I caught some one trying to pour salt into my gas tank | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

I caught some one trying to pour salt into my gas tank

Verse

Member
Joined
May 16, 2014
Messages
49
Reaction score
0
Year, Model & Trim Level
2000 Mountaineer
So I'm sitting in my truck in front of a friends apartments (this is at night) on the phone, my engine was shut off and so were my lights. As soon as I got off the phone, i went to call someone else when i hear a thud sound coming from the rear driver side of the truck. I look and see a shadow by the rear quarter panel, I fling open the door quickly and to my surprise there is a girl, a YOUNG GIRL, trying to pour salt into my gas tank -- !!!!!!!

As soon as i opened the door i said WTF you think you doing? She got scared and jumped back, obviously was not expecting anyone to be in the car (i have dark tinted windows), she started pleading with me, stressing that she thought i was some one else. Like WTF??? At your age who could you possibly have beef with that bad??

I looked & saw salt in the plastic part outside of the gas tank fill up hole, and a little on the inside of the hole… so i took it out with a towel, careful not to let any fall into the tank itself.

Here is my question: Im thinking i stopped her in time to prevent collateral damage, the second i opened the door she jumped back and she never really had the time to pour any in -- BUT, I'm still a little worried. Ive driven approx. 100 miles since this incident and have not noticed anything different. Any advice?

PS: I kept my anger in check because I swear this girl couldn't have been older than 14.. She was scared but only because she got caught. My reaction was pretty much GTFO away from me and stay away from car.

Plain and simple, you don't #### with a mans car. WHERE ARE THE PARENTS????
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Salt? Is this some new low sugar way to stuff up an engine?
The Atkins vandalism diet.

Are you in SoCal?
 






The good news, salt is not soluble in gasoline so the salt will stay granular. The bad news, what got in the tank will stay in the tank.

In all likelihood, the pick up filter for your pump will stop any that did make it into your tank and your fuel filter should catch any that makes it that far.

You'd only likely have a real problem if the salt manages to clog the pick up filter.
 






your probably fine. things like this are why all my trucks have locking gas caps. I would have taken her picture and reported the incident to the cops.
 






Are sure it was salt and not sugar? Sugar is the crystal of choice for such vandalism, although not nearly as destructive with fuel injected engines. Naturally aspirated engines eventually choke because the sugar re-crystallizes in the carburetor, clogging the jets. Ethanol does the same thing, btw.

The high pressure fuel injection systems used today can blow deposits on the nozzle away pretty quickly.

If you want to try a cheap, feel-good remedy, run a bottle of Gum-Out through the tank, but I don't know if Gum-out will dissolve salt.
 






Salt? Is this some new low sugar way to stuff up an engine?
The Atkins vandalism diet.

Are you in SoCal?

No, Louisiana LOL

The good news, salt is not soluble in gasoline so the salt will stay granular. The bad news, what got in the tank will stay in the tank.

In all likelihood, the pick up filter for your pump will stop any that did make it into your tank and your fuel filter should catch any that makes it that far.

You'd only likely have a real problem if the salt manages to clog the pick up filter.

Do you recommend changing the fuel filter? Or would i risk letting salt/sugar/whatever it was into the actual fuel lines by doing so?


your probably fine. things like this are why all my trucks have locking gas caps. I would have taken her picture and reported the incident to the cops.

A locking gas cap. One of those things that you never really think about until some **** like this happens. LOL. Do they come stock on these trucks or do you know of a good quality aftermarket locking gas cap i could put on here. 2000 Mountaineer BTW.

I did not press charges because in all honesty, if she did manage to screw up the truck it's not like she or her parents would actually pay for it and I'm not really in the position to pay for a lawyer to try and sue. It'd be pointless. Plus even tho I'm the victim id feel bad for putting someone so young in the judicial system - it could #### up her life. Shell learn the hard way whats down the road if she keeps up on the same path.

Are sure it was salt and not sugar? Sugar is the crystal of choice for such vandalism, although not nearly as destructive with fuel injected engines. Naturally aspirated engines eventually choke because the sugar re-crystallizes in the carburetor, clogging the jets. Ethanol does the same thing, btw.

The high pressure fuel injection systems used today can blow deposits on the nozzle away pretty quickly.

If you want to try a cheap, feel-good remedy, run a bottle of Gum-Out through the tank, but I don't know if Gum-out will dissolve salt.

Honestly, I don't know. It was dark and i was pissed off. It could have quite possibly be sugar. Im not the type of person to pour **** in people's gas tanks to destroy their cars so i wouldn't really know what people use for that. It felt more sandy-like though, like salt. Comparing the two substances side by side i'd say salt because it felt more like salt than sugar, again it was dark and i didnt really have any light. Sugar and salt are nearly identical anyways, so it's hard to tell. I'd lean more towards salt.

I appreciate the replies
 






You would have been doing her a favor turning her into the police. She is too young to have here life really screwed up by the system - and the scare might have done her some good. Still, if you have to err - usually best to do it on the side of compassion.
 






