the fix." So, what's your hand wringing and bleating have anything to do with the C7 forum anyway?? You should be on your c6 forum preaching what we already know in C7, and are covered by GM for 10 years.🤪
What exactly does YOUR bleating have to do with what he said? What 10 year warranty? What does it have to do with the fuel pump sender and keeping the tank a quarter full? The sending unit can be crudded up but what has that got to do with the flange leaking? He said it is a C6 and up issue with vehicles that have the saddle tank. Again, if GM has such an official recommendation, what does it matter what sub-forum he is on or what car he owns. It is either a fact or it isn't. I haven't looked at the manual word for word but I don't see any recommendation for a quarter tank storage. I have not seen an updated recommendation for storage mentioning a quarter tank. C6ZO6V3 cited that GM made that recommendation of a quarter tank. Assuming he has found a GM endorsement for such a standard for saddle tanks, I'm definitely interested to read about it. I could care less if it implies that the C7 has faults. It does. It isn't perfect, much as you would like to believe. If he is correct that it affects C6 and C7 and C8. If he isn't, I guess it doesn't matter.
Last edited by aklim; Nov 23, 2024 at 12:16 AM.
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Instructor
Joined: Sep 2024
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From: NE Indiana
^^^ C7 envy, much!!!No one's saying it isn't a "known issue." As identified by GM. GM was hanging c6es AND C7s out to dry, before they gave C7 owners a; "10 year, unlimited miles warranty on the fix." So, what's your hand wringing and bleating have anything to do with the C7 forum anyway?? You should be on your c6 forum preaching what we already know in C7, and are covered by GM for 10 years.🤪
And to think that i'm jealous of a C7 is ridiculous.My C6 has about sixty thousand dollars in modifications to it...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,459
Likes: 3,288
From: Hartford WI
Is GM recommending any storage procedure? Say long term like a a couple of years or a few months in either the owner's manual, mechanic manual or a TSB? Looking for an official recommendation.