2004 Mitsubishi Galant - Sugar in my gas tank - What to do?

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I have Sugar in my gas tank

2

Have the tank drained and cleaned. Or ignore it and drive on. Your choice.

Who did you make mad enough to do this to you?

1 Like
3

I agree with Mustangman. I would just ignore it and drive on. There is a secret about sugar in the gas that most people don’t know. If you know…keep it a secret.

3 Likes
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Tester

5

How are you certain there is sugar in the gas tank? The way your statement is worded seems to leave no doubt.

If there is sugar in the tank then the tank needs to be drained and cleaned, the tank strainer and fuel filter replaced, fuel lines blown out, and then a silent prayer that the smaller sugar residue has not clogged up the fuel injector screens.

6

Well, there we have it, completely opposite opinions from professional mechanics.

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Tester

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Actually it seemed both said to drain the tank and clean the filters because the sugar will not dissolve in gas. Likely just sit in the bottom of the tank though. Only question whether it would reach the injectors. Doesn’t ruin an engine though, just could clog the filters. Not me saying that-that’s what the two links and OK said. I’ve never tried dissolving sugar in gas. Can’t understand why it wouldn’t, but I don’t cook.

9

I’m not going to render an opinion, but I want to remind everyone that Tom & Ray were of the opinion that it would not cause any engine damage.

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I don’t think it will cause damage, but you still need to find out who did it and whether or not it was because they’re angry at you. Sugar might not hurt your car, but whatever they come up with next might.

11

When I worked for VW a Porsche 911 came in with a ruined fuel system due to sugar in the tank. The engine was not ruined but the fuel system certainly was. And the car was only 1.5 years old; and it cost a bundle to fix.

A good friend of mine lived a block away from a city detective. This detective was a punk and should not even been allowed to possess a gun and a badge. My friend sneaked down one night and dumped 2 pounds of sugar into the tank because that detective had been harassing him.
Next morning the Crown Vic was sitting on the side of the road a mile away awaiting a city tow truck.

I’ve seen a Nissan towed in with sugar in the tank. The sugar does not dissolve into a gooey mess but congeals into a crystalline lump so to speak.