Friday, November 29, 2013
What Happens When You Put Sand in a Gas Tank
Sand is best left on the beach or in a sand box. If it makes its way to your autos gas tank you may be in for a headache and expense.
History
The concepts of putting something other than gas in the gas tank allegedly originated in the 1996 movie, "Kingpin," where sugar was placed in a victims gas tank.
Potential Damage
If the tank was filled up with sand to the brim, it could damage the engine. Snopes.com notes that most cars contain a "sock" at the end of the tanks pickup tube that prevents anything that is not liquid from entering. The cars fuel filter should collect any remaining sand from entering the engine.
Solution
A complete flush of the tank and a change of the fuel filter should fix the problem. This kind of repair could range anywhere from $450 to $500.
Prevention
A locking gas cap might be a good investment. Speedconcepts.net offers several varieties for different vehicles in the $30 to $40 range.
