Draining Old Gas from tank from a 94 LT1; Need Advice!

[Larry E.]

Try to make long story short. Here goes: Have a 94 Camaro 1LE that is a "trailer queen" and with very very low mileage. I do start it
now and then and everything runs well. I also drain the old gas out of the tank and refill it once in while. I can not siphon the tank through
the filler hole due to special baffling(1LE) in the tank. I have been disconnecting the fuel filter(underneath car) and hooking a hose to a container. I pump
the gas out of the tank by tripping the fuel pump relay. This whole process is simply a p-i-t-a.
I have been told I could do this by tapping into the "fuel pressure" test port on the fuel rails on the engine. This would be far easier then
the above. I assume the 94 LT1 has the same set up in either the Camaro or Corvette. I have ordered a Kent-Moore #J-34730-75 which
is a fuel rail adapter. Hopefully everything will hook up well. Now my question. Does anybody see anything wrong with my idea? Does
anybody have any other idea's? All comments are very welcomed. Thanks in advance.--Larry

[Jim T.]

Re: Draining Old Gas from tank from a 94 LT1; Need Advice!

My comment, I have a 96 LT4 that spends a long time in the garage waiting for a trip with it's full tank. Has been as long as 6-8 months. Take it out for a 300 mile trip and it gets two fill ups, one to get back home and one before it is retired to the garage. 45,218 miles so far since new. Who are you saving your Camaro for?

[Terry M.]

Re: Draining Old Gas from tank from a 94 LT1; Need Advice!

Dave,
Good suggestion until the fuel pump goes TU -- which it will quickly due to deteriorated fuel and excessive use with low/no cooling fuel. Only two aolutions I know of: Leave tank empty & don't start it at all (my wife calls that a "garage monument") or do what Jim T suggests.

[Larry E.]

Re: Draining Old Gas from tank from a 94 LT1; Need Advice!

My comment, I have a 96 LT4 that spends a long time in the garage waiting for a trip with it's full tank. Has been as long as 6-8 months. Take it out for a 300 mile trip and it gets two fill ups, one to get back home and one before it is retired to the garage. 45,218 miles so far since new. Who are you saving your Camaro for?

Jim: Thanks for your comments; but in my situation that is "easier said then done". 1st off the car was bought for investment only and has 175 Miles on it; but
that is not the real problem. My building is long and narrow and of course this car is all the way in the nose of building. Getting it out would require a ton
of movement with other vehicles. But that is a thought. What am I saving it for? A rainy day of course. Larry

Terry: Thanks for your comments also; never heard of garage monument; sounds like you "been there; done that"! Larry

[Larry E.]

Re: Draining Old Gas from tank from a 94 LT1; Need Advice!

I thought this was going to be a C4 question, and the answer is of course "siphon it through the filler neck" which is easy-peasy with a C4.

You'll find that the fuel rail connection port is much more restricted than the outlet of the fuel filter. Your draining operation will take much longer through the port for the same volume of fuel removed.

I would suggest visiting a Johnstone Supply outlet. Use Google to find one near you. They are a nationwide supplier of HVAC and appliance repair stuff to technicians. Obtain a standard 1/4" refrigeration service hose in a suitable length, a Shrader valve core removal tool, and a bag of replacement valve cores. The 3 items should be <$25. Pull the valve-depressor out of the end(s) of the hose (restriction) and using a rag, remove the core from the test fitting. Attach the hose, and energize the pump.

I've used this method on numerous non-C4 GM's to drain the fuel tank prior to dropping the tank when installing new fuel pumps (providing the pump still works well enough). Removing the valve core in the rail really speeds things up. Might be a good compromise to not having to get under the car.

Dave; Thanks for your comments; you have given me some insight on my project. BTW can the valve core in the rail be reinstalled or once out it is a throw away item?? Larry

[Terry M.]

Re: Draining Old Gas from tank from a 94 LT1; Need Advice!

Terry: Thanks for your comments also; never heard of garage monument; sounds like you "been there; done that"! Larry

My wife thinks so.

[Larry E.]

Re: Draining Old Gas from tank from a 94 LT1; Need Advice!

