[adric22]

Something I haven't seen mentioned. What if people drive the Volt for months or years on end without ever using the gas stored in the tank? I would imagine they would probably recommend running the gas engine at least once a month to keep the gas engine from locking up and to keep the gasoline from turning into gel.

 

[BigRedFed]

Something I haven't seen mentioned. What if people drive the Volt for months or years on end without ever using the gas stored in the tank? I would imagine they would probably recommend running the gas engine at least once a month to keep the gas engine from locking up and to keep the gasoline from turning into gel.

It hasn't been mentioned here, but there is an old post in the old forum concerning this and there was lot of discussion on that thread. Basically it boils down to, yes, the gas could go stale, there could be a software component that could run the engine automatically every once in a while, but then some people don't want the engine to run without them telling it to, so there could be an indicator, or GM should just leave it up to us to know our commute, whether we need gas or not and if we have extra, to add stabalizer, which some people said could make the gas last for about a year.

I think that sums up all the arguments of the past, let the new ones commence!

 

[Jason M. Hendler]

I pulled this from Wiki:

When gasoline is left for a certain period of time, gums and varnishes may build up and precipitate in the gasoline, causing "stale fuel." This will cause gums to build up in the fuel tank,lines, and carburetor or fuel injection components making it harder to start the engine. Gums and varnishes should be removed by a professional to extend engine life. Motor gasoline may be stored up to 60 days in an approved container. If it is to be stored for a longer period of time, a fuel stabilizer may be used. This will extend the life of the fuel to about 1-2 years, and keep it fresh for the next uses. Fuel stabilizer is commonly used for small engines such as lawnmower and tractor engines to promote quicker and more reliable starting.

Sounds like you will have to maintain your range extender just like your other infrequently used gasoline ICE equipment.

 

[MetrologyFirst]

Alex, the lead powertrain engineer at the VoltNation meeting adressed this during the post meeting discussions. She specifically noted this was an important issue they are working to resolve. It would likely be a combination of automatic software keys to run the ICE occasionally to keep the motor lubed and the gas flowing.

She also said the gasoline tank will be pressurized higher than usual. This will also help keep the gas fresher, longer.

If they are addressing these types of issues now, 2+ years out, you have to be confident they are really moving along in the design work.

 

[Jason M. Hendler]

I imagine that they would only need to run the fuel pump to circulate the gasoline through the fuel rails, etc. as a typical refresh activity, and then fire up the engine multiple times less frequently than just running the fuel pump, to keep all the lines clean.