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1st Gear
Joined: Aug 2025
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Help
I know that I messed up but now I need to fix my issue so please no bad comments . I accidentally lock my keys in my running 04 corvette by the time I got someone out it had been 21/2-3 hours and now it’s on reserve fuel my brother thought he would help me out and put gas it in for me however it was the wrong kind but only like a gallon I then drove it about 2 miles and then I put the the right gas in however by now the check engine light was in and it had misfire a few times I got it home and have not started it up since. I do take care of the engine ect so it was in good shape but what kind of damage have I done and what to do
Instructor
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 225
Likes: 67
From: Southern Indiana
Not sure about this but depending on how long it ran it might fine since the new gas is in. I believe you said 04. So it has two balanced tanks. But let someone else chime in that has mechanical knowledge.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 1,197
Likes: 874
I know that I messed up but now I need to fix my issue so please no bad comments . I accidentally lock my keys in my running 04 corvette by the time I got someone out it had been 21/2-3 hours and now it’s on reserve fuel my brother thought he would help me out and put gas it in for me however it was the wrong kind but only like a gallon I then drove it about 2 miles and then I put the the right gas in however by now the check engine light was in and it had misfire a few times I got it home and have not started it up since. I do take care of the engine ect so it was in good shape but what kind of damage have I done and what to do
What does that mean???
If you mean it was just lower octane, then it won't make any difference at all and that would not be the reason for the CEL to come on.
You need to check the codes and tell us what they are.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,387
Likes: 386
From: Virginia
St. Jude Donor '18
Unless he put diesel in it, the gasoline OCTANE doesn't matter.
So, 1 of 4 things has happened.
1) whatever gas he put in was old/stale
2) he may have put 2-stoke premix gas in, perhaps made for weedeater/whatever
3) he put diesel in it
4) the tank ran down so low, that all of the junk that floats around in a tank has now been sucked up into the fuel pump and fuel filter
So, find out what EXACTLY what he put in there, first.
If it is diesel, real bad. You need to NOT run it again, and have the tanks evacuated, lines purged ,change the fuel filter, and fill with 93. Hopefully the injectors and/or pump(s) are not damaged
If it's the latter, start with filling it up, change the fuel filter, and see where it goes from there. If you dissect a fuel pump, you will find it has a small sock on it. That could very likely be cached with crap, and the whole pump(s) assembly(s) should be replaced as well as fuel filter.
So, 1 of 4 things has happened.
1) whatever gas he put in was old/stale
2) he may have put 2-stoke premix gas in, perhaps made for weedeater/whatever
3) he put diesel in it
4) the tank ran down so low, that all of the junk that floats around in a tank has now been sucked up into the fuel pump and fuel filter
So, find out what EXACTLY what he put in there, first.
If it is diesel, real bad. You need to NOT run it again, and have the tanks evacuated, lines purged ,change the fuel filter, and fill with 93. Hopefully the injectors and/or pump(s) are not damaged
If it's the latter, start with filling it up, change the fuel filter, and see where it goes from there. If you dissect a fuel pump, you will find it has a small sock on it. That could very likely be cached with crap, and the whole pump(s) assembly(s) should be replaced as well as fuel filter.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 1,212
From: Temple Texas
4) the tank ran down so low, that all of the junk that floats around in a tank has now been sucked up into the fuel pump and fuel filter
If it's the latter, start with filling it up, change the fuel filter, and see where it goes from there. If you dissect a fuel pump, you will find it has a small sock on it. That could very likely be cached with crap, and the whole pump(s) assembly(s) should be replaced as well as fuel filter.
If it's the latter, start with filling it up, change the fuel filter, and see where it goes from there. If you dissect a fuel pump, you will find it has a small sock on it. That could very likely be cached with crap, and the whole pump(s) assembly(s) should be replaced as well as fuel filter.
As a general rule fuel tanks don't have huge wads of junk floating around.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,387
Likes: 386
From: Virginia
St. Jude Donor '18
...so there is that.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,112
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From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
I'm not trying to be cute, but how did your brother get fuel in it since the only way to open the gas door is either in the car or by the emergency cable in the trunk ? Hope everything worked out for you ! 
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Good luck - hope this is something that can be fixed easily and inexpensively.
