Sugar in the fuel tank.

iana · Guru

Sugar in the fuel tank.

RustyD · Guru

In the days before car fuel caps had locks, vandals putting sugar or water in car tanks was not uncommon.

macka17 · Guru

Certainly not a friend.

That was Payback from real a-holes in the old days.

I'd love to see what it would do to these Modern Rail systems?.

But seeing that modern fuels are sooo lacking in the old constituents that gave them lubricity and bang for buck.
You never know hey.

Anybody.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

There ARE some pretty low people around though Ian. Kids as well that have nothing better to do than disrupt and cause havoch.

You here about and read on this forum that people say 'cut the cord', mmmmm, could be a shocking experience that.

elliemike · Guru

Interestingly I have always wondered about this as it has been in vogue since I was little. But when I was an apprentice a man I worked with (Harold Morriss) who was an ex Sgt Flight Eng, RAF during WWII He told me that during his training, the RAF had them run Car engines in the classroom using different fuels and mixes. These included things like Petrol and Castor Oil, Petrol and Sugar. He told me he was amazed how well the engines ran.

iana · Guru

Well this generator Honda I think didn't run too well and they had to get a new unit, this was while they were away, so the couldn't do anything about it other than buy new, but I'm sure if it happened at home base one could tinker and get it going.

Cupie · Guru

I've always thought the sugar in the tank ruined engines ..

This is what SNOPES says ..

http://www.snopes.com/autos/grace/sugar.asp

I often check out URban myths or whatever .. using SNOPES.

Yuglamron · Guru

Urban Myth!!!!!!!!!!

Mythbusters for one proved it wrong. Snopes decry the myth. Want to ruin an engine use fertiliser, The type used in AMFO.

hako · Guru

The Snopes report does not state if the fuel they tested the sugar in had ethanol in it - if the petrol was E10 or E85 I'd imagine sugar would dissolve into the ethanol which is made from sugar? Good luck.

macka17 · Guru

I think what happens.
Is sugar does NOT break down. but blocks filters etc
and stops fuel getting to carby\Injectors.

As said. some fuel is made from cane. which is also our sugar when refined.
I know bleach don't help much.

Don't know about diesel though.

RustyD · Guru

Fuel made from sugar is fermented then distilled to produce alcohol, just like vodka, white lightning etc. No longer resembles sugar by then.

Tony Bev · Guru

Read a book once (fiction)

Someone put a lot of sugar in a large petrol storage tank

They solved the problem by adding water to let the sugar dissolve in it, and then draining off the sugary water (or words to that effect)

Watching the video above, then the gen set is repairable, as it will not be mechanical damage, but fuel blockage, which made it stop

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Yep try dissolving sugar in petrol ? Salt or sugar in oil ? Yes