[Lucky1]

I'm having an issue with my 2016 SS, with about 10k. When I start my SS, it's acting like I have a dead cylinder, or misfiring. When I give it gas it seem like a dead cylinder, as it hesitates, and has a slight vibration, and not crisp.


The kicker is no codes.

[SS_Don]

Bad gas? Low fuel pressure? Clogged injector(s)?

[Lucky1]

Just something to add. My car has been setting for a year in a garage, and covered. When I went to start it, the battery was completely dead, and I had to charge it. Could that mess with the computer, as well?

[CalgaryZL1]

Originally Posted by Lucky1

Just something to add. My car has been setting for a year in a garage, and covered. When I went to start it, the battery was completely dead, and I had to charge it. Could that mess with the computer, as well?

If it sat with no stabilizer for a year, you should start with the questions SS_Don poses

[dmcmahan60]

Ever changed the spark plugs yet, seeing as it is a 2016? How many miles on the car?

[speedyink1]

If the gas is a year old and no stabilizer was used then I'd start the diagnosis with the fuel system

[ctrlz]

Originally Posted by Lucky1

The kicker is no codes.

Did you hook up a scan tool and look for pending codes? Things like misfires at startup will need to have multiple occurrences before it lights the CEL.

Old/bad gas is usually a result of water in the fuel (typically from condensation occurring in the tank), and/or loss of volatility due to age. You can deal with the water by adding an alcohol product such as Heet. The volatility loss is harder to fix. Easiest way is to gradually remove it by adding newer fuel and running it through. if the car is rarely driven, you could try siphoning it off to 5 gallon containers and maybe use it in your lawnmower.

In the future, if car sits in storage, consider fuel stabilizer.

[Lucky1]

Thanks guys!! I put fuel stabilizer in the tank last week, before I charged my battery. I also put 1 bottle of Lucas fuel injector cleaner as well.


Moving forward I will add the stabilizer, as my car sits for sometimes up to a year. It only has 10k.


When I get back, I'm going to hook-up my BlueDriver, and check for any issues not causing a code.

[SS_Don]

Adding stabilizer after the gas has gone bad won’t help. I would drain the tank, fill with a good brand gas, and add injector cleaner. Add the stabilizer before the car is going to sit for a while.


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[speedyink1]

Yeah, stabilizer needs to be added before you store it. I'd also go for a short drive after you put in the stabilizer so that the fuel in the lines gets some as well. The way I do it is before filling up with gas for the last time of the year I put the stabilizer in at the gas station. Then fuel up, then by the time I drive home it should be well mixed and in the lines.

Be careful when putting in the stabilizer in these cars as well, I learned that there's a secondary flap deeper in the filler that will stop stabilizer from actually going in, and you'll make a mess. Those "long neck" bottles are not long enough, you'll have to use something else to push past it and let the stabilizer in.

SS_Don pretty much said exactly what I woulda said about draining the old fuel and all that.

[SS_Don]

Originally Posted by speedyink1

Yeah, stabilizer needs to be added before you store it. I'd also go for a short drive after you put in the stabilizer so that the fuel in the lines gets some as well. The way I do it is before filling up with gas for the last time of the year I put the stabilizer in at the gas station. Then fuel up, then by the time I drive home it should be well mixed and in the lines.

Be careful when putting in the stabilizer in these cars as well, I learned that there's a secondary flap deeper in the filler that will stop stabilizer from actually going in, and you'll make a mess. Those "long neck" bottles are not long enough, you'll have to use something else to push past it and let the stabilizer in.

Exactly what I do when I hibernate it for the winter.

My car came with a little funnel in the trunk to use when adding stuff the to gas tank.


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[Tim M]

Stabilizer: over used. I just fired up my 2018 after 2+ years of sitting...no special stuff and ran fine.

I'd charge/get a new battery first before doing much work.

[CalgaryZL1]

You might want to add octane boost if you are going to run that fuel. Also does anyone have a good drain tank solution? I tried a couple years ago the old fashion way with a syphon hose and had no luck.

[GXP08jrf]

Stabilizer is overrated form a purely combustion standpoint particularly on a V8: My '4th gen LT1 did not get a fresh fill up for nearly a decade, and had start-up misfires until warm. When that old tank was depleted and fresh fuel was added: no more mis-fire. I'd done absolutely nothing for long term storage preparation except to keep it on a battery tender. Still needed to replace the battery twice in 10 years... Unheated pole-barn in South-east Michigan. Modern cars are extremely hearty to short term storage.

For storage over a few months in a closed loop fuel system, stabilizer is not necessary unless you have poor quality gas in the 1st place. Alternatively, you may have "summer" blend gas and are trying to start in cold conditions. Winter blended gas has addatives to increase volatality to aid startability in cold conditions.

Check for rodent activity at the air cleaner filter and exhaust. Remove any nest that may inhibit the car's ability to breathe. In that same vein, inspect wiring, clamps, ducts & hoses at the induction. Your symptoms could be the result of unmetered air.