My car is an 03 Z06 with 35k miles and it is all stock.

I filled the tank a few days ago with 93 octane from the local BP station. The engine cut off on me as I was driving home today. I could get it to start by feathering the throttle while turning it over, but it would sputter and die. I could rev it after starting it, but it would sputter until the revs fell and it died. I did this just long enough to get the car down the street to my house.

The car did not smoke and it shows no check engine light. The gas gauge reads 4/5ths of a tank full. Oil pressure, oil temp, and coolant temp were all normal. So I figured it was some sort of fuel problem, either bad gas or a clogged fuel filter or possibly a fuel pump issue.

Anyone have any ideas? I figured my next course of action would be to drain the gas tank, though I'm haven't read how to do that yet.

 

Run the codes on the dic and post them.

 

Did it make any noise prior? Hopefully not another broken valve spring.

 

I figured no CEL, no codes, but I will check.

 

No, no noises

 

Well I guess with BP fuel, you might have ingested a tarball!

 

you can still have codes with no CEL. It's always best to run the codes and then post your question along with any codes that pop up.

 

Do you know how to run the codes - if so please post the findings

How to run codes:
How to Pull Codes:
1. Turn your key to the "ON" position, but do not start the engine.
2. Clear any present messages by pressing the RESET button.
3. Hold the OPTIONS button down, and press the FUEL button 4 times. (This will get you into the "codes" section of the DIC.
4. The computer will automatically display all the codes your car has created. It will cycle through each code every 3 seconds. (Have a pen and paper handy to write down the codes)

Note: Any code that ends in an "H" is a history code (something that has occurred in the past, but is not reporting as an error currently.)

5. Once the computer has finished going through all of its codes, press RESET to enter Manual Configuration mode. It should start with a module and show "NO CODES" or "# Codes."
6. To optionally reset codes once in manual mode, press and hold RESET until is displays "NO CODES."
7. Press OPTIONS to go into the next module (ie, from PCM, or Powertrain Control Module, to TCS, or Traction Control System.)
8. Repeat Step 6 until you have reset all the codes in all the computer modules.

Note: Only reset the codes if you want to- it is not necessary to reset them every time you pull the codes.

9. When finished, simply take your key out of the ignition.

How to Interpret Codes
http://www.stengel.net/diccodes.htm

Thanks,Matt

 

Please update once you find out what your problem was......

 

There is one station in town I got gas at twice and both times about 2 minutes after leaving that station my car started sputtering. Both times I added a bottle of Lucus injector cleaner to the tank and topped off at another station and it picked back up and started running normal about 15 minutes later.

 

Could be some bad gas - that does happen on occasion and hopefully that is all it is. Let us know what codes are found (if any) or what else you find out.

 

Sounds like bad gas to me.

 

that'd be my guess - been there - same symptoms.

 

Had to know that kind of comment was coming!


Been there / done that with bad gas (Shell station in Sebring, FL). Long story short, was runnin' a HPDE at the track. Started having engine issues. Mechanic later told me my fuel injectors clogged up which was a prime contributor to the killing of one piston head (#2). We later found the block was also cracked, so I needed a new engine.

I don't know if your problem might end up as severe as mine if the gas is the problem and you continue to just daily drive it after using injector cleaner.

But if it really is just the gas, I know it might be a pain, but at the very least you may want to consider replacing the fuel filter. More drasticly, having the injectors removed and properly cleaned as well as draining the tanks of the suspect gas (you don't necessarily have to drop them) might be considered. It's cheaper than buying a new engine.

Good luck!

 

No codes in the DIC

 

I had the same problem. I put in some injector cleaner, Heet and Acetone. Problem was cured.

 

I was thinking about doing that. What brand injector cleaner did you use and how long did you wait before attempting to start the car after you used the stuff?

 

I let it sit overnight.

 

BP gas is crap. It screwed up all of my fuel injected cars. My carb'd cars were fine. My LT1 hated it, my Toyota hated it, ALL of my Nissans hated it, and I'd NEVER put in any of my LS1/6 cars.

Siphon it out and put better gas in.

 

I decided to pull a valve cover and found a broken valve spring. It was only broken in one place and it doesn't appear to be missing any pieces.

Is there any chance that there isn't catastrophic damage inside the engine?