srm16

I have been reading all these different winter storage posts, and seems like there are lots of varying opinions.

My question is about gasoline. First of all, I only use Shell premium in all my cars. I just got my first corvette last month and am still debating on how she will go to storage. As for the gas I was thinking of storing with somewhere between 1/8 to a 1/3 tank of gas, with stabilizer.

Is there any benefit to storing with a full tank versus not? I'm not sure how different it is with storing boats, but in my experiences when I would store the boat with a full tank, even after properly using stabilizer. The boat would never run very well until that second tank of gas. Seeing this is my first Corvette and first time storing her, I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are.

I could be way off but I was thinking if a little moisture is going to get in the gas wouldn't it be better to have less fuel and then in the Spring burn that off and then fill up or go directly to the pump and fill up with fresh gas.

Thanks for your help!

1968swbbigblock

Always fill up in the winter - the less air in the tank the better is what I have
Always adhered to.

Torchsport

Don-Vette

1. Clean car
2. Add bottle of Sta-Bil and fill tank,drive a few miles to circulate.
3. Inflate tires to around 38lbs.
4. Connect battery tender.
5. Put car cover on.

See you next spring.

If you do not fill the tank,you may have condensation which can add water in your tank.

I been doing this over 20 years.

Hebebad

I've been storing cars for over 30 years and just put 2 bottles of fuel system cleaner in the tank. Absolutely no problems during a Buffalo winter.

Mikado463

ahhhhhh 'Bflo'…… how are the Bills doing, everybody over their love affair with 'sexy Rexy' !!!

Don-Vette

We're gonna squish the fish tomorrow! !!!

jshot00

Winter Storage? Whats that?? Oh that is something I do for my lawn mower but not the car!!!

Curt D

I've stored one car in the winter at about 45 deg for past 20 yrs w/o a problem. I've never done more than a fresh tank of fuel.

Colovette

For my '67 Vette and '66 Chevelle, I completely fill the tank, add a fuel stabilizer and run the cars to circulate the mixture through the carb. I used to fog the engines, but since we do have frequent good driving conditions in the winter, neither vehicle sits too long and I quit doing the fogging.

I don't use any fuel additives in my '05, I just keep the tank full.

Rky Mtn C6

Change oil before storing.

Tape off exhaust outlets to keep mice, etc. out.

Put dryer sheets throughout the inside of car and engine compartment to keep mice, etc. out as well.

Battery tender is a must.

If you are in a humid area, put dehumidifying desiccant inside the car.

Google "boat storage ideas" for other tips.

Sunset-C6

Forget about additives, storing cars, boats, motorcycles for years never had a problem.

ssmike56

Buffalo winters are a joy aren't they? I'm in Lancaster and had 7' on the roof! Glad I didn't have the Corvette then so I didn't have to worry about the garage roof collapsing on it! Lol!

srm16

Thanks for all the information, I use dryer sheets in the boat, but for some reason it didn't cross my mind for the car.

Is it overkill to move the car half a foot or so every 3 weeks to avoid it sitting on the same part of the tires?

LDB

Most of the time, you’ll do fine in storage without stabilizer. The risk is that once in a while, due to problems at various places in the distribution system, gas can become saturated with dissolved water. If you are unlucky and that has happened to your last tank of gas before storage, then as the gas gets cold during winter storage, the dissolved water will separate and you will have a problem. Stabilizer is an insurance policy against getting unlucky like that. Even if the gas is saturated with dissolved water, as long as you pick the right stabilizer, it will prevent dissolved water from separating into a water layer as the temperature falls. By “right stabilizer” I mean that if the gas contains ethanol, an IPA-based stabilizer like SeaFoam won’t prevent water separation. Anyway, the bottom line is, don’t listen to either extreme in the debate about use of stabilizers in storage. People who say they’ve stored cars for years without stabilizer and without problems are probably telling the truth, but all that means is that they’ve never been unlucky enough to get a last tank of gas that has encountered the dissolved water problem. On the other hand, people who talk as though it’s a near certainty that you’ll have grave problems without stabilizer are also wrong. Most of the time, you’ll do just fine without stabilizer. It’s simply insurance against bad luck on dissolved water.