Atrain59

Ok here is the story. Yesterday (10/05/13 from 5pm to about 3am I was driving my Corvette around town stopping at random places for maybe about 2 hours a piece if that. Right before I left for home I had a couple friends come out and look at the car. I cranked it and let it ideal for about 4-5 mins as we talked. They wanted to hear it reved so I did, reved it to about 5500 rpms and that was it. It came back down to an ideal making no noise what so ever said a couple more words and I left. As i was leaving I noticed my reserve fuel light was on so I pulled in to the local RacTrac gas station to put some gas in it(which was about 2 miles down the road). I had a guy come up to me looking over the car saying how beautiful it looked and how great it sounded. We talked for maybe about 2-4 mins while i pumped gas. I only put 3.5 gallons of 93 gas in the car. Wave bye and drove next door to the taco bell drive through to order some food. As soon as I get ready to order the car starts ticking LOUD and starts jerking, lose of power and shuts off. As it starts to lose power I give it enough gas to coast out of the drive through and find a parking stop. I get out of the car wondering what the hell is going on at this point another guy drives over and ask whats wrong told him "i do not know". He goes on to tell me that the same thing the other guy told me that "he saw and heard the car when I pulled in the gas station and it looked and sounded amazing! and that as soon as I made it over to the drive through he heard it start ticking very loudly" He went on to advise me not to crank it again (which I didn't) and he thinks it dropped a valve or something". After that guy left, my attention turned to the gas station. I started wondering if I got bad gas from the pump? I walk over to the gas station and talk to the manager who was very friendly and helpful. I proceeded to tell her what I thought happened and told her that I am not here to BS you I have a witness that saw and heard the car running before I shut it off to get gas and that I am a Deputy Sheriff and have no reason to make this up. She takes down my name and number and proceeds to tell me that 93 was low as it only had 3600 gallons and usually has 9000 gallons. I then asked for the corporate number. She gave it to me and told me know one will be available til Monday FML! After that I walked outside and got the original guy that saw and heard the car witness statement, just to cover me and back me up and prove that I was not lying about what happened.

So here I am know, trying to figure out what the hell happened. The car had no problems what so ever before this. My only guess would be that I got bad gas and it caused this. I mean I drove the car all day with out a single problem until after I put gas in it. Am i right to think that? What do yall think?


A little information about the car it's a 1999 FRC with 60,000 miles and it has full bolt ons and has a MS3 cam.

PeterB

sfc rick

First thing you should do before you start making accusations, is to pull the valve covers and see if in fact you do have a dropped valve or valve train damage. I'm thinking if was bad gas there would be no damage and just trash in the fuel system.

calvins

I'd bet the gas stop was an irrelevant coincidence.

Eric Reeves

Definitely pull the valve covers FIRST and check all springs. Second check for any codes. I say that from experience. My car did not make any noises it just died. I checked codes first and found both body control modules had lost comm with the ECU. No problem I thought it was a ground issue. So I decided to see if it would at least start again. That is when I cracked the block with a dropped valve. If I would have pulled the covers first I would have found the broken valve spring on #2. Could have been saved if I would have done that. BUT NO, I had to know if it could start because I was going off the codes.

Big Duk

Not caused by fuel. your revving most likely broke a valve sprng. I'd bet $$.

Jeff T.

bobeast

Everything is fine until it isn't. I'm betting the problem has more to do with the revving than the gas.

slocobra

another vote for valve spring! During the "look how badass my car revs up" event...lol We are all guilty of it.

even if it was bad gas, it wouldnt have been to the fuel rail yet most likely.

Mr.Bill

I am going with valve springs also, The C5 has a history of broken springs and revving the motor caused an issue, If you got bad gas it wouldn't make a ticking noise, It would just run bad from the fuel. As others have said pull the valve covers and take a look.

Camjamsdad

Many people succumb to bad gas from taco bell.

But your car prolly died from over revving with no load.

Like they said, lucky if it's a spring. Unlucky its a lobe. It could also be a roller rocker, they are bad at losing needle bearings.

Vetteman Jack

Does sound like a valve spring could have let loose. Best of luck getting it fixed and back on the road.

Atrain59

Well thanks for all the responses. I had it towed home today and began tearing it down to find that a valve spring broken on #2. I went a head and pulled the spark plugs and going to run more test tomorrow. Hopefully that's all that's wrong.

olbear1962

Good luck on the repairs.

Eric Reeves

Exact same as mine. I am surprised it was still running given how your retainer is at the bottom of the spring. That indicates that the valve has dropped ALOT. Here's hoping you do not have major damage although I cannot see how you couldn't at this point. Also check to see if you still have coolant in the radiator. If not its in the oil pan.

jpandes

Bummer Dude!
I hope you get it fixed with minimal cost and hassle.

Mr.Bill

Hope you didn't have valve hit a piston, Also hope the block isn't damaged.

Dave68

Many years ago when I had my 68, I made the mistake of taking someone's mod advice that included installing a cam with very high lift lobes. Unfortunately, the springs were not nearly strong enough and binding occurred twice (at high RPM) before the spring broke (while I was on the way to the garage), the valve dropped and my cylinder, head, and piston were demolished. The cylinder was sleeved, a reconditioned head was installed, along with a new piston, yet the engine was never the same.

Hopefully, yours is not as bad as my 327 was.

slocobra

pretty certain that head will be comming off. sucks hopefully a quick valve job, new valve, and gaskets and you willbe back on the road.


I just had a broken spring too but they were doubles so inner spring kept from dropping a valve.

I just put these on,

http://www.briantooleyracing.com/660...l-springs.html



beyond exellent customer service,super fast shipping, great quality and never a reported failure! He also has a good deal on spring and retainer packages.

HawnHog

Damn bro I about cried when I saw that. How many miles on the engine? I stopped the smokey burnouts and free reving a long time ago. Got a hair over 120,000 miles on my engine. Best of luck on the repair.