Ammonia in a Gas Tank: What REALLY Happens?! (Explained)

Ammonia is a compound found in almost any place. It is present in air, soil, and water and is a source of essential nitrogen for animals and plants. In general, you can find it anywhere, and many living things benefit from such. However, if put in a gas tank, you may wonder if it’s also the same. So, you may ask:

If you put Ammonia in a gas tank, what really happens? Some studies suggest that Ammonia can be an alternative to fuel. However, this compound is highly reactive and also toxic. If it gets mixed with vapor or air, it can lead to corrosion for your engine. Further, high temperatures can cause it to explode as it is flammable as well.

Ammonia would burn like fuel would. However, this compound can be challenging to process for any typical engine. In short, it can be possible with adjustments done to the engine. If your engine has some metals such as alloy, brass, zinc, or copper, the Ammonia can cause corrosion.

In this article, you’ll read a walk-through to Ammonia and its effects on a gas tank and on the engine itself. This way, you can understand its risks and how to deal with them if it ever happens to you and your engine.

So, without further ado, let’s get into it!

Table of Contents

What happens if you put Ammonia into a gas tank?

If you put Ammonia into a gas tank, it would likely burn as a typical fuel would. However, it would be best to keep in mind that Ammonia is difficult to burn or combust.

For this reason, you need to adjust your engine or have it upgraded if you plan on using such as your fuel.

Even if you made the adjustments, it wouldn’t guarantee that your engine will run smoothly.

Another thing to remember is that Ammonia is highly reactive, and it’s also toxic in specific amounts. As a result, it won’t be an ideal solution if you plan on switching or upgrading your engine.

Besides the adjustments, you also need to make sure your engine and gas tank have no metals such as zinc, copper, or brass alloys in them.

The reason is that Ammonia reacts to these metals, and it can cause corrosion if left unchecked.

Short term effects

The short-term effects of Ammonia on your gas tank aren’t going to be good. But, due to its highly reactive property and its toxicity, it can take a toll on the engine and user.

One thing to note is that Ammonia is highly toxic for a person to inhale. Moreover, this compound is also highly corrosive and can react to particular metals found in a gas tank.

In short, Ammonia might hold a promising alternative to cleaner energy. Still, it’s not a good idea to cause adverse effects even in a short span.

Long term effects

Some studies suggest that Ammonia as a fuel can do great in the long run. However, if ammonia vapor gets stuck in the gas tank, possible corrosion can happen.

If such an incident happened, the metals in the engine would be prone to corrosion. Thus, it will do some gradual damage to the engine and the tank.

Moreover, the vapor can also cause toxic effects if inhaled by anyone. Thus, it’s not a good idea to use such a compound continuously.

Can Ammonia in a gas tank damage an engine?

Yes, Ammonia in a gas tank can damage an engine, and it’s usually through corrosion. So while this compound can be a good fuel and a door to clean energy, it still contains risks.

Since Ammonia is highly reactive, it can react to metals such as copper, brass alloy, or even zinc, allowing them to erode.

Since metal is one of the main things found in engines and tanks, it can lead to deterioration and lessen the performance of your car.

It’s for this reason that no engines run on Ammonia. In fact, no engine runs with Ammonia as dual fuel.

It might be possible if technology would develop something that can deal with the toxicity and the high-reactive property of this compound. However, today, it would be best to stick with typical fuel and avoid getting Ammonia in the gas tank.

How much Ammonia in a gas tank will ruin it?

If the Ammonia has 300 ppm (parts per million), it can be dangerous to a person’s life and overall health. However, even a tiny amount of ammonia vapor can lead to corrosion in the gas tank if left unchecked.

Further, like other fuels, Ammonia is also flammable if it’s concentrated to around 15% to 28% by volume.

For this reason, it’s always essential to prevent your tank from getting Ammonia. Moreover, please take it as a rule of thumb to stop putting Ammonia in it.

Can you tell if someone put Ammonia in your gas tank?

If someone puts Ammonia in your gas tank, you won’t be able to tell unless the engine started to react because of it.

As I said earlier, the main thing about Ammonia is that it can burn the same thing as fuel would. Thus, it can work well if mixed with fuel.

Still, it doesn’t mean that your engine would be alright with it. As mentioned earlier, the Ammonia might burn like fuel, but it’s also actually difficult to combust in a typical engine.

For this reason, your engine may give out some symptoms of difficulty in running. In short, the Ammonia in a gas tank can lead to stalling and even shutdowns.

Moreover, the engine can also have weird sounds inside because of the difficulty combusting the Ammonia. Thus, you should shut the engine down and check it by a professional if you realize such.

How to get the Ammonia out of a gas tank?

Ammonia comes as a vapor or as a liquid. Thus, it may vary on how you get it out. However, the essential thing you can do is to drain the tank and have the fuel filter replaced.

You can also bring your car to a service center so experts can do something to fix it. For example, if the Ammonia is in vapor, the service center should have it completely drained and cleaned.

By removing the Ammonia, you lessen the possibility of inflicting damage on the gas tank and on the engine itself. Moreover, you also prolong the life of your engine and maintain its good condition.

Summary

So, if you put Ammonia in a gas tank, what happens? Some studies suggest that Ammonia can be an alternative to fuel. However, this compound is highly reactive and also toxic. If it gets mixed with vapor or air, it can lead to corrosion for your engine. Further, high temperatures can cause it to explode as it is flammable as well.

Ammonia might be used as a fuel. This compound, on the other hand, might be challenging to process in a standard engine. In a nutshell, it is doable with engine modifications. Ammonia can induce corrosion in materials such as brass alloy, zinc, or copper in your motor.

As always, take it as a rule of thumb to ensure that the gas tank only has fuel and no other things put in it. While Ammonia may be promising as a cleaner alternative, your engine is still fit to accommodate only fuel and not fit combust compounds like Ammonia. If you ever plan on doing such, it would be best to ask your car manufacturer or dealer’s recommendation. This way, you can keep your car and engine in good shape.

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