Golden

Hi guys a quick question about vanishing gas.

My 71 sometimes sits for months in the garage and even though I leave it with 1/2-full tank of gas after a few months of storage the tank is bone dry.

Is this normal? I'm wondering if it's just evaporating or if I have a small leak.

Also, should a 71 have a vented cap or not?

Thanks guys.

nutsy

this shouldnt happen. i beleive your cap should be ventless. my car doesnt lose anything.

Golden

Thanks for the reply

I notice Ecklers only list a non-vented cap for the 69-73 but Zip list both so I'm slightly confused.

I'm leaning towards your thoughts that it shouldn't be vented.

nutsy

i would be very careful with keeping your car in a garage with a flame such as a water heater or furnace. thats a lot of gas in the air. cant you smell it? even a vented cap shouldnt lose gas like that. check for leaks. good luck, nutsy.

noonie

Check all your metal fuel lines, especially under the frame clamps for wet areas. They will rust and leak, but sometimes not enough to drip.

Just for storage purposes, take a piece of plastic, like a sandwich baggie and install your existing cap with it in the neck to seal off the vent.

Danish Shark

Any children with cars of their own?

capevettes

There are only two ways to lose 1/2 tank of gas in just a few months: 1. You have a very bad leak which would be easily observed or 2. Someone is stealing the gas.

Golden

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, and for making me chuckle.

Ever since I've owned the car it has gone through periods of being stored but this has only happened since I got the car back from a 'specialist' who's work was appalling.

I beginning to wonder if they've damaged/disturbed something on the fuel system

Mike Ward

You may want to pull the engine dipstick and give it a good sniff.

...Roger...

The most common place I find this kind of leak is under the passenger seat where both lines take a 90 and both are laying in a horizontal gusset. This gusset usually fills with dirt causing the lines to rust but also absorbs the fuel and releases it slowly enough it never drips to the ground.

...Roger...

Good thought. Stand back when you pull that oil plug !

Golden

Thanks guys, I'll check the oil but I think it'll be more likely a damaged/corroded hard line.

It may be something as simple as a leaking soft line, the last company to have the car managed to screw so many things up I wish I'd just done the work on the car myself.

I know it's not much in comparison with the spend on a full resto but when I spend $5000 with a company I don't expect to spend the next 18 months putting stuff right they were supposed to

joe@zip

Regarding the caps: we list the sealed cap for 71-74 because it will fit a 71, but it is the correct replacement for 72-74.

corvetteload

You should never store the car unless it has a full tank, cuts down on moisture content in the fuel over the storage period................

Sigforty

you might be developing pin holes in the tank. Have you looked in the tank for rust spots with a flashlight? How old is the tank in the car?

U17

Auto fuel will evaporate and degrade over time... I use auto fuel in my plane but it never sat for long until recently... Now I keep avgas in it which has properties for long storage times.. Keeping the tank full is also the best / only way to store it...

mobjack68

If you tip toe to the garage in the middle of the night, you might just catch the harley slurping some go juice thru a straw from the "midnight supply depot" aka 'vette

Mike Ward

A half tank (10 gallons/40L ish) of gas does not 'evaporate' in a matter of months, sealed system or not.

Golden

Thanks again for the thoughts guys, I suspect it's a line leak, I'm hoping it's not the tank

dannyman

1/2 tank is a lot of fuel!

Next time you store it long term;shut off the engine.





I wouldn't store it for a day; without finding out where that leak is. You're not by chance using a shared garage are you? Either someone is "borrowing" your fuel or driving your car.