Sugar / Water In Tank

[hammsman]

Can sugar / water in fuel system cause damage to engine? Specifically, could lifters somehow be affected? Dealing with 2003 Silverado with 6.0 . Original non-start - with water/sticky substance in gas tank. Cleaned tank, lines, new filters and pump. Started and runs fine however customer states lifter noise which was not present before this. Mostly on start up and quiets some when run for awhile.

Any input would be great - thanks

[sam5828]

both of our brand new trucks does it, the lifters are bleeding off.... run thicker and synthetic oil

[Draenor]

If the contaminated fuel was that bad I doubt it even reached the engine. The fuel filter probable stopped it. The lifter we probably ticking before. Is he running Mobile 1 by any chance. I had terrible lifter tick with it. I switched to Amsoil, quiet as a mouse now.

[Zembonez]

I would make sure that the oil had been changed to eliminate the possibility of contamination . Unless the oil was contaminated by this mixture there is no way for it to damage the lifters. The fuel path is basically supply / intake / valves / pistons / exhaust. Fuel never comes in contact with the lifters which are totally protected by the engine oil. (yes I am aware that you probably already know this)

 

If the oil was changed, pull out your .357 and make customer go cry somewhere else. If it wasn't... then it should have been done along with the repair. Doing so now might just make the noise go away.

[cammiller]

I think the sugar in gas is BS. As far as I know, the sugar will not disolve in the gas and only plugs up the fuel pump.

[minibike132]

Not B.S. I had a 98 3.1 in the shop last month, locked up 4 cylinders full of fuel, couple of rods bent etc etc... you know what happens when you fill a cylinder full of unburnable liquid. Dropped the tank and sure enough full of sugar, I always thought it was folklore from carb days but apparently not. It will get past the filter and injectors do not like it one bit. On to the question originally posted, Zembonez hit it all on the head unless she hydrolocked like mine, at that point the liquid ignores whats supposed to be sealed and follows gravity. It didn't sound like yours did that though, yours sounds like a classic case of...ever since you worked on it..itis. It is a common illness related to can I get this freeitis and fakatitis.

[markw8]

I know from cleaning the fuel system of a Corvair with two carbs, while in high school auto shop about 1971, what sugar can do. But your cold start tick is way too common, in 4.8-5.3s & 6.0s from 99to at least 04-05. Only thing it seems to do is annoy the owner. Mark.