Q. What would really happen if I put sugar in somebody’s gas tank?

A. Ah, the old sugar in the gas tank prank. Luckily, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. The myth goes a little something like this. Someone bent on vengeance decides the best way to get back at their victim is to ruin their engine by pouring sugar into the gas tank. Then, as the victim guns their engine, the gas/sugar mixture is sent to the engine where it’s superheated and becomes a sort of liquid cement. The sugar/gas cement gums up the engine eventually blocking up the whole system like a giant caramel sucker.

Fortunately for prank victims around the world it doesn’t quite work like that. Sugar doesn’t actually dissolve in gas; rather, it remains in its granular form. Most of these particles are stopped by filters and, while they can clog those filters, they won’t become the Caramelized Killer the myth suggests.

Even though sugar in the engine won’t kill it, it can do damage and will mean the tank has to be cleaned. Keep the sugar out of the tank and in tasty goodness where it belongs. Keep reading our newsletter for more answers to your questions from the DAS Demo service department.