The naphthalene
Naphthalene
Naphthalene is an organic compound with formula C₁₀H₈. It is the simplest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, and is a white crystalline solid with a characteristic odor that is detectable at concentrations as low as 0.08 ppm by mass. As an aromatic hydrocarbon, naphthalene's structure c…
Are mothballs good for your car?
In short, mothballs may offer a good promise, but they will take a toll on your car in the long run. Mothballs are truly promising since it’s way cheaper than your typical octane booster for your car.
What happens if you put mothballs in a gas tank?
If you put mothballs in a gas tank, you can have a temporary power and octane boost to your car. Still, your engine can have corrosion due to such a thing if you put it regularly. In short, mothballs may offer a good promise, but they will take a toll on your car in the long run.
Are mothballs illegal to use?
Mothballs are only illegal if they are used outdoors. In most labels, it is explicitly stated that the balls should be placed in an airtight container for a certain period of time. Airtight spaces include garment bags and storage bins. However, they have been used in trash cans, vehicles, vents, and even open closets.
Do mothballs increase gasoline octane?
Fact or fiction: Adding mothballs to your gas tank increases the octane. Dear Tom and Ray: I have been told that adding seven or eight naphthalene mothballs to a tank of gasoline increases the octane. Is this true?
What happens if you leave a mothball in your engine?
What happens if you put mothballs into a gas tank?
Can you tell if someone put mothballs in your gas tank?
Why are mothballs corrosive?
What are mothballs made of?
Can mothballs be in gas tank?
Can mothballs be used as octane boosters?
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Will mothballs keep mice out of car?
Mice naturally avoid these deterrents and they are a more humane alternative than using poisons. Mothballs can be hung under the front of the hood as a repellant; however be sure to not place near the windshield washer area (where fluid is expelled) or the mothball smell will permeate the interior of the car.
What happens if you put mothballs in the gas tank of a car?
Mothballs (naphthalene) are extremely corrosive to the upper-cylinder area of an automotive engine, the area where combustion -- the actual exploding of gasoline -- takes place. The best bet to get more octane to your Buick engine is to mix a half tank of regular leaded gasoline with a half tank of premium unleaded.
Where should you not put mothballs in?
Mothballs should not be placed in closets, attics, basements, storage chests or trunks, garment bags or other spaces other than in tightly closed containers as explained above. Gasses from the mothballs escape into the air and can cause respiratory problems.
How do I keep mice out of my stored car?
Place deterrents such as cedar wood, dog hair, human hair, or peppermint oil inside. Set mouse traps inside the vehicle to catch any rodents that enter — or try reputable sound repellant devices.
What does bleach in gas tank do?
Alternatively, driving a car with bleach in the gas tank has a disastrous effect. If the bleach keeps staying for a long time inside the engine parts and fuel system, it will have enough time to corrode and destroy the metal and rubber parts. The effect of bleach manifests faster than a normal corrosion.
Are mothballs explosive?
Mothballs in their solid-state are not explosive – they are combustible (which means you can light them on fire,) but they usually won't cause explosions. In their vapor state, however, the vapor can be explosive.
Why don't we use mothballs anymore?
Not only are artificial fabrics totally lacking in nutritional value, they can disrupt moths' reproductive cycle and sometimes even impede their ability to lay and fertilize eggs.
Why are mothballs illegal?
Mothballs are insecticides that are controlled by the Environmental Protection Agency. This makes it illegal to use them for any purpose or by any method that isn't specified on the label. Mothballs are labeled only for use in closed containers for the control of clothes moths.
How toxic are mothball fumes?
Moth balls contain a toxic chemical, either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. Both become a gas when exposed to air and cause that pungent moth ball smell. These gases are irritating to the eyes and lungs and may cause headache, dizziness and nausea. They are both suspected of causing cancer.
Do dryer sheets keep mice out of cars?
Dryer sheets don't deter mice. Baited traps won't solve a mouse problem, either.
Does Irish Spring soap keep mice away?
Many people errantly assume that Irish Spring soap will keep repelling mice. However, there's practically no evidence to support this claim.
What scent will keep mice away?
