Busting out the rumors about what happens when someone pours sugar in the gas tank of a car, here’s an interesting WheelZine article. Know more about the signs that will show if the gas in your car tank was adulterated with sugar, and how to fix it if you ever came across such a situation.
| The Trick to the Prank Ever wondered why your prank of pouring sugar into your hardcore foe’s tank never worked out? Well, it was all a matter of proportion. In order to cause some real damage, it is essential to pour an insane quantity (totally dependent on the engine power) of sugar into the gas tank to get the prank right! Chances of success = 99%+1 ! |
Just because there is a dark side to each one of us, there is an evil deed designed to feed our demons. In case, someone messes up with you real bad and all you could legally do was to shoot a few snarls and snide remarks, you would like to find out different ways to get even. One of the classic methods of inducing trouble into the blissful life of your enemy is to pour sugar into his vehicle’s gas tank.
What You Think Would Happen
The general conception is that if sugar is poured into the gas tank of a vehicle, the vehicle will face starting or engine trouble. This famous prank has stemmed from the major fallacy that sugar combines with gasoline to generate a thick glutinous fluid that clogs the fuel transmission lines. It is assumed that when this sticky fluid enters the engine through the injectors, it spreads all over the piston and the rings. While the engine is running, no real harm is done. Although, when the engine stops and cools, the gluey fluid that now covers major parts of the engine would turn crystalline brittle that now cannot be scraped off easily. The only alternative would be to replace the entire transmission line and the engine.
What Actually Happens
The fact is, sugar is insoluble in gasoline. As opposed to popular belief, the sugar granules remain intact and form no sticky substance. Once inside the fuel transmission lines, the only way in which the granules can cause interruption with the functioning of vehicle is by accumulating inside the lines and choking them. The problem can be nipped in the bud if the engine isn’t started or if you do not drive your car in that state. Modern vehicles are equipped with extremely advanced filtering system. There is a scarce possibility of the sugar granules reaching anywhere near the fuel injectors. If at all the sugar enters the injectors, there lies the risk of sugar forming plugs inside it, and hence, hinder the starting of the car due to blocked fuel supply. This is exactly the same as adding or pouring sand in the gas tank of a vehicle.
Signs the Car Would Show
Well, the other side of the coin is pretty ‘bitter’ and troublesome to experience the ill-fate of being the one upon whom the ‘sweet’ prank was played. If you have sugar added to the fuel in your car, you won’t be able to go very far without noticing the difference. When an attempt is made to start the car, it will balk and ‘hiccup’. Due to the sugar plugs in the transmission line the engine will tend to lose power after an initial start and then stall.
Fixing the ‘Situation’
The very first step once you know that sugar is in the gas tank, do not start the car. We repeat―do not drive the car! Instead, get it towed to the nearest mechanic and have the engine dropped and checked thoroughly. The repair that would be needed will depend on how far the sugar granules have traveled up the fuel line. First of all, the entire fuel tank would be flushed and drained thoroughly. In case of excessive cramming of fuel filters, you may have to get them replaced. If the sugar has formed plugs and is choking the transmission line, they will be flushed out and cleared away. If the sugar has reached as far the fuel injectors and/or carburetors, then they might possibly require replacement, which would be both pretty expensive and cumbersome.
To what extent the sugar can harm the engine and working of the car depends entirely on the extent to which it has spread inside. Although, the chances of it causing great harm in modern automobiles is very slim.