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Is it true that some gas stations would water down their gasoline to stretch their preserves?
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Posted by
Nick Roberts
Is it true that some gas stations would water down their gasoline to stretch their preserves?
No - it’s impossible.
Gasoline and water don’t mix…kinda like oil and water.
So if you added water to the gasoline, it would merely settle to the bottom of the gas station’s tanks.
If the tanks are pumped from the bottom (which I’m pretty sure they are) then cars would simply have water pumped into their gas tanks - and since those too are pumped from the bottom - the engine would die within seconds of trying to drive away.
Gasoline and water don’t mix…kinda like oil and water.
So if you added water to the gasoline, it would merely settle to the bottom of the gas station’s tanks.
If the tanks are pumped from the bottom (which I’m pretty sure they are) then cars would simply have water pumped into their gas tanks - and since those too are pumped from the bottom - the engine would die within seconds of trying to drive away.
The other responses are correct that water and gasoline do not mix. Water put in pure hydrocarbon gasoline simply sinks to the bottom of the tank.
However, most gasoline sold in the US contains 10% ethanol (corn alcohol). Adding water to “gasohol” will cause phase separation. Not much water is needed. Boats left in storage over the winter can absorb enough water through their air vents to cause this to happen.
When it occurs, the entire tank of phase-separated fuel is ruined. Neither phase can be used to run an engine and there is no practical way re-dissolve the layers into each other.
A station owner who tried to do this would discover very quickly and expensively that adding water to gasoline does not work.
The other responses are correct that water and gasoline do not mix. Water put in pure hydrocarbon gasoline simply sinks to the bottom of the tank.
However, most gasoline sold in the US contains 10% ethanol (corn alcohol). Adding water to “gasohol” will cause phase separation. Not much water is needed. Boats left in storage over the winter can absorb enough water through their air vents to cause this to happen.
When it occurs, the entire tank of phase-separated fuel is ruined. Neither phase can be used to run an engine and there is no practical way re-dissolve the layers into each other.
A station owner who tried to do this would discover very quickly and expensively that adding water to gasoline does not work.
No - it’s impossible.
Gasoline and water don’t mix…kinda like oil and water.
So if you added water to the gasoline, it would merely settle to the bottom of the gas station’s tanks.
If the tanks are pumped from the bottom (which I’m pretty sure they are) then cars would simply have water pumped into their gas tanks - and since those too are pumped from the bottom - the engine would die within seconds of trying to drive away.
So, no - this is completely impossible.
No - it’s impossible.
Gasoline and water don’t mix…kinda like oil and water.
So if you added water to the gasoline, it would merely settle to the bottom of the gas station’s tanks.
If the tanks are pumped from the bottom (which I’m pretty sure they are) then cars would simply have water pumped into their gas tanks - and since those too are pumped from the bottom - the engine would die within seconds of trying to drive away.
So, no - this is completely impossible.
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The other responses are correct that water and gasoline do not mix. Water put in pure hydrocarbon gasoline simply sinks to the bottom of the tank.
However, most gasoline sold in the US contains 10% ethanol (corn alcohol). Adding water to “gasohol” will cause phase separation. Not much water is needed. Boats left in storage over the winter can absorb enough water through their air vents to cause this to happen.
When it occurs, the entire tank of phase-separated fuel is ruined. Neither phase can be used to run an engine and there is no practical way re-dissolve the layers into each other.
A station owner who tried to do this would discover very quickly and expensively that adding water to gasoline does not work.
The other responses are correct that water and gasoline do not mix. Water put in pure hydrocarbon gasoline simply sinks to the bottom of the tank.
However, most gasoline sold in the US contains 10% ethanol (corn alcohol). Adding water to “gasohol” will cause phase separation. Not much water is needed. Boats left in storage over the winter can absorb enough water through their air vents to cause this to happen.
When it occurs, the entire tank of phase-separated fuel is ruined. Neither phase can be used to run an engine and there is no practical way re-dissolve the layers into each other.
A station owner who tried to do this would discover very quickly and expensively that adding water to gasoline does not work.
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