Sugar in the tank!

[1evilregal]

as well...

454 and camaroadam, I'm on your side on this (even though I sucked at science and have no experience with any of this)... I can read however, and most of the arguments have been with the sugar not mixing with the gas... well DUH, you mentioned it was probably getting mixed by the alcohol (that most oil companies are adding) and the normal traces of water in the tank(usually from cheap gas staions not keeping condensation drained off of their tanks...) in one of your first responses!

I would like to add that even though the sugar usually would just "sit" in the bottom of the tank, when you add fuel the next time, the entire tank becomes a "mixing bowl" for all of before mentioned alcohol and moisture (both already in tank and freshly added fuel), as the fuel swirls around the tank like an olive in a martini glass as the fresh fuel dumps in exactly the same spot as the previously mentioned bag of sugar... a fuel tank never gets heated? when is the last time you parked in a cold open parking lot in the middle of summer on a sunny day? (that vynil isn't the only thing that'll burn your rear... believe me, I work in the middle of blacktop in summer, and on some days, the heat coming off the surface can reach 130* f)...

as for the sugar only turns brown when you heat it? "carmelization"? isn't that what you make when you heat sugar and butter? (yes,I know that it's a general term.... do you know it was a joke?)

yes, I failed science, but I didn't fail common sense... I don't have evidence or any scientific proof that it actually does or doesn't mess up an engine... I'm just an average idiot that can think about how things work together and what other things can do in certain situations....

btw, you guys that say that sugar can't do any damage whatsoever? how bout you drop a bag in and run a few tanks, and prove it to us doubters?

I'm done... never meant to start an argument... dad always taught us to never have a battle of the wits with unarmed opponents!

 

[454muscle]

as well...

454 and camaroadam, I'm on your side on this (even though I sucked at science and have no experience with any of this)... I can read however, and most of the arguments have been with the sugar not mixing with the gas... well DUH, you mentioned it was probably getting mixed by the alcohol (that most oil companies are adding) and the normal traces of water in the tank(usually from cheap gas staions not keeping condensation drained off of their tanks...) in one of your first responses!

I would like to add that even though the sugar usually would just "sit" in the bottom of the tank, when you add fuel the next time, the entire tank becomes a "mixing bowl" for all of before mentioned alcohol and moisture (both already in tank and freshly added fuel), as the fuel swirls around the tank like an olive in a martini glass as the fresh fuel dumps in exactly the same spot as the previously mentioned bag of sugar... a fuel tank never gets heated? when is the last time you parked in a cold open parking lot in the middle of summer on a sunny day? (that vynil isn't the only thing that'll burn your rear... believe me, I work in the middle of blacktop in summer, and on some days, the heat coming off the surface can reach 130* f)...

as for the sugar only turns brown when you heat it? "carmelization"? isn't that what you make when you heat sugar and butter? (yes,I know that it's a general term.... do you know it was a joke?)

yes, I failed science, but I didn't fail common sense... I don't have evidence or any scientific proof that it actually does or doesn't mess up an engine... I'm just an average idiot that can think about how things work together and what other things can do in certain situations....

btw, you guys that say that sugar can't do any damage whatsoever? how bout you drop a bag in and run a few tanks, and prove it to us doubters?

I'm done... never meant to start an argument... dad always taught us to never have a battle of the wits with unarmed opponents!

The argument, 1evilregal, that the disbelievers will no doubt give you is that, since sugar does not dissolve in gasoline, then heat, and agitation (such as when filling up the tank), is irrelevant and does nothing to make the sugar dissolve and pass the sock and filter, and if anything, all it would do is cause the sock and filter to get clogged. Followed with I told you so, and followed by "Yadda, yadda, yadda, blah blah blah. ..." and so on and so forth.

I want to add a new hypothesis that you have inspired 1evilregal:

I want to add here that even sugar with no liquid solvents, bare crystalized sugar, on a damn plate, under heated conditions, will not remain in a crystalized state, but rather can transform into a liquid state, once it reaches it's melting point.