Mice have a very keen sense of smell that is much stronger than what humans experience. You can use this trait to repel mice and use scents that mice hate like cinnamon, vinegar, dryer sheets, clove oil, peppermint, tea bags, mint toothpaste, ammonia, cloves, clove oil, and cayenne pepper.
Do mothballs dissolve in gasoline?
Mothballs slowly disappear as they turn into gas and mix with the surrounding air.
What does sugar do to a gas tank?
Like any sediment, sugar can clog the fuel injectors or the fuel filter if there's too much of it. This might make it necessary to replace the fuel filter or even empty out the gas tank. This means that it's a nasty trick that will end up costing you money, but nowhere near the amount of complete engine destruction.
What will mothballs do to a diesel engine?
But scientists warn that too many mothballs will load up an engine with carbon deposits and lead to poor performance.
What octane booster actually works?
When it comes to the best overall octane booster, we love the Torco F500010TE Unleaded Fuel Accelerator. This octane booster can serve a wide range of engines and boost your car's octane levels as high as 102. It's also compatible with oxygens sensors and catalytic converters.
Mothball additive in tanks gives fuel for thought - The Sydney Morning ...
ONE of the secret ingredients in a fuel pill that has helped underpin multimillion-dollar sponsorships in three sporting codes can be revealed - and it's the same compound used in mothballs.
Mothballs As an Octane Enhancer - MotorTrend
Back in those days "traditional" mothballs consisted of about 99.9 percent Naphthalene (C10H8), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. Its blending octane number in modern terms is in the 90- to 92 ...
The use of mothballs to ward off rodents from cars ... - Spokesman.com
A clever hack being used by river runners to protect their cars at the Corn Creek Boat Launch on the upper Salmon River has drawn the ire of officials on the Salmon-Challis National Forest.
Step 1: Plan of Attack
Poison or traps didn't really seem like a viable option since two of the cars are outside, and I had heard from several sources that dryer sheets under the hood would help deter them, but that seemed kind of sketchy as well.
Step 2: Materials
I had some excess screen laying around from replacing a tattered window screen and that was basically the inspiration for this enclosure I am showing you how to make.
Step 3: You Wanna Make a Kinda Pouch
I toyed with a few different ideas on how to accomplish this and finally fell back on the old faithful, duct tape! Start by making a pile of both balls in the middle of a bit of screen, I cut mine to roughly a square foot but that's just because that was the width of the piece I had.
Step 4: It's Hole Makin' Time!
Pick a nice juicy part and use your hole making implements to make a hole. I just used a hammer and a pointy thing that I think is meant for driving finishing nails into wood, but about any pointy thing would do.
Step 5: Find a Spot to Put It
Pop the hood on you car and look around for a spot where there is a bit of room, no moving parts for it to get fouled in, and where it is relatively cool. The Pictures are of my Accord; the first two are candidates for placement, and the third is an example of where not to put it because of the radiator fan and the exhaust manifold. I decided to attach it to the airbox where it's somewhat protected from direct heat by the battery..
Step 6: P.s
It's been a couple weeks now since I put these in all the cars and it seems to have worked to a certain extent. The moth balls disintegrate more quickly in the cars that get used more often so this design would be better for a car that is mostly just sitting. Also, I noticed that is says on the box not to breathe the fumes.
Is the mothball story a bunch of horse pie?
RAY: Anyway, after several months of study, and the complete depletion of an otherwise useful NIH grant, Jim has concluded that this mothball story is basically a bunch of horse pie.
Does naphthalene harm engines?
On the other hand, he says, since it's just carbon and hydrogen (like gasoline) naphthalene probably wouldn't do any harm to the engine either. RAY: Another type of mothball which COULD potentially hurt things is made of dichlorobenzene.
Why do people use moth balls?
Sun., May 19, 2019. Some people have been using moth balls to deter small rodents from climbing into the under carriage of their cars and chewing on wires while they're away from their vehicle enjoying nature. (Pete Caster / Pete Caster/Lewiston Tribune) By Eric Barker The Lewiston Tribune.
What are moth balls used for?
The mothballs deployed by river runners at Corn Creek are meant to deter the messy and destructive mice, marmots, rats and other rodents. But the balls Grandma used to keep moths from chowing on wool garments are also considered a pesticide.
Why do rafters put mothballs under their boats?
