Cowmeat learns to drive the Volt

[rmay635703]

The volt is designed to handle fuel & engine maintenance automatically.

When the engine has not been used for a period of time EMM will run no activity required on your part.

There is no need to actively do it yourself and if you used premium gas it's good for a year, then the volt burns it all off automatically.

If you aren't going to use a tank full of gas in a year, use it how you wish but leave a quarter of a tank for FMM and annual burn off.

Then when needed add the smallest amount of fuel needed to kill the engine maintenance.

Obviously no need for a full tank if you can't use it.

Many threads on GM-volt on this matter

[Hank1510]

The tank is pressurized, so the fuel degrades more slowly than a typical car.

[Daox]

How does a pressurized tank help? Less volatile vapors escaping from the liquid?

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Daox

How does a pressurized tank help? Less volatile vapors escaping from the liquid?

The design of the tank makes it sealed, the affect is twofold
Less octane is lost by volitiles escaping
Water is blocked from getting in

And the fact that it's fully sealed is painfully obvious when trying to fill, you have to hit a button to depressurize the tank before it releases the fill cap, a few times I've had to wait over a minute for the system to finish (usually when the tank was nearly empty and the temps were below zero)

[cowmeat]

I'm pretty sure I could go indefinitely without burning through a tank, with my commute I could probably make a tank last the life of the car if it wouldn't hurt anything. I chose the Volt because if I ever need to I can drive it up north without a hassle, but in reality I'll more than likely use my wife's Explorer for that. So in reality it's an EV for my purposes, and I made the mistake of filling the tank the day I bought it

So does a year of sitting idle harm the ICE in any way? If not I'll just leave the gas in there and drive in EV mode for a year.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by cowmeat

So does a year of sitting idle harm the ICE in any way? If not I'll just leave the gas in there and drive in EV mode for a year.

No the computer will not allow you to have stale fuel or damage the engine.

The car will run the engine whether you want it to or not,
one day it will say
"Engine Maintenance ", you can defer it a day but it will run it when it wants.

A better option is to occasionally hit hold when you want heat or take the car on the road trip instead of the exploder.

I've used the volt for several 3000 mile road trips, requires some common sense getting everything packed but not a bad road trip car.

Side affect of driving my volt so many miles is low lifetime MPG but better than driving the pickup as would once have been the case.

[Hank1510]

Ha! I also call them Exploders.

I put a trailer hitch storage case on mine for road trips. Pricey, but not much more than a roof rack. I can also use it on the next car.

I've wondered if regular is ok to run on road trips since you'll burn right through the fuel. Premium that's been in the car for a year would have a lower octane anyway.

[lindsayjim]

We love our 2014 Volt! I enjoy the game of recapturing energy on the down hill runs, using gasoline for uphill while driving cross country. Always remember to keep at least 5 miles of elec. range in your pocket as you switch back and forth between normal and hold modes. Here's a shot of the most a 2014's computer will tally : 60 miles elec. range. I got a loaner 2017 up to 90 elec. on a long cross country last month. Enjoy!

[WyrTwister]

I can tell you , on my lawn mower & string weed trimmer , I have started running them dry , at the end of the summer season .

I read the E10 gas-o-hol causes more problem , if left in a tank . As compared to " standard " unleaded or even the previous leaded gasoline .

Yes , I realize the power equipment has unsealed tanks . That probably makes the situation worse . And the 2 stroke engine has the presence if the oil mixed with the gasoline . That seems to gum up , even worse .

The tank on the Volt may end up being the best case situation ? Bit I would try to run it once a month , if not once a week . Would not cost very much and might end up being a valuable savings .

If nothing else , run it long enough to bring the ICE up to " normal " operating temperature . Drive off condensation & keep the seals " wet " .

I would change oil & filter every 6 to 12 months , even if ICE miles were small .

Changing oil & filter " flush " that system . That must be a positive in & of itself .

Check the air in the tires &check the other fluids .

And , no , I do not own a Volt . Still sitting on the fence and researching .

God bless
Wyr

[cowmeat]

Always remember to keep at least 5 miles of elec. range in your pocket as you switch back and forth between normal and hold modes.

I don't think my 2012 Volt has "hold" mode, unless I missed seeing it in the manual. I like your 60 mile Ev range, btw!

If nothing else , run it long enough to bring the ICE up to " normal " operating temperature . Drive off condensation & keep the seals " wet " .

That's what I was worried about, leaving the motor sitting unused for a year at a time would probably dry out the seals. I think I'll leave the current tank of gas in it, and just run it on ICE once a month for half an hour to move the fluids