In reality, sugar does not dissolve and is usually caught in the fuel filters on the way to the engine. Did you change your fuel filter? How old is the car?

From what I have heard, sugar in the gas tank is not terrible. If someone put bleach in your tank, then you have big worries.

It has a new filter on it. Apparently I have been driving around for about a month with the sugar in the tank. It wasn't until friday when the car didn't start did we find the sugar. I told my father and brother( liscensed mechanics) that my car was acting up about 4-6 weeks ago and they didn't bother to check it out for me. Over the weekend we put 4 new pumps in, because it would start and I could drive about 2 miles but once I turned off the car it wouldn't start up again. So sunday they dropped the tank, cleaned it out, cleaned the rail/fuel injectors, the line, and the tunnel where you put the gas in, along with the new pump and filter. I drove it 2 days and yesterday it seemed to be driving a little funny. And this morning it wouldn't start. I think were gonna try a new pump and filter, but if this doesn't work again....could the problem lay somewhere else? ( we cleaned out alot of sugar. My brother thinks it was an entire 5lb bag !!! )

oh yeah, its a 99 toyota corolla.

the fuel injectors could have varnish build up in them from the sugar and when they get warm the varnish softens and gets sticky causing them not to be able to pulse. you may also want to get your ignition control module tested. make sure that the module is good and warm before it gets tested as this is when they screw up. have your mechanic check for spark when it wont start as well as fuel pressure.

I would first off get a locking gas cap to prevent future incidents! Second, maybe think to see if sugar or some other foreign substance is continually being placed in the tank. GOOD LUCK.

Unfortunately this happened to me when a couple of school kids had it out for my teenage son. Our 1977 Ford 4x4 started and ran fine but after shut down the next attempt to start bent several pushrods. Upon inspection carburetor and heads had to be pulled and full rebuild. Not to mention cleaning tank and all other fuel system parts.

Years ago i tried to get sugar to dissolve in gasoline, it doesn't, it just sinks to the bottom.

hey you know what im having the same problem someone put sugar in my gas tank i ran it for about two days then had problems i tool the tank down cleaned it changed the pump the filter the injectors did a tune up it ran for about 4 days then one morning it turnred on then started sputtering then it shut off i know i cant even get it to start so if i find out any info ill let you know by the way its a 2000 gmc sonoma

be glad it was sugar and not moth balls...they'll make your car run exceptionally well until the temperature gauge starts to rise and the motor locks up...

Have you tried a fuel pressure test? Hook up the gauge and turn the key to the "run" position and see how much, if any, pressure is available. You mentioned Dad and brother cleaning many fuel system parts but didn't mention the fuel pressure regulator in your list. If the sugar is making the fuel pressure regulator sluggish, it's possible that it's sending the fuel right back to the tank. That might explain why you can drive it a few days after a cleaning and then the problem comes back.

Hey there,as a victim of this same prank or vengance I can tell you a few things about it. 1)whomever did this to the both of us is an idiot,as sugar does not dissolve in gasoline,2)changing the fuel pump may have been unnecessary the real culprit will usually,though not always,be the fuel filter and there may be more than one of those but they are usually what gets clogged causing it to run real bad or just not start if clogged enough,3)I personally just drained my tank,flushed it out w/good gas,filtered the old gas through a series of coffee filters and put it back in my truck...it was a full tank and I am that cheap! so after I put the plug back in my tank,after flushing it,then put original strained gas back into it...HA! my truck runs better than it ever has,you would not believe the amount of crap that was floatin around in my tank before I flushed it. So,in my case some idiots vengance turned out to be a favor in disguise,I obviously got no idea what kind of car/truck you drive.but mine is a 4x4 toyota,1986 and has a plug,you may want to ask around @parts houses or your mechanic and see if yours may have a plug too,the whole opperation only took me 45 minutes and it was well worth it,good luck to you,it may be a blessing in disguise,lol stranger things happen.

As others have already pointed out, sugar doesnt dissolve in gas. It is completely insoluable, meaning none of the sugar particles will make it past the first filter in the tank. basically think of it like this...it will plug the works more like adding sand to the system. The only way it would effect the injectors has nothing to do with varnish. A fouled injector isn't possible unless you had an actual hole in every filter screen (1 in tank, 1 in line) between the tank and injector. uh, not likely. Someone suggested the possibility that the prankster is still adding sugar. I could see that,and agree its very possible. especially if the cap is not a locking type.

I had the same thing happen to me by a neighbor. Oh don't worry, they'll get theirs. :0) In the end, it cost me $677 to fix it. The fuel pump was ruined and the fuel filter also had to be replaced. The fuel tank had to be dumped out and cleaned. Nothing should ever be in the tank except gas. Sugar won't ruin the engine; it clogs up the fuel system and prevents it from running. Luckily, the sugar didn't get to my fuel imjectors and ruin those.

I've heard that once sugar is in the fuel tank, it's over.

an opinion? ya. kill the guys who did it.