My 4 year old son poured a good deal of molasses into my '86 MB 300 SDL gas tank while I wasn't paying attention. Don't ask me how...

As you can imagine, I am somewhat leery thinking about even starting her up now. Should I empty the tank first or should I simply start her up and burn it out? If I do the latter, will it make my car run....er....sluggish?!

Any help would be much appreciated.

i'd drain it. and rinse the tank.



and i wouldnt use it for baking either.

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1980 300D

And if you don't drain and clean it out, what's the downside? Probably everyhere from nothing happening to major engine overhaul time.

Which is the bigger concern to you? That you'd waste your time and money cleaning it out when you didn't need to, or that you'd spend your time and money overhauling the engine because you shoulda cleaned it out?

If it were my car, I'd just grumble a lot while I was cleaning it out so I could laugh about it later (and tease my son about it when he's older I'd also count my blessings that I knew about it before I ever started the car.

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'83 300DTurbo http://badges.fuelly.com/images/smallsig-us/318559.png

Broadband: more lies faster.

I know that sugar has a drastic, solidifying reaction in gasoline, but I'm not sure about diesel fuel. I personally wouldn't risk it. I'd follow retx's suggestion.

You'd be wise to perform a little test.

Pour some molasses in a quart of diesel fuel and observe what it does. If it does not dissolve and simply falls to the bottom of the container and sits there, then draining the tank isn't going to be the final solution because the molasses won't be removed with the diesel fuel.

The tank will probably need to be removed and cleaned.

However, if it dissolves in the diesel fuel, then a complete drain of the tank should be sufficient.

But nobody suggested what I should do with my kid!

Seriously, I will try your suggestions. Thank you retx, Larry Bible, Brian Cohen, and Chas H.

Sugar and gasoline don't mix. The sugar just sits in the bottom of the tank.
Molasses and diesel, I dunno. I'd drain and flush the tank as others have suggested.

Now you have to tell us how exactly this happened. I molasses a common toy for your child?

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Well, let's just say that my lover and I were having fun the night prior with some honey and molasses and other toys...insert an active imagination here.

Whoa... naughtiness :fork_off:

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

or was the car outside, or perhaps in the car? I suspect it's a ***** to get the molasses of the MB-tex.

Chris

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1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI


Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

You were having this fun in the garage...?
Or was the car parked in the bedroom that night?
Do you have a "Drive through" window?
Hey, how the heck does B.K. expect us to Drive through that little tiny window anyways? Car is kinda big for that, and do they want it in their restaurant..?
Just got a message here, that says, "Press "ANY", key to continue"
Where the hell is the "ANY" key on this thing?

I wonder what else you may find in that tank.

LOL

Molasses and honey.....hmmmmm Gottsa give it a try. Though I usually like chocolate syrup and whipped cream.

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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And exactly how much molasses did your soon to be ex-wife instruct the kid to pour into your fuel tank? If nothing else keep it topped off with full tank of fuel and expect to be changing fuel filters constantly for a few weeks. And with respect to engine damage, worry about injectors and the injector pump before anything else.