The idea is to deter mice and other rodents from climbing into the engine compartment and causing havoc. The mothballs deployed by river runners at Corn Creek are meant ...
What happens if you chew on wires in a car?
When they chew on the apparently delicious and environmentally friendly wires, they can destroy the wire harnesses, short electrical systems and causes tens of thousands of dollars of damage.
Can a mothball be eaten by a child?
One mothball can cause serious harm if eaten by a small child.”. Baumer said, for now, Forest Service law enforcement agents aren’t writing tickets to mothball rodent warriors and instead are choosing to inform them of the dangers. “We are just trying to get the word out and get people educated,” she said.
Who was the mechanic that worked on the Mercedes-Benz that had its wires ravished by rodents?
Cody Mael , a Lewiston mechanic, said he worked on a late-model Mercedes-Benz that had its soy-based wires ravished by rodents. The damage, which didn’t happen at Corn Creek, came to nearly $20,000.
Do rodents chew on rubber?
The rodents generally make a mess when they do this, but they can also do costly damage with their teeth. Rodents sometimes like to chew on rubber, damaging fan and engine belts or the sheathing that covers electrical wires.
What is the chemical that makes mothballs stink?
Naphthalene , an ingredient in the more common type of mothballs, is the chemical that gives mothballs their stink. Naphthalene is just carbon and hydrogen, like gasoline, so would likely burn like gas to a certain extent. I wouldn’t expect it would do any harm to the engine unless you were trying to burn straight naphthalene. It isn’t going to supercharge your engine either, so don’t go there.
What is the volatile ingredient in mothballs?
The volatile (stinky active) ingredients in mothballs burn = either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. The fiberous parts don’t really. So, you get a gas tank with a bit of naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene in it and a bunch of other nonsense which doesn’t do your system any good.
What are mouthballs made of?
There are two type of mouthballs, one made from napthalene which produce a lot of smoke but it wont do much damage to the engine. The other one is made of dichlorobenzene which produce HCl when burn and that is a strong acid, so is not good for the engine longevity.
What fuel is used in rail cars?
For a common rail modern diesel: biodiesel fuel. It lacks the same lubricant qualities and will eat every seal and bearing out of the high pressure pump and pour fuel into the oil pan from its mounting at the timing cover, causing the same to happen to every bearing in the motor as well as cylinder walls, valve guides and the turbo center shaft bearing.
What causes a motor to fly apart?
For any motor mechanically: incorrect torque specs or poor clearances, and it will fly apart catastrophically.
What is the chemical in mothballs?
Unfortunately, there is another kind of mothball which uses Dichlorobenzene. The Chloro part is Chlorine, which when burned create hydrochloric acid as a byproduct, which wouldn’t do any good running through your fuel system, engine and exhaust system. Hydrochloric acid eats through most anything.
Do mothballs ruin engines?
I don’t think mothballs would ruin your engine , but they aren’t going to do it any good either.
What happens if you leave a mothball in your engine?
Another thing that can happen is that the mothball would block the engine if left unburnt. This thing would create residues that can clog up your engine. As a result, it will stall your engine, eventually damaging it.
What happens if you put mothballs into a gas tank?
The mothballs that we have today offer a temporary octane and power boost to any car. Thus, they might consider this an excellent option for someone looking for an alternative to an expensive octane booster.
Can you tell if someone put mothballs in your gas tank?
Yes, you can tell if someone put mothballs in your gas tank. If someone does such a thing, the mothballs will get mixed with the gasoline. As the engine starts and the fuel starts burning, the mothballs can cause inefficient combustion.
Why are mothballs corrosive?
Because of the naphthalene , mothballs are highly corrosive. In addition, because it generally enters the combustion chambers, this is the area most prone to corrosion.
What are mothballs made of?
Since it is made of naphthalene, the mothballs can offer an octane boost and temporary power to your car.
Can mothballs be in gas tank?
A few pieces of mothballs in a gas tank shouldn’t be enough to cause problems. However, if you start having problems with such, it would be best to take it out.
Can mothballs be used as octane boosters?
However, it would be best if you kept in mind that the affordability of such can be deceiving. The use of mothballs as an alternative to octane boosters can take a toll on your engine.