Now liquid sugar, mind you, DOES NOT NEED TO DISSOLVE in the said solvent (i.e. your gasoline), now does it, in order to pass through the pickup sock and fuel filter(s). This could explain the "goo" I described seeing in the tank and carburator. It would also explain why each time I cleaned the carburator and changed the filter, the car started and ran beautifully all day long. Until I started it the next day, it stuttered, coughed, and chocked out. Changed to a new carburator and same deal.

Which means, regardless of any water or alcohol content, the sugar can LIQUIFY if left long enough under a heated condition, an THEN would make it to the carburator, fuel injectors, valves, piston rings, and crankshaft bearings -- where it can stick to and solidify (whether crystalized or not) once it cools down -- and THAT residue can cause damage upon startup.

 

[Randy_W]

I heard never argue with an idiot, bystanders can't tell you apart! So I quit. :wink:

 

[pontiacgp]

I'm not a disbeliever. Just like almost all of the guys on here and the rest of the world I know better. To be a disbeliever one would have to deny the facts and 454 you're a perfect example.

 

[454muscle]

I heard never argue with an idiot, bystanders can't tell you apart! So I quit. :wink:

So you're calling me an idiot and claiming to "quit". Interesting.

I'm not a disbeliever. Just like almost all of the guys on here and the rest of the world I know better. To be a disbeliever one would have to deny the facts and 454 you're a perfect example.

I called you a disbeliever, as in, you don't believe that sugar can make it from gas tank to fuel intake -- something wrong with that?
You, on the other hand are saying that I'm a perfect example of people who "deny the facts", because I experienced sugar go from my tank to my carburator in a non-solid state, and I'm willing to disclose that FACTUAL DATA. As usual how logical and scientific of you.
Like I said before pontiacgp I'm not here to squabble back and forth like children. Unless you have something logical to say or evidence to present, get off my back with your nit-picking nonsense talk.

*takes a seat*

 

[pontiacgp]

I called you a disbeliever, as in, you don't believe that sugar can make it from gas tank to fuel intake -- something wrong with that?

Do you not understand English?...I said I know that sugar mixed with gas will not destroy an engine cause sugar doesn't mix with gas...at least in the world I live in it doesn't

Like I said before pontiacgp I'm not here to squabble back and forth like children. Unless you have something logical to say or evidence to present, get off my back with your nit-picking nonsense talk.

k....lets see what we have....you and one or two other people on a forum while there are credible people who have done tests that prove sugar in the tank won't damage the engine and because for some strange reason I choose the credible people over the likes of you, you say that is not logical and call that nit-picking nonsense talk. I can understand why to you that would sound like it's not logical and nonsense though

 

[G-Body_Vet]

-Making a mountain out of a molehill is an idiom referring to over-reactive behaviour where a person makes too much of a minor issue.

The idiom is a metaphor for the common behaviour of responding disproportionately to something - usually an adverse circumstance.[1] One who "makes a mountain out of a molehill" is said to be greatly exaggerating the severity of the situation.[2] In cognitive psychology, this form of distortion is called magnification.[3] The term is also used to refer to one who has dwelled on a situation that has long passed and is therefore no longer significant

Let's buy locking gas caps and be done with it!

 

[454muscle]

Do you not understand English?...I said I know that sugar mixed with gas will not destroy an engine cause sugar doesn't mix with gas...at least in the world I live in it doesn't

WTF is wrong with you?! For the fifth time, I never said it does! Get off the subject already. Rediculous.

I choose the credible people over the likes of you,

LISTEN PONTIACGP, FOR THE LAST TIME, I don't mind having a discussion/debate and hearing the arguments of both sides, .. but for some reason, you keep having these hissy fits, making personal statements like "the likes of you" attacking my credibility -- how do you know my credibility? I don't know if you studied at university or if you dropped out at 4th grade, but you don't see me picking on your personal nature or anything to that matter, DO YOU?

Heck, I even sent you a PM when you first said I seemed cynical. I apologized to you and said I was sorry if I seemed cynical. Got no response. But here you are on the thread again, as usual, because you have other things to say towards me of a personal nature. I'm beginning to understand now why people have PM'd me about your attitude.

you say that is not logical and call that nit-picking nonsense talk.