I would have made her eat it all or id call the cops!!! Lol I cant legally say what ive done to people I caught messing with my trucks:shifty_ey.I have motion activated night vision cameras on both my vehicles with instant email notifications...kids/people around here have NO respect! !!
 






The locking gas caps have pros and cons.

Pros: keep thieves and vandals out

Cons: Most of them eventually will through a CEL, I've had different caps on all of my vehicles but for some reason on my Fords and Mercury they seem to not seal as well. I've done the Vaseline on the gas cap o-ring trick to seal it but only last for awhile as well as moving the o-ring up into position during every fill up.

Just some info, you'd be better off installing a lock onto the gas door itself. $3.00 at the hardware store.
 






your probably fine. things like this are why all my trucks have locking gas caps. I would have taken her picture and reported the incident to the cops.
^ +1 After some kids got (from their parents) gas scooters, I noticed was "loosing" gas over night. Not much, maybe like a 2 liter bottle.
I bought locking gas caps and issue stopped.
 






^ +1 After some kids got (from their parents) gas scooters, I noticed was "loosing" gas over night. Not much, maybe like a 2 liter bottle.
I bought locking gas caps and issue stopped.

yeah, in my area it's kids on those freaking 4-wheelers. I hate those damn things. they put louder mufflers on them (SoNic67, I know you love noise) and ride them uninsured on public roads at high speeds w/o licenses or helmets. sometimes I think about taking my deer rifle and picking them off (just kidding - kinda).
 






Are sure it was salt and not sugar? Sugar is the crystal of choice for such vandalism, although not nearly as destructive with fuel injected engines. Naturally aspirated engines eventually choke because the sugar re-crystallizes in the carburetor, clogging the jets. Ethanol does the same thing, btw.

The high pressure fuel injection systems used today can blow deposits on the nozzle away pretty quickly.

If you want to try a cheap, feel-good remedy, run a bottle of Gum-Out through the tank, but I don't know if Gum-out will dissolve salt.

Bobmbx is correct. Sugar is not that bad. It can be cleaned up.

However, If you really want to kill a gas engine Linseed Oil in the fuel will do it in for good.
 






You really should have called the police. She would not have gotten into any real trouble, and it might have scared her enough to not want to continue that behavior into her adult life. The least I would have done is asked her if she wanted me to call the cops or talk to her parents.
 






Are sure it was salt and not sugar? Sugar is the crystal of choice for such vandalism, although not nearly as destructive with fuel injected engines. Naturally aspirated engines eventually choke because the sugar re-crystallizes in the carburetor, clogging the jets. Ethanol does the same thing, btw.

The high pressure fuel injection systems used today can blow deposits on the nozzle away pretty quickly.

If you want to try a cheap, feel-good remedy, run a bottle of Gum-Out through the tank, but I don't know if Gum-out will dissolve salt.

From what I understand the sugar turns to candy in the combustion chamber scoring the bores, galling the pistons and bending the valves.
 












Myth Busters had an episode where they poured sugar and salt into the fuel tank to see if anything would happen

The conclusion was - Myth Busted!

Don't worry about it.
 






I never understood why they do that, it just creates animosity and paints a target on them.

it seems to be a redneck thing. they do the same thing with their pickup trucks. make as much noise as possible. you can spot them a mile away. 1990's GM K1500's, 35" tires, 4" lift, Flow Master 40's, dual chrome bologna slash tipped exhaust, plastic bull balls hanging from the trailer hitch. other than the color they all look exactly the same. my neighbor's truck is incredibly loud (I don't think he has any mufflers on it, just straight pipes). he leaves for work at 6 AM and has to climb a long steep hill to get off his road. he wakes up the whole neighborhood. what a #####! and he's a grown-ass man, not a teenager.

I just don't get the whole 4-wheeler thing. riding trails is one thing, but there's a large field near my house and they just ride around in circles all day long and every chance they get. how much fun can that be? there's a moto-park a mile down the road from my house, but do they ride there? nooo.

I feel the same way about NASCAR. they just ride around in circles and waste gas.
 






Myth Busters had an episode where they poured sugar and salt into the fuel tank to see if anything would happen

The conclusion was - Myth Busted!

Don't worry about it.

I don't think either will dissolve in gas so the filter will stop it entering the engine, but then you're looking at a fully blocked filter and a tank full of crud.

But if sugar does get in the engine i can guarantee you it will destroy it.
 






I feel the same way about NASCAR. they just ride around in circles and waste gas.

It's actually a lot more difficult than it appears but there isn't much spectacle in it until there's a crash.

When I was a kid, another kid about my own age was complaining about how somebody was setting traps on a trail that he and his noisy mates use.
I suggested that if he put the muffler back on the bike then people may not get so upset with them.
It wasn't an option for him.
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





sometimes I think about taking my deer rifle and picking them off (just kidding - kinda).

When I was kid the rock salt buckshot was our supreme fear. And back then it wouldn't get the adult in trouble too much...

Now, if for teenagers I have some level of tolerance, for the adults acting like spoiled kids in need of attention and blasting their stupid rattling noises I have none.
 






Back
Top