How to pump old fuel out of built-in fuel tank

[toxictiger]

What type of pump can I use/buy to pump old fuel out of a built-in, below deck fuel tank? The fuel is old and bad and contaminated with water. I don't want to blow myself up using the wrong type of pump. Thanks!

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: How to pump old fuel out of built-in fuel tank

What type of pump can I use/buy to pump old fuel out of a built-in, below deck fuel tank? The fuel is old and bad and contaminated with water. I don't want to blow myself up using the wrong type of pump. Thanks!

I use a 12volt automotive type inline fuel pump. Pretty well all automotive stores have them.

 

[JB]

Re: How to pump old fuel out of built-in fuel tank

Assuming the boat is on a trailer you can use the fuel line to your engine to siphon it out.

Set an empty gas tank on the ground next to the boat. Remove the engine connector fitting from the hose. Put the end of the hose into the empty tank and pump the primer bulb to get the siphon started. It will then drain the tank.

I have used this method many times.

 

[ziggy]

Re: How to pump old fuel out of built-in fuel tank

i used a plastic hand siphon pump that ya can aquire at most auto parts stores..... just pump it up to prime it and assumin yer can is below the boat fuel tank, let the siphon take over till the can's full........repeat as nessesary......

 

[Coors]

Re: How to pump old fuel out of built-in fuel tank

what Ziggy said, same pump will pump out the old oil through the dipstick.

 

[toxictiger]

Re: How to pump old fuel out of built-in fuel tank

Great stuff. Thanks to all for your help!

 

[burroak]

Re: How to pump old fuel out of built-in fuel tank

Just to add a thought; before you pump out the tank, put a couple of bottles of Heet in the tank. Let it absorb the water and combine with the fuel. That should eliminate the possibility of residual water in the tank.

 

[Woodnaut]

Re: How to pump old fuel out of built-in fuel tank

TT, once you get all of the old gas (and water) out of the tank, then you have to do something with it. Search the internet for "dispose of old gas" and you'll get some good info. The bottom line on many of the articles is to "recondition" the gas by putting it through a GOOD quailty water separating fuel filter (I use 10 micron) and then mixng one part old gas with 5 parts of fresh fuel. I've done this in the past with good success but I darn sure didn't put it back in the the boat. I do have an old Suburban from the late Jurassic period, however, that seems to run pretty good on the stuff. Good luck and be careful!

 

[CharlieB]

Re: How to pump old fuel out of built-in fuel tank

Depending on the size of the tank you could be leaving a quantity of water/fuel/muck in there as the fuel pickup is raised off the bottom of the tank.

Depending on the size of the craft, if it is trailerable or not, I jack and block the trailer such that the fuel tank is angled, the fuel pick up is on the lowered corner. Rig the boat trailer like this then let it set a couple of days, give it time for any water to completely settle.

If/when the tank is low enough on fuel, I remove the fuel pickup completely and stick in my own hose, all the way to the bottom corner of the tank.

This way I can be sure that I remove ALL the water and crud from the tank.

We can pull out water from under the fuel without draining good fuel.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: How to pump old fuel out of built-in fuel tank

I used a hand rotary pump from Northern tool... the kind meant for 50 gallon barrels, with a piece of vinyl tubing and a barbed hose fitting as an adapter. Drained about 30 gallons from my tank in about 20 minutes into 5 gallon plastic cans.

I burned the gas in my 2001 truck (mixed with new) and the lawn mower. Of course, my tank is pretty clean and I'm not worried about water in it ATM.

Erik