vdavenp802

Does anyone know how the two tanks are filled. I've reviewed the threads that describe how they work, but not a mention of how they fill.

The reason I ask is, I put my C6 in storage for the winter, and I added some gas stablizer. I drove it about 40 miles parked it in the garage, hooked up the battery tender and then covered the car.

My concern is that it was close to full when I added the stabilizer, and if the incoming flow is not diverted or split some how, I have all the stabilizer in one tank, and very little will get to the other side (assuming the left fills first) due to the scavenging affect.

Am I missing something? (be nice).

What do I do know? It will be stored until next April.

CQRT

A few weeks ago, I asked a similar question and was advised that the stabilizer should be added to a near empty tank and then filled with fuel to carry the mixture into the passenger side tank . . .

From that, I'd say you probably aren't accomplishing the goal of getting the Stabil into the passenger side tank if it was added to nearly full tanks but will defer to others that may be better versed.

Wah

If it's just April, your car will be fine. I have a friend who has 2-3 yr old gas (sans StaBil) in one of his cars and it started up just fine. Additionally, I put my old '03 Z06 into hibernation every winter, never used a fuel stabilizer, never had a problem. Will continue the same with this '08.

vdavenp802

Yeah, this what I think is the ultimate outcome, but was to get other input.
I suspect the stuff goes into the left side, and it draws from the right side first. So, the real test will be next April.

If someone has another view, let me hear it, as its not too late to go for a drive someplace and run out the gass and redo the effort. Its not like its going to snow this week.

C6~Missle

you can easily go 6 months on fresh gas with no need for a stabilizer.. This is according to my neighbor who is a retired chemical engineer for Mobil

vdavenp802

Thanks, I think I'll let well enough alone.

I would still like to understand how it fills ( does it split the incoming fuel?).

jeverly

I didn't realize that it had 2 tanks... Is that why sometimes when I'm filling it up, the fuel shuts off when I've only pumped in half a tank? How can I keep that from happening?

havesleep

someone posted pictures and an explained the process. Look it up, it is quite informing.

FortMorganAl

OK, to answer the question, the gas goes from the fill tube into the left tank. When the left tank is full it overflows into the right tank. When the right tank is full it quickly backs up into the filler neck. That's why when it's full it's FULL.

Now you start the engine. The fuel pump pulls fuel from the bottom of the left tank. Most goes toward the engine but some goes to a jet pump in the bottom of the right tank. The jet pump increases the volume and send gas through a small pipe back through the overflow tube and into the left tank. The volume of the jet pump is more than the engine takes so there is a net transfer of fuel into the left tank which then overflows back to the right tank.

As you continue to drive the right tank is the one that empties. Once you get to half a tank on the gauge (right tank empty - left tank full) the jet pump continues to flow a small amount around the loop but the right tank remains empty. For the last "half tank" the right tank is empty and you are using only the left tank.

So, it doesn't really matter when you add the Stabil (full or empty). The important thing is that you run the engine for a while to circulate the fuel. I'm GUESSING that 10 minutes ought to provide a pretty good mix on a full tank. The time would be less for less than a full tank and not needed for less than half a tank.

Edit: More than you every wanted to know about the fuel tanks - http://www.hessh.de/Corvette/FuelTankSystem.pdf

Swiftrider08

Nice pdf file in post No. 9. Thanks for posting that.

When filling the tank, always use the slowest automatic setting on the handle. When it clicks off, your done. Trying to add anymore will only result in the fuel spilling out all over the side of your car.

Here is an actual picture of the tanks for those interested.

MurphMan2

Very interesting thread. I had no idea that there are two tanks.

mikesul

That would explain why the left side of the car is lower when you only have 1/2 tank, all remaining gas is on the left side.
So there is no way to equalize the weight for the 1/4 mile?

Vet

To be really safe, next time, start adding stabilizer a few weeks before you plan to store the car, you may have to add it to a few tank fulls, whatever... but at least then, you'll know for sure that the ENTIRE fuel system has a correct blend of stabilizer in it.

I do this with all my garden equipment... (lawn mower, chainsaw, blower, weedwacker, etc)... in the late summer, I start adding stabilizer to ALL fuel that is added to these machines... in some cases I burn through a lot of it and have to add more, no problem, stabilizer is not that expensive... but at least once the freezing cold weather comes in, I'll know that all the machines have 100% stabilized fuel throughout the entire fuel systems... all instantly ready to be put to sleep for a few months.

But as others have said, if the car is just sleeping for a few months, you probably do not even need stabilizer anyway. A few times I forgot to add stabilizer to some garden gear that went to sleep for over 5 months, it all started up no problem.

At the same time I have worked on vehicles where fuel had been left in for much longer periods without stabilizer... in those cases the carburetors had to be fully disassembled, were severely gummed up, big mess, very bad... so, in general, for more than say 6 months, I would NOT take any chances.

LT1 Z51

For a 6-month Winter storage, I was told the Stabil is more important for the system than the tanks. So if you think enough Stabilized gas went thru the injectors priming the fuel lines then you are fine.

ThunderWheels

Well heck, I learn something new on here everyday!

havesleep

Read the process again and how the fuel is used out of the two tanks.

EuroRod

IMHO, Stabil isn't anything more that an advertising gimmick. I have a motorcycle and a Jeep that I don't run a tank of gas through in a years time, and have had zero issues with anything gas related. And I've been doing it for 10 years.

Gramps

Summer storage is harder on fuel in the system than winter storage. So if your Corvette is your "winter rat" think about Stabil. I, personally, only use Stabil in 2-cycle systems. Even with those, I run some gas-oil mix with Stabil into the fuel system, empty the gas tank and run the implement until it stops from fuel starvation.

Swiftrider08

Don't know that it is a gimmick, but I don't use it either, not for winter storage anyway. maybe if I was going to store something for a year or two, but not for a few months over the winter. Never had a problem either.

vettnut69

Guess I never did my homework on the C-6. I was sold after my test drive...