Gas Tank Leak? Chewing Gum to the Rescue
During the three-day Qingming holiday, when highways were toll-free, Mr. Chen from Hangzhou drove his car and went on a self-driving trip with three or four other families to Qiandao Lake. The next morning after arriving, Mr. Chen was surprised to find a large oil stain in the parking area. Upon inspection, he discovered that the car’s fuel tank was leaking. This worried him greatly. Among the fellow travelers was an experienced driver with nearly 20 years of driving history. Together with Mr. Chen, they carefully searched for the leak. They recalled a folk remedy they had heard about—perhaps chewing gum could help. Half-skeptical, Mr. Chen applied chewed gum residue over the leaking part of the fuel tank, and the tank actually stopped leaking.
The clever use of chewing gum wasn’t invented by Mr. Chen’s friend; in fact, it’s a last-resort solution many veteran drivers have turned to.
Not only can a leaking fuel tank be temporarily patched up, but refrigerant leaks in air conditioning lines can also be fixed with chewing gum. Beyond this “multipurpose” item, common items like soap, plastic bags, and adhesive tape—household objects seemingly unrelated to car repairs—can actually play a significant role in minor emergency fixes during self-driving trips. Of course, these are only temporary solutions, and finding a professional for proper repairs as soon as possible is most important.
Veteran Drivers Share Emergency Tips
1. Fuel Tank Damage: If you discover a fuel tank leak, clean the area and apply soap or chewing gum to temporarily block the leak. Using epoxy resin adhesive provides even better results.
2. Fuel Line Crack: When a fuel line is cracked, clean the area and apply soap. Wrap the crack with a cloth strip or duct tape and secure it tightly with wire. Then apply another layer of soap.
3. Broken Fuel Line: If a fuel line breaks, find a rubber or plastic tube with a similar diameter and fit it over the broken ends. If the fit isn’t tight enough, secure both ends with wire.
4. Fuel Line Joint Leak: If there’s a leak at the engine’s fuel line joint, wrap cotton yarn around the lower edge of the “flare” and then tighten the fuel line nut and joint securely.
5. Sudden Radiator Leak: You can repair it with soap and 502 glue. Specifically, soak the soap in water until soft, knead it into a putty-like consistency, press it into the leaking area of the radiator, and press it against the cooling fins to temporarily stop the leak.
6. Inlet Pipe Crack: If a crack causing a leak appears at the joint of the radiator inlet hose, cut off the damaged section with scissors, then reinsert the hose into the radiator inlet connector and secure it tightly with a clamp or wire. If the crack is in the middle of the hose, wrap tape around the leaking area. If no tape is available, first wrap plastic wrap around the crack, then wrap strips of old cloth around the hose.
7. Fan Belt Breakage: If the belt is cracked, wrap it tightly with a cloth strip or similar item. If the belt has completely broken, charging will stop immediately and the charging warning light will come on. Stop driving right away, and wrap the crankshaft, water pump, and generator pulleys with a cloth strip, pulling it as tight as possible and tying a secure knot. Be sure to trim any excess cloth.
8. Valve Spring Breakage: Remove the broken spring and reinstall the two broken ends in reverse—they can still function. If the spring breaks into multiple pieces, remove the intake and exhaust valve adjustment screws for that cylinder to keep the valves closed, thereby stopping the operation of that cylinder.
9. Sediment Cup Cracked: Cover the inlet and outlet fuel pipes of the sediment cup with a rubber or plastic tube so that the fuel bypasses the sediment cup entirely.