What actually happens when someone puts sugar in a gas tank?
I newer vehicles, there is a “sock” just inside the filler cap that is designed to stop fuel back-spill, siphoning, and foreign materials (such as sugar or sand), from entering the gas tank. Any sugar that enters the tank will sink to the bottom, not dissolving. Eventually, any sugar that gets past the tank will be caught by the fuel filter, staying out of the engine. Dropping the fuel tank and cleaning the sugar out and replacing the fuel filter and/or fuel pump may be necessary, but in the vast majority of cases, no engine damage will take place. The repair cost may be around $700 for parts and labor, depending on the vehicle and amount of possible damage. Contact police and insurance agent promptly, so that those responsible for this ridiculous crime against personal property can be punished.
