Sugar is purely solid and doesn’t change to liquid until when heated or placed in a liquid substance.
However, since gasoline is liquid and sugar can dissolve in liquid, does it make it fit to keep in a gas tank? What happens if you put sugar in a gas tank?
If you put sugar in a gas tank, the sugar will not dissolve and hence will make semi-solid particles which would affect the passage of fuel to the engine. It can also damage your fuel pump and filter.
Can You Put Sugar in a Gas Tank
No, you should not put sugar in a gas tank. However, if you put sugar in a gas tank, the first thing to note is that sugar will not dissolve and that is because sugar does not dissolve in gasoline at all; they only settle on the engine component and cause damage to it.
Sugar is a solid state while gasoline is a liquid state. Hence, if sugar especially in large quantities reacts with gasoline in the gas tank, it immediately makes it semi-solid which would affect the passage of fuel to the engine and the fuel filter as well.
What Happens If You Put Sugar in a Gas Tank
This is what happens if you put sugar in your gas tank:
1. The Sugar will not Dissolve
If you put sugar in your gas tank, it will not dissolve rather, it will stay in a granular form in your gas tank and turn the gas into a sugary petroleum mess.
2. Damage to the Fuel Pump
Sugar in your gas tank can go a long way to clog and damage your fuel pump. If your fuel pump is damaged, your car will not start and even if it manages to start, it will not drive.
3. Obstruct the Engine
Sugar in a gas tank will obstruct the engine of the car and also get into the fuel line and block all the parts of the engine system, which can result in the engine’s complete failure and damage to an essential part of the engine.
4. Clog the Fuel Filter
Fuel filters play a very good role when driving. Imagine driving with a clogged fuel filter, your car will not accelerate properly as it used it. That is what putting sugar in your gas tank can do to your car.
5. Clog the Fuel Injectors
Sugar in a Gas Tank can affect a couple of things in a vehicle such as the fuel injector, fuel pump, fuel filter, etc.
6. Block the Fuel Flow
Sugar in the gas tank can also block the fuel flow, which would prevent the fuel from getting to necessary points such as the fuel injector, and which would cost to repair.
While we might feel that it would take a while before the sugar in a gas tank totally destroys your engine, it might destroy or affect a couple of other parts of the car before finally affecting the engine.
Will Sugar in a Gas Tank Ruin it?
Definitely, Sugar in a gas tank will ruin it, especially considering the fact that sugar doesn’t completely dissolve in gasoline. It only obstructs the flow of the fuel which in turn would cause damage to some part of the vehicle or destroy the engine of the vehicle.
Another major reason sugar would ruin your gas tank is that it does not dissolve and this would cause it to settle at the base of the gas tank which would in turn cause issues to the engine of the vehicle.
Therefore, do not allow anyone to put sugar in your gas tank. As a matter of fact, do not put anything in your gas tank that is not recommended. Sugar and salt are not recommended.
Is it Illegal to Put Sugar in a Gas Tank?
It is first evil and totally unfair to put Sugar in a gas tank either yours or a friend and this offense if noticed by the car owner, can decide to get the person arrested and face jail term.
If caught putting sugar in someone else’s gas tank, the owner has full authority to sue you and ask you to fix the damage plus other charges deemed fit by the law because putting sugar in a gas tank is considered a criminal act.
What to Do If Someone Puts Sugar in your Gas Tank
If someone put sugar in your gas tank:
- Do Not Start or Drive the Car: If you catch or see someone putting sugar in your car, do not start or drive the car, this way, the sugar will not have its way to the fuel injectors and the engine. Please do not start the car or drive it.
- You Can Sue the Pepetrator: If someone put sugar in your gas tank and you have solid evidence to prove it, you can decide to sue and take legal action against the person and this is because it’s illegal to pose a threat and cause harm to fellow individuals’ life or property.
- Replace the Fuel pump, Filter, and Injectors: If you have not started the car, you can only replace the fuel pump and fuel filter. However, if you have started the car, you may need to either service/clean the fuel injectors or replace them.
- Clean the Fuel Tank: You must also trash all the gas in the tank and thoroughly clean the gas tank to keep it from rusting, etc. There’s no need to replace the fuel lines when the sugar is still in your gas tank. It will still make its way to the engine through the fuel lines. So the best thing to do is to replace them.
- Repair or Replace your Engine: In case it gets to the engine you might have to repair or totally replace the engine. Vehicle owners should ensure that this is done by a good and professional mechanic. Go to your auto shop and seek mechanical advice from them.
How Long Does it Take Sugar to Destroy a Gas Tank?
Sugar in the gas tank will almost immediately react with the gasoline especially if in large quantity and turn the liquid gasoline into semisolid which would affect the flow of fuel into that carburetor, the fuel filter in most cases, and if not properly dealt with can affect the car engine.
Depending on the volume of sugar added in most cases, is the degree of damage caused because it will clog and disrupt the normal process in which fuel is meant to go through and might affect the engine of the car.
You might wonder, why sugar can affect the fuel compartment and if not curtailed might affect the engine.
The fuel filter helps to filter dirt or impurities that might have gotten to your gas tank so as to remove impurities and filter the fuel and make sure, it doesn’t affect the carburetor and engine of the vehicle and this component.
The fuel filter function as stated earlier is to help remove fuel debris that is seen in the fuel. Hence, sugar, when added to the gas tank, would make the gasoline semisolid instead of it being in the liquid state which would not allow proper flow of fuel. If nothing is done on time, you will have to tell stories that touch.
Conclusion
The function of gasoline or any source of fuel in a vehicle is to serve as energy current which is used to generate heat so as to help the vehicle function appropriately and move.
Hence, if its function is distorted it would affect some major parts, especially the fuel compartment of the vehicle and this would not allow the vehicle to perform effectively or move at all.
The fuel filter is an important part of the fuel compartment because it plays a major role in ensuring that fuel debris is avoided and ensures maximum safety of the vehicle as it concerns fuel.
The addition of sugar in the gas tank, especially in large quantities, would affect the state of the gasoline from liquid to semi-solid and disrupt the fuel filter which if not curtailed appropriately affects the engine of the vehicle.
It is important for vehicle owners to be very cautious of these things so as to avoid expensive expenses on repair of fuel filter or the engine or total change as the case may be.
Ensure that substance detrimental to your vehicle is totally avoided especially as it concerns fuel and fueling of your car.
