gas coming from exhaust

[2013TransitConnect]

For this thread we don't have to limit it to just the TC but to any gasoline engine. I heard a guy talking about his bad fuel mileage and blamed it on gas going straight through his engine and out the tailpipe. I don't see how that could happen as it would blow up in my opinion. I tried to explain that it was water from condensation that he was seeing.

Any thoughts?

[mrtn]

The gas fumes in the tailpipe would ignite, so, no, it was not gasoline.

[Eazy]

For this thread we don't have to limit it to just the TC but to any gasoline engine. I heard a guy talking about his bad fuel mileage and blamed it on gas going straight through his engine and out the tailpipe. I don't see how that could happen as it would blow up in my opinion. I tried to explain that it was water from condensation that he was seeing.

Any thoughts?

I imagine he was seeing condensation coming out of the tail pipe and smelling gasoline because he was running too rich.

Only under very, very special conditions would it be possible for liquid gasoline to make it all the way through the exhaust. You have to keep in mind that both fuel injection and carburation rely on the fuel being atomized into the air around it, so there's no actual liquid gas going through the cylinder other than a mist. The fuel would have to somehow bypass that whole system and run through the exhaust.

I would guess the fuel mixture is his problem. Either too much fuel, not enough air (blocked filter), or not enough spark (fouled plugs). As complicated as they are, combustion motors are actually really simple.

[Willie]

Yes, you're correct. Its mostly water. More common on cold days.