Sugar as a Cause of Death? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

350SL4spd · #1 06-23-2004, 10:48 AM

In looking for a cause of death for the 91 300D 2.5 turbo (that I am performing a post mortum on after the motor seized) and it turns out that the owner had some people that were, let's say, "out to get him" and he has a habit of forgeting to lock his car. So, what I am asking is; what does an engine (diesel in particluar) look like after it has burned sugar? What tests can be performed on the fuel to determine if has a high sugar content?
We are attemting to contact the local PD and see if they have any info and to make it a criminal investigation until we can prove that sugar is not a factor.
Thanks for any info that is available!
-Matt-

#2 06-23-2004, 12:37 PM

I am not sure where you are from but I would look for a Caterpillar dealer in your area with an oil analysis
Department it will cost you around 15.00 dollars and you will know for sure. You will have to ask to have them check for sugar and it usually takes about a day to get you results back. If they sugared the oil it depends on how much they put in it, but sometimes I have seen it get hard in the bottom of the pan like wet sugar in little hard clumps. I have seen oil that I did not see any evidence of sugar that tested positive so the only way to know for sure it test it

TX76513 · #3 06-23-2004, 02:36 PM

Looking for sugar? Check the fuel filters and the injectors.

Jim Anderson · #4 06-23-2004, 07:22 PM

I had someone sugar my Peugeot diesel once. It had a glass water trap fuel filter. I happened to look at it when I had the hood open and the bottom of it had a white stuff in it. My first impression was that it had water in it and it had turned slushy, then I realized it wasn't cold enough out to freeze. I took it out and apart and found it was sugar. Apparently sugar doesn't dissolve in diesel.

william rogers · #5 06-24-2004, 01:25 AM

It used to be quiet common to hear about sugar in the gas tank the theroy was it mixes with the gas and left a burnt film on the cylinder walls ,not sure if that would really happen or not.

Heard a police officer on a talk show say that he had someone put liquid soap in his gas tank and that it messed up his fuel injection system and cost a lot to repair it? not sure what kind of car...........

William Rogers.........

Kestas · #6 06-24-2004, 08:47 AM

Sugar doesn't dissolve in gas. It behaves like sand in fouling the system.

joel · #7 06-24-2004, 10:15 PM

i'd go for the caterpillar testing or any other professional testing to verify sugar in your system.

remember, you are building a case against someone, hence, your evidence must be properly documented by expert witnesses.

good luck!

Hatterasguy · #8 06-25-2004, 09:19 AM

Wouldn't putting sand or sugar in the fuel be a wast of time? I would think the two fuel filters would make short work of it. Mythbusters also busted the sugar myth, I think. I'm pretty sure the filters just pick it up.

#9 06-25-2004, 05:48 PM

if you are using sugar to destroy an engine / injection pump mix it first with boiling water to disolve, makes a nice big mess of the pump & injectors $$$

350SL4spd · #10 06-25-2004, 07:38 PM

Got the engine out and started tear down. It would appear that sugar is not to blame. Unless it's some new mutant sugar that can be sent on very specific missions....like only destroying one link on the oil pump chain.

No illegal activity this time!

Thanks all for your input!

-Matt-

(damn mutant sugar......)

Hatterasguy · #11 06-26-2004, 09:33 PM

The oil pump chain failed? I have never heard of one failing on a MB, until now.

I guess they should have changed the oil sometimes.

350SL4spd · #12 06-27-2004, 02:59 AM

Oil has been changed religiously since he bought the car @ 25k mi, w/ solid record before hand. The gear and chain on the oil pump on a 602 motor are not neary as beefy as those on the 617's and others.
C'est la vie, I guess....