What can you put into Gas to screw up an engine?

[VirtuallyMe]

I'm asking because I'd like to set up some payback for this nervy neighborhood kid that stole the gasoline we had in a can in our backyard and then tossed the can back to the driveway.

This weekend we caught the kid trying to sneak back to the gas can- and couldn't believe the nerve. Today my husband said during torential down pour the kid came back and was successful. My husband watched him but wasn't up to getting wet for less than 5 gallons of gasoline.

I told my husband I want to refill the can- and add something to it that will screw up the kids car- so what can I put into my can of gasoline that if stolen would cause the thief's vehicle harm?

 

[Master Mason]

Sugar.

But, If it were me, I would video tape the kid and have him arrested myself.

 

[Amlee]

water
sand

 

[HOGFAN]

sawdust

 

[Amlee]

Sugar.

But, If it were me, I would video tape the kid and have him arrested myself.

OHHH I forgot about sugar.


Years ago we had some kids taking stuff from us. My dad attached a very low voltage battery to an item he knew they would grab. That night we heard someone yelp and running. We never had a problem with that again.

 

[GoldieSaysMeep]

Edit

I just noticed you're just putting it into a can. In that case, have at the little punk. lol.

 

[HOGFAN]

I wonder if oil in the gas will screw it up. I know DH keeps a gascan around for
the weedwhacker that requires a mix. That way you could play dumb if the kid picks up the wrong can

 

[Master Mason]

I wonder if oil in the gas will screw it up. I know DH keeps a gascan around for
the weedwhacker that requires a mix. That way you could play dumb if the kid picks up the wrong can

Nope it would just make the car run rich for a little bit.

 

[pr surfer]

Fill the can completely with diesel (or with watered down gasoline) and let the kid steal it again.

If it fills up at least 10% of his tank, he should be in for a fun ride and a potentially (somewhat) expensive repair bill.

And unlike sugar/water/sand in the gas tank, it's not vandalism

 

[Linzybrooke]

I know you can put sugar in, like others have said.

However, be careful. I would take the safer route and videotape him stealing from you rather than do something that could inevitably get you in trouble if it ruins the car.

 

[Stella3]

Fill the can completely with diesel (or with watered down gasoline) and let the kid steal it again.

If it fills up at least 10% of his tank, he should be in for a fun ride and a potentially (somewhat) expensive repair bill.

And unlike sugar/water/sand in the gas tank, it's not vandalism

Bwahahahaha!!!! Love it!

 

[Master Mason]

Fill the can completely with diesel (or with watered down gasoline) and let the kid steal it again.

If it fills up at least 10% of his tank, he should be in for a fun ride and a potentially (somewhat) expensive repair bill.

And unlike sugar/water/sand in the gas tank, it's not vandalism

Diesel would be a good option as well, but you would also ruin your gas can, as you can't mix the two.

Is it vandalism to have something that was stolen from you do damage to something that the person that did the stealing attempted to use it in?

I know you can put sugar in, like others have said.

However, be careful. I would take the safer route and videotape him stealing from you rather than do something that could inevitably get you in trouble if it ruins the car.

I agree, which was why I suggested it after answering the question. Sugar can do nasty things to a car engine, don't ask how I know this.

 

[Mommy2cody]

I don't see how they would get into trouble....it is THEIR gas can....If they wanted to fill it up with cooking oil they could!! It is not their fault that it is being stolen and used for someones car!!

 

[Patch'sD]

Four Gallons of Water and One Gallon of Gas. he will have to get the tank dropped and pumped. Water could have gotten in the can from the rain or sprinkler. Sugar, Will pretty much wreck the engine.

 

[Tink888]

So the kid has stolen maybe 50.00 worth of gas from you and your're posting to ask how you can cause hundreds of dollars of damage to a car that might not even be his? Not to mention what could happen to you if it got back that you did that OR the possibilty that if he doesn't bite and you forget what you added to the gas can, you could end up putting the gas into your car or lawnmower and having the act of revenge backfire on you.

Videotape him in the act and let the police handle it.

 

[Mom2Nick]

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/sugar-in-gas-tank.htm

It appears sugar is not the trick. What about watering down the gas?

 

[VirtuallyMe]

I'm not planning to put anything into the kids car. If a kid steals something off my property and puts it into his own car- well let the stealer beware.

I think we may try water mixed with enough gas to make it not noticeable- and just leave the can in the same location.

If I was quicker thinking the kid would have been caught this past weekend when we first saw them try but run away when they saw us watching them. But I didn't think someone was actually doing something wrong. I only went out because they kid ran toward the back garage- where my adult son used to live and I was going to see if it was a friend to tell him where he was now. They drove away fast so I didn't get the license plate number- I have friends in police and sheriff departments so could have at least given the kid a hard time if nothing else (hard to prove they stole gas without some other proof). I didn't even say anything to my husband until they started running off.

We had moved everything that they could have possibly been going after on that side of the house except for this one can of gas- that my husband had used some of to refill neighbor's lawn tractor and didn't put away again. We figured it was gas cans though since my husband had several empty ones in that area. We have so many from hurricane Rita when you had to drive an hour or more to get gasoline and he was cleaning up differnt things and had tossed the empty ones into a pile.

I just want to teach a lesson to the punk- that stealing is bad. And that getting arrested isn't always the consequence. Just a little Karma for them.

 

[AmazingGrace]

You could always add pee. Don't ask me how I know this.

 

[Denton]

If their vehicle has a metal fuel tank, use bleach.

I believe these days most cars come with plastic gas tanks so a water/gas mixture will do the trick.

Mythbusters did an experiment with sugar in a gas tank and sugar was not very effective compared with other nefarious substances.

 

[Quiksilvr]

Diesel would be a good option as well, but you would also ruin your gas can, as you can't mix the two.

Is it vandalism to have something that was stolen from you do damage to something that the person that did the stealing attempted to use it in?



I agree, which was why I suggested it after answering the question. Sugar can do nasty things to a car engine, don't ask how I know this.

It's not necessarily "vandalism" but it could be any number of other things, especially if he could prove that the OP intended to cause the damage (which would be pretty clear if there was sugar in the gas can). The boy would be prosecuted for theft, but the OP could also be prosecuted for a number of crimes depending on what level of damage the vehicle sustained. Additionally, if someone was hurt because of the sugar in the tank (e.g., a car accident) the OP could be prosecuted for that and probably would be. The prosecutor would paint it as a willful disregard of a clear risk.