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

If you have a curious mind, you may have wondered about all the things you can put in a gas tank rather than the typical fuel. As you think of a way to ruin your vehicle, cement seems to be a promising way to ruin them. So, you may ask:

If you put cement in a gas tank, what really happens? If you put cement in a gas tank, it would ruin the pump and the gas tank together with the whole fuel system. Your engine may run for a few moments. However, as soon as it starts losing fuel pressure, the whole engine will stall until it shuts down.

Cement is something used in construction to set, harden, and adhere materials to bind them together. As a result, it will clog and break down the entire fuel system and engine if you put cement in a gas tank.

Whether you’re curious to know what happens to your engine or you want to know if it’s an effective way to ruin your engine, this one is for you. Here, you’ll read through all the effects of cement in a gas tank and how you should deal with such if it happens to you.

Without further ado, let’s get into it!

Cement in a Gas Tank

What happens when you put cement in a gas tank?

When you put cement in a gas tank, the cement ruins the tank and pump, damaging the entire fuel system. 

The cement ends up clogging the fuel tubes. Thus, it would eventually lead to fuel pressure as the cement’s pump and lines would get blocked.

As mentioned earlier, this substance is used to set, harden, and adhere to materials to bind them together. 

Thus, if you put cement in a gas tank, it will clog and break down the entire fuel system and engine.

Of course, every gas tank has a fuel filter to ensure that no solid materials would enter the chamber. 

Short term effects

Suppose somebody puts cement in a gas tank. In that case, you’ll see the consequences almost quickly since the cement will jam the engine once it begins running.

The cement in a gas tank has the potential to block a car’s fuel filter. If this occurs, the cement can cause the engine to malfunction, stall, and finally die, rendering the vehicle useless.

Long term effects

Cement may have a long-term impact on an engine, mainly if some particles are left uncontrolled.

A tiny amount of cement may not likely create serious problems. However, it can damage the fuel system, resulting in poor engine performance.

As a result, if you suspect your gas tank contains cement, have it inspected by a service specialist as soon as possible.

This way, even if a few grains of cement remain within the gas tank, you can preserve your engine’s overall health and avoid additional problems.

Can cement in a gas tank damage an engine?

Cement can damage an engine, both in a short span and in the long run. If the cement would only set and dry at the bottom, it won’t harm the engine. However, the gas tank would get destroyed.

The cement doesn’t dry. Instead, it absorbs water into its structure and so it won’t shrink down. It will only continue to absorb water or moisture.

The settling of cement can take a toll on your gas tank. Thus, when you have a lot of cement inside, you may need an expert’s help to salvage your engine.

Always remember that while other liquid substances can harm the engine, solid ones can even cause worse problems.

The cement can cause clogging in the engine if someone puts it in a gas tank. Also, once the engine starts running, the combustion chambers would get affected by the cement, especially if it mixes with the fuel. 

The cement can block gasoline filters and possibly spread to other engine areas, resulting in engine failure.

As a result, it’s a good rule of thumb to make sure the fuel and oil pit is safe and that no other solid or liquid enters besides gasoline and engine oil.

Cement in Gas Tank

How much cement in a gas tank will ruin it?

Even a little bit of cement can hurt the engine if it enters the gas tank. However, if only a few particles are present, the fuel and oil filter can keep them out of the tank.

However, if someone did it on purpose and filled the tank to the full with cement, it might block the engine and finally kill it. According to rumors, the simplest way to disable a vehicle is to throw cement or sugar into it.

Pouring sugar or cement into a gas tank, on the other hand, is no different than pouring any other thing into a gas tank that shouldn’t be there. These chemicals are bad for cars. If you imagine the cement solidifying in the gas tank, you can only think of the extent of damage it can bring.

According to some, cement can transform fuel into a semi-solid that blocks the engine’s system. However, in reality, these things do not dissolve in gasoline and act like cement does in a gas chamber.

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

You can tell when someone put cement in your gas tank. If it has some cement in it, your engine may start stalling, eventually leading to a complete shutdown.

The cement would likely end up clogging the fuel tubes. Afterward, it would lead to fuel pressure as the cement’s pump and lines would get blocked.

As mentioned earlier, this substance is used to set, harden, and adhere to materials to bind them together. 

If you put cement in a gas tank, it will clog and break down the entire fuel system and engine.

As always, if you think your gas tank has cement, you must immediately turn off the vehicle and empty the tank. You’ll also need to get it repaired by an expert.

So, if you find cement in your fuel tank, what will you do? What would you need to do to dispose of it?

How to get the cement out of a gas tank?

As always, the best way to get the cement out of a gas tank is by draining all the fuel and thoroughly cleaning the gas chamber. 

In most cases, it would suffice to have the fuel filter cleaned. For example, you can do so if you only got a few cement particles in the gas tank. In general, the regular cleaning of the fuel filter would fix the problem over time. 

However, if someone purposely puts cement in it and the cement became solid concrete, then you should seek the help of an expert to get rid of such in your gas tank. The experts would likely remove the tank and break the cement until all of it washes off.

With the help of an expert, you can ensure that the engine would remain in good condition, and you won’t have any further issues caused by the cement.

Summary

So, if you put cement in a gas tank, what really happens? If you put cement in a gas tank, it would ruin the pump and the gas tank together with the whole fuel system. Your engine may run for a few moments. However, as soon as it starts losing fuel pressure, the whole engine will stall until it shuts down.

Cement is something used in construction to set, harden, and adhere materials to bind them together. As a result, if you put cement in a gas tank, it will clog and break down the entire fuel system and engine.

As a general rule of thumb, remember that anything other than fuel and oil can damage your engine. So, in short, you should prioritize having it your engine and tank checked as soon as you know that something gets inside.

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Image credits – Canva

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My name is Hank, and I've been in the automotive industry for 27 years. I've been working in my own auto repair shop for the last 13 years, and now I want to help you here, on my blog. Let me know if you have any questions. Read more