The valve cores can be reused. I suggested obtaining a bag of replacements so as to have some available if you happen to drop it and can't find it. A bag of 25 is about $5, and the refrigeration cores can be used for gasoline. Tire shop cores probably shouldn't be. I store my core removal tool in a ziploc with the valve cores. Keeps it all togeather.

Dave: Thanks so much for the info on my project; I never would have guessed what you told us. Larry

[Terry M.]

Re: Draining Old Gas from tank from a 94 LT1; Need Advice!

I thought an F-car uses the fuel pump "module"? If so, the pump is in a reservoir that is kept full by a bleed off the top of the pump. So the pump is never uncovered anyway. It's always contained in a coffee can amount of fuel.

I don't subscribe to the "pump will be affected by low fuel level causing it to run "hot" argument. Here's my thinking: The fuel flowing through the pump does as much cooling as the fuel surrounding the pump. In normal operation, return fuel is heated in the fuel rail, and returned to the tank. Over time, the temperature of the fuel will rise. The lower the level of fuel, the quicker this temperature rise will take place. So to an extent running low on fuel will cause the pump to operate at higher temperatures than it will with higher fuel levels. The operating temperature of the pumpl is affected more by trip duration, than tank level. My experience has been that the pumps in my PFI vehicles that run at 60-is psi live about 10 years, and over 150K miles while routinely

I have to plead "not sure" on the F-car module. I hired someone to replace the pump in the 01 Camaro, and I agreed to the through-the-floor-pan method. I brought him the GM part, but it was jsut the pump and not the whole assembly.

I only get 100K out of the Caprice pumps (there is no bypass at the top of those pumps), and FWIW my wife lets the gas level go low and I don't. THere seems to be no diference in pump longevity that I can determine. THis is just one imperical data point (or maybe 2, depending on how you count).

Regardless what method is used for changing fuel pumps it is a PITA I would rathe ravoid -- so I will err on the side of caution because it is so easy to do that.

As for deteriorated fuel damaging the pump. Another single data point: Gordon Kilibrew(sp?) changign the fuel pump on the 1983 in the store front museum in the early '90s. He said it went out because of the stale fuel that was always in it because it went nowhere. I know there was next to no miles on it at that point, and the fuel was probably what went into it in 1983.

[Larry E.]

Re: Draining Old Gas from tank from a 94 LT1; Need Advice!

I thought this was going to be a C4 question, and the answer is of course "siphon it through the filler neck" which is easy-peasy with a C4.

You'll find that the fuel rail connection port is much more restricted than the outlet of the fuel filter. Your draining operation will take much longer through the port for the same volume of fuel removed.

I would suggest visiting a Johnstone Supply outlet. Use Google to find one near you. They are a nationwide supplier of HVAC and appliance repair stuff to technicians. Obtain a standard 1/4" refrigeration service hose in a suitable length, a Shrader valve core removal tool, and a bag of replacement valve cores. The 3 items should be <$25. Pull the valve-depressor out of the end(s) of the hose (restriction) and using a rag, remove the core from the test fitting. Attach the hose, and energize the pump.

I've used this method on numerous non-C4 GM's to drain the fuel tank prior to dropping the tank when installing new fuel pumps (providing the pump still works well enough). Removing the valve core in the rail really speeds things up. Might be a good compromise to not having to get under the car.

Dave: Just an update on my project. Went to Johnstone Supply Web page and found it to be very confusing. (No outlets close by to go in person) They have
a multitude of valve cores so picking the correct one for me is a guess. Went to Chevy dealer and ordered part#12570619 which is Cap (cover) and one valve
core. So that part is done. Have made up a hose with the proper fitting but will have to take the valve core out to use as the fitting does not have a built in
valve-depressor. I thought I would buy a hose with the valve-depressor from Johnstone but again would be a guessing game to get the correct one. Dave:
could you give me a part number for the proper hose with the built in valve depressor if you get a chance. I only need 5' or so but could cut it down to size
if needed. Any help would be welcomed. One other thing to mention is that pressure test port on the fuel rail is very hard to get to on a Camaro as the
engine is "set back" a bit and tucked under the firewall but will attempt. Thanks again--Larry