My cousin put power steering fluid in her gas tank

[PeteTheFarmer]

She phoned me in a panic half an hour ago. She mistook the container of power steering fluid for a container of gas treatment and put a 12 oz container in her nearly empty gas tank. Fortunately, she caught the error before starting the car. How serious is this? I can siphon the tank empty, unless it's a better idea to have it removed it from the car. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks in advance.

P.S. She told me the two containers 'looked the same'. I didn't bother asking how she managed to read the label afterwards, not before. A lot of Al Bundy quotes about women have come into my mind.

 

[onion]

Heh.

Depends on the car. For an old junker, I'd put in a couple bottles of octane booster and see how it runs. The reason I suggest octane booster is that I know that the addition of kerosene or diesel to gasoline will make an engine ping... and I'm assuming that p/s oil could have a similar effect. Could be wrong.

If it's a relatively new and nice car, I'd siphon out the gasoline and refill with whatever 90+ octane gas I could find locally. Then see how it runs and go from there.

As long as there's plenty of gas in the tank, I expect that the p/s fluid will be diluted enough that it won't matter a whole lot.

 

[Rooy]

"She mistook the container of power steering fluid for a container of _______ ?"

You left out a word.

 

[J. A. Rizzo]

My vote is to fill up the tank, drive away, and forget about it. People put all kinds of stuff like 2 cycle oil and MMO in the gas tank. PS fluid probably acts as an upper cylinder lubricant and fuel injector cleaner about as well as any of that stuff.

 

[The_Eric]

Run it. Fill up the tank and go.

 

[PeteTheFarmer]

Good catch, I meant to say 'Gas treatment' Original post edited.

 

[spasm3]

just fill with mid grade fuel and run it without worry

 

[fdcg27]

This stuff is a petroleum distillate, just as gasoline and diesel are.
12 oz of this stuff in a full tank of fuel will certainly not cause any harm.
Maybe she just found the latest, greatest fuel system cleaner?
Anyway, I'd fill the tank with gas and run it through.
It will not do any harm, and that quantity in a full tank should not appreciably reduce fuel octane.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Fuggedaboudit.

 

[sunfire]

I thought power steering fluid is similar to ATF. People have been pouring ATF, TCW3, MMO, Lucas, UCLs into their gas tanks. Her engine might even run smoother with the PSF providing better UCL. I'd fill up the gas tank to dilute the PSF and just run with it there shouldn't be any problems.

 

[Chris142]

12oz of PSF in a few gallons of gas ain't nothin to worry about.

 

[Pablo]

I could say a bunch of junk.

But actually the beast will probably remain unchanged or run a little better.(UCL effect. It happens)

 

[beast3300]

It's good, just don't make it a habit or maybe it will catch on as the next fuel economy enhancer.

 

[UncleS2]

I vote with the "fill it up & run it" solution.

 

[mechtech2]

I'd just fill it up and dive it.
Very similar to ATF.
It may even operate smoother!

And when this tank is low, for sure run your cleaner through it.

 

[Nick R]

Fill and run, nothing to worry about.

 

[antonmnster]

It just got some top end lubrication.

 

[another Todd]

fill it and run it.

 

[1999nick]

Since you said her gas tank is nearly empty,I might consider putting a few gallons of gas in before you head for the gas station. That 12 ounces of p/s fluid might be a little too much for a couple of gallons of gas. Just a thought.