What does bleach do to a car engine?
By
Vroomouk
This blog post will answer the question, ‘What does bleach do to a car engine?’, and cover topics like how does the car behave, how is a car engine destroyed, ways to know a car engine is destroyed, other ingredients that can ruin a car engine, and how engines are destroyed over time.
What does bleach do to a car engine?
The addition of bleach to a car engine can consume certain components that are made of metal or rubber and thus damage them. It can also lead to the possible accumulation of a sludge-like substance inside the engine combustion chambers or the valves.
This type of reaction mainly occurs due to bleach being composed of chlorine. Chlorine itself is corrosive in nature and thus has the ability to corrode or consume engine components. It can also lead to burning itself along with the fuel before it is supplied to the combustion chamber.
How does the car behave?
The car is able to traverse a fixed distance after bleach is introduced inside the car engine, although it comes to an abrupt stop after a while. The mixture of the fuel and the bleach can be seen getting ejected out of different parts of the fuel system.
How is a car engine destroyed?
The following are the different ways or practices that can destroy a car engine:
- Hard revving after a cold start
- Engine lugging
- Irregular vehicle maintenance and oil changing
- Riding the clutch
- Turning off turbocharged cars immediately after stopping
- Engine idling
- Regular and unnecessary speeding
When a car engine is destroyed, there is a certain knocking sound coming from under the hood, which is an indicator of engine bearings failing. The engine bearings are responsible for the crucial operations of the engine their seizing results in the cracking of the engine.
How to know if a car engine is destroyed?
The following are the different ways to recognize a destroyed car engine:
- Check engine light turns on
- Strange and unusual noises from the car
- Engine stuttering and shaking
- Oil patches under the vehicle
- Bad odor from within the vehicle
- Visible smoke from the exhaust
Other ingredients that can destroy a car engine
The following ingredients if added to the gas tank of a car engine can seriously destroy it.
Coke
Pouring coke into the gas tank can ruin an engine completely, although it depends on the quantity poured. It is to be noted that any other soft drink when poured into the gas tank can severely destroy the engine.
The chemical composition of coke reacts with gasoline and forms a caustic sludge that can clog up the engine. It can be identified if the car produces a high amount of fumes.
Water
Mixing water will prevent the engine from running fast. It can detach the engine from the engine mount once mixed with the fuel. This is why a car engine should be washed without water.
The ways to notice an engine destroyed by water can be identified if the engine:
- Misfires
- Accelerates roughly
- The check engine light turns on
- Rough engine idling
In this case, it is better to displace the engine or change the gas in the engine tank or seek help from a professional mechanic.
Brake fluid
Brake fluid is meant for hydraulic brakes and hydraulic clutches. This is detrimental for ca engines and we must always check the brake fluid level and ensure it is not full in a car engine.
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide when mixed with gas can boost the engine power and make it run very fast, similar to NOS. However, this boost raises the engine temperature and can burn and destroy it in the long run if used regularly.
Wrong fuel in the tank
Pouring the wrong type of fuel into the gas tank is not only wrong but also a costly fix for the car engine. The following steps must be followed if such a condition occurs:
- The car engine should not be started
- The gear should be in neutral
- The vehicle should be moved to a safe place manually
- Seek professional help
- Inform the car insurer about the situation
How car engines are destroyed over time?
The usage of the following substances in the car engine is responsible for destroying it over time.
Ethanol
Adding ethanol gasoline is one of the most damaging things that can be done to a car engine. The reason is that ethanol can absorb water and dissolve polymers.
It can create a strong molecular bond with water that in turn corrodes valves, piston rods, cylinders, fuel injection systems, fuel lines, and crankcases.
Oil sludge
Irregular oil change leads to the buildup of oil sludge. This occurs when the unchanged oil undergoes transformation and forms a sticky and sludgy substance that accumulates in critical regions inside the engine.
This can potentially act as a seal or block oil flow to the parts that need it, thus causing crucial engine parts to retain the excess heat and thus destroy it over time.
Inadequate fluids
The following fluids should always be kept at an optimum level
Engine motor oil and coolant level
Both are very crucial for the engine to function properly. The coolant level should be checked once a week and motor oil almost all the time.
Clutch fluid
Should be checked every month as low clutch fluid will cause hard shifting of transmission leading to gear mashing.
Steering fluid
Monthly checking should be done as driving without steering fluid can potentially destroy the steering pump.
Brake fluid
Should be checked monthly. If not full, can be fatal for both the vehicle and its passengers
Wiper fluid
While not directly related to engine destruction, it should be checked regularly along with the other fluids for safety purposes.
Cold start
Usually occurs in colder countries and can potentially destroy the following parts:
- Battery
- Starter motor
- Alternator
- Cylinder
- Pistons
It is advisable in such cold conditions to get an engine heater that is easily connected to the car radiator. This will save the worry of engines not starting in the cold.
Inadequate maintenance
Maintenance is necessary for every car engine and should be followed like a deadline. If not done regularly, it can scrape off many years from engine life.
Research has shown various ways to destroy an engine undetected.
Conclusion
This blog post answered the question, ‘What does bleach do to a car engine?’.
We understood how a car behaves when bleach is introduced to the car engine and also came across the various ways to identify a destroyed engine and certain ingredients that can destroy the engine when added. Furthermore, we learned about the factors that destroy an engine over time and are often overlooked. Please feel free to comment on the content or ask questions in the comments section below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): What does bleach do to a car engine?
What can you put in someone’s gas tank to destroy the engine?
Some sweet and sticky liquid can be poured into the gas tank to clog up the engine and fuel filters.
Will bleach destroy a car engine?
If the fuel tank has little quantity of fuel and an entire gallon of bleach is poured into the tank for 5-10 minutes, it can destroy the car engine completely.
What happens if you put salt in a gas tank?
Salt cannot be soluble in gasoline and hence it stays in its original granular form inside the tank.