You make statements like, "Now I know why you spent $*** on your car." Meaning what? TELL ME What that means.... Attacking my intelligence? My finances? What is it? Ahhh that's what it is --------- THAT's the stupid, childish nonsensical "nitpicking" that has NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS DISCUSSION. So for the last time, GET OFF MY BACK if you have nothing logical, scientific or any other explanation related to the discussion. Wanna present your case? GO AHEAD. BUT GET THE **** OFF MY BACK.

k....lets see what we have....you and one or two other people on a forum while there are credible people who have done tests that prove sugar in the tank won't damage the engine

"One or two people on a forum"..... you're right. It *should* be "all over the internet". Here you go (JUST from 5 minutes of Googling):
-------1---------
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/404449#ixzz1CH8nLDUn - June 28, 2008
Found sugar in my gas tank, changed fuel pump 4 times and cleaned out the fuel system and my car still wont start! Any opinions? | Answerbag
Unfortunately this happened to me when a couple of school kids had it out for my teenage son. Our 1977 Ford 4x4 started and ran fine but after shut down the next attempt to start bent several pushrods. Upon inspection carburetor and heads had to be pulled and full rebuild. Not to mention cleaning tank and all other fuel system parts.
-------2---------
On Mythbusters website:
Bob says:
Sugar in the gas tank will damage all components related to the fuel system… IE: Fuel rails, injectors, fuel lines, and could also damage the pistons/rings…. The fuel filter will get gummed up, shutting down fuel to the motor…. VERY COSTLY!
November 9, 2007 at 4:55 PM #
-------3---------
"SUGAR CAN NOT DAMAGE MY ENGINE" article, where some people give their findings that it DOES:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub ... ber=261333
"SUGAR WAS FOUND IN MY TANK AND THEN THE SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED, THEN SHORTLY AFTER MY ENGINE DEVELOPED A NOISE AND THEN BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. METAL WAS FOUND IN THE CRANKCASE AND ALL THE BEARINGS WERE WORN OR SLIGHTLY DAMAGED."
-------4---------
On honda-tech forum http://www.honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=833452:
Joseph Davis writes (04-15-2004, 09:37 PM):
Sugar is not very soluable in gasoline, but I've spoken with people who got a dose of it in their fuel system when they ran their tank low. I forget if/what damage was done to the engine, but the sugar was all clogged in the injectors, a big sticky mess.
-------5---------
A guy insists he provided engineering proof to his insurance company about sugar damage to file a claim.
http://www.farmersinsurancegroupsucks.c ... d.php?2,14
"They tried to tell me that sugar in the gas tank won't lock up the engine -- so I did online research and cited several studies at reputable schools of engineering proving that sugar does in fact ruin an engine."
----------------
Conclusion: It's not just "2 people on a forum" and it really *is* "all over the internet" -- just like you said it would be pontiacgp. Oh let me guess. These people are all idiots with no credibility. Ok, I'll take a note of that, so don't bother replying to tell me that.
----------------
An article about "slow heating sugar":
T​a​b​l​e ​s​u​g​a​r is composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Slow heating causes the ​s​u​g​a​r​ to undergo chemical changes, creating new substances. Eventually, the ​s​u​g​a​r​ will completely decompose into carbon and water vapor; the water vapor contains the hydrogen and oxygen from the original compound. Most compounds studied in food science are called organic compounds – which means they contain the element carbon 15

 

[pontiacgp]

and you say I have hissy fits?...

 

[v2vera]

-Making a mountain out of a molehill is an idiom referring to over-reactive behaviour where a person makes too much of a minor issue.

The idiom is a metaphor for the common behaviour of responding disproportionately to something - usually an adverse circumstance.[1] One who "makes a mountain out of a molehill" is said to be greatly exaggerating the severity of the situation.[2] In cognitive psychology, this form of distortion is called magnification.[3] The term is also used to refer to one who has dwelled on a situation that has long passed and is therefore no longer significant

Let's buy locking gas caps and be done with it!

Agreed!