This post is not C-4 but affects all gasoline vehicles .
I last drove my C-4 last October 5th and put it up till Feb 8th.
I put fuel stabilizer in the tank of premo left in it .
When I drove it again I took it to get it inspected [ smog tested too on dyno ] and the mechanic said he couldn't do it because it was runningso rich it was plugging up his machine.
Sure enough it was black smoking and the service engine light was coming on at idle.
After talking to him he said you have a tank of bad gas.
Sure enough only 4 months and the rotten stuff turned into varnish.
No telling what damage would have resulted had I not put in that fuel stabilizer.
Unfortunately we have a lot of stations that have ethanol which attracts water but I'm not sure the Premium contains it.
Lesson : I managed to burn out the tank of bad gas [ no fuel mileage ] and filled it with fresh premo and an additive the engine and fuel system seems ok and no service Eng. light.
Be careful where you buy gas if it isn't going to be burned up and also add that stabilizer and don't fill tank over half.
The thing about Premium is not too many people buy it so it can be old when you get it.
The other thing is our gas sucks particularly if it contains the water attracting ethanol.
Of course this goes for all those hot rods and boats that sit idle for months too.
Any thoughts on using Plus rather than regular.
Some stations sell Premium as Plus because they still make a good profit.
I now fill up near the University where all the college professors in their Volvo's and Mercedes go.
Any thoughts on this gas crunch I'm sure would be appreciated.
I'm sure their are other stories out there and I hope someone reads this and takes percautions when storing your Vette.
Oh yeh a friend put his up and his Run flat tires went out of round for a while causing bad handling so watch that too, he was about to take it to the dealer when he thought to call me and I told him the problem.
Except for severe cases driving them and getting them hot will bring them back in round.
The cure for that is jack stands or a caretaker to drive it a little.
This is an excelent web site and a credit to its owners and sponsors!

 

Oh I forgot I'm not really a new member but It has been awhile since I posted and I got lost apparently. Been around since last July.
I had to re regester but as I said it's worth the effort!

 

Thanks, good advice.

 

The two best places for gas is #1 Chevron-Techron. Second place is BP which sells premium from amoco. Rated #1 gasoline. Also I wouldnt say every other fill up but once a month pour some chevron techron fuel system cleaner in there. Redline is also good. I heard that it is as good as getting your injectors professionally cleaned. Cant guarantee that but it helps.

 

To my friend Larry.Our C4's (I have a '96)can only run on premium fuel.At least the LT-1 cars do.I'm hoping you have delved into this further by making sure your car has been serviced properly.Tune-up,fuel filter change,maybe have your injectors cleaned or replaced,well,you get the idea.We all get bad fuel at times,my friend,let us all hope it never screws anything up in our cars.Proper maintenance is ALWAYS the key.By the way,what color is yours?Mine is Polo Green Metallic II with a beige interior.Love it,cannot go for a day without not driving it,unless the weather gets REALLY stupid.Almost 110,000 miles without any problems,other than some minor cosmetic stuff.Nothing major.As I said,maintenance is the key!!! Your friend always, Joe.

 

Thanks Joe I really enjoy the Red Coupe !
I wish my job permitted me to be home more often but hey you gotta make a buck and I've been doing the same gig for 35 years.
Here's a link of me and the vette at 40 year class reunion in Carlsbad New Mexico!
The car is cherry but I can't say the same for me! LOL
http://www.myspace.com/pro_mod
Next to driving that thing up in the mountains talking and blogging with other corvette owners is time well spent.

 

Larry -
Why is it important to store it with 1/2 tank of gas? Less chance of water? I put in the fuel stabilizer last Oct. and then filled it up with premium - and it's been tucked in since. I'm new at this - this is only the 2nd year of ownership of my '89 convertible. One other question - the car has under 7000 miles on it and I'm still driving on the original tires. They aren't dried or cracked or anything - but - do you think they're safe?

BJ

 

IF the gas was really bad, like it stinks. It will seize the valves after you turn the car off and it cools down. It turns into a sticky goooo.
mike

Try it if you are a non believer.

 

"One other question - the car has under 7000 miles on it and I'm still driving on the original tires. They aren't dried or cracked or anything - but - do you think they're safe? "

NO!!! Your 1989 tires are absolutely, positively NOT SAFE!!!!!!
If you wish to save them for show that is great, but for on the road get yourself a set of new tires.
Tires are only good for about 6 years before the materials start to break down.
For best grip & performance the newer the better, but no way is a 15 year old tire safe to drive on.

 

That's absolutely right about the tires. They can look cherry on the outside and start coming apart at speed.
Also hoses and seals are all the same age as the tires so if you intend to drive it on extended trips you better keep an eye on the rubber stuff.

I'm no expert on the gas but the half a tank is that much less to have to drain or burn and if the gas is marginal like mine was andyou could put in some fresh on top to facilitate burning it.
Normally experts will tell you full tanks vaporise less [ less loss ] and full tanks don't corrode or rust as bad.
Yeah really bad gas will smell bad andturn to varnish like consistency and can gum up the works.
I apparently caught it none too soon or the staybul saved my bacon.
Like I said that stuff can cause quite an expensive repair bill.
I've got a leaking rear trannie seal to deal with so I am going to put It up in the air and change all fluids tranny , brakes. power steering , rear end [ yes the additive for limited slip ] and either flush the radiator or take it for a professional cleaning Itran hot in a parade and one time at speed going up a mountain .