Sieving gas from tank?

paulspaddle

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What I thought would be a straight forward process has turned more difficult. I've pushed 8' of hose down the fuel line and feels like I've hit a barrier. Is there something at the edge of the tank restricting the hose?

My last boat had some plastic ports in the floor that I could access the fuel tank and change the fuel sender if needed...this one has none.

Any ideas how to get the fuel out of the tank? (1/3 of a tank of over a year old gas) From the lines in the carpet (if you look closely you can see just back from the ski locker) it looks like a piece of the floor has been cut around where the tank is. Hard to say if that was from the factory or not at this point. Old and filthy as you can see.

Think I should resort to cutting a hole in the floor to access the tank? If so where do you think would be a good place?

Would you guess the fuel guage uses something different than the floating cork sender? I'm assuming that if it used that system there 'should' be a port to access it.

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Bondo

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

I've pushed 8' of hose down the fuel line and feels like I've hit a barrier. Is there something at the edge of the tank restricting the hose?

Ayuh,... Usually a 90? elbow...

You should be able to pump it nearly dry with an electic fuelpump plumbed into the main fuel feed line...

Hard to say about the access,...
What do you see from the engineroom, lookin' forward, under the deck,..??
 

Bt Doctur

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

"Is there something at the edge of the tank restricting the hose?"

Usually a 90 deg fitting
.May have to cut some access hole or follow the fill or feed hose back and take a educated guess where to cut.
 

paulspaddle

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

Ayuh,... Usually a 90? elbow...

You should be able to pump it nearly dry with an electic fuelpump plumbed into the main fuel feed line...

Hard to say about the access,...
What do you see from the engineroom, lookin' forward, under the deck,..??

Makes perfect sense. Are there generic (cheap) 12V fuel pumps to be bought?

Can't see much, the fuel hose simply disappears under the floor in a small hole. I suspect the tank is a few feet away from what I can last see of the hose.

I'm thinking I could cut away the floor below the bench so a patch would be easier....then again your first suggestion of a fuel pump seems more logical.
 

AviatorJim

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Elec Fuel Pumps

Elec Fuel Pumps

Most auto parts stores will have a universal 12 volt pump. I just bought one for $44 at AutoZone.
 

paulspaddle

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

Thanks, I'll head to Princess Auto tomorrow.

Help me identify the main feed fuel line...what is it attached to?
 

Bluestream

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

Unhook the fuel line from fuel pump and install a nipple coupling. Add some more hose on, and run this out the drain hole in the bilge to your waiting gas tank(s).

Siphon out your gas, no need to buy any fancy pumps. KISS principle works most times.

If you're anal like me, use a funnel with some coffee filters to catch any debris
 

paulspaddle

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

I'm a KISS guy....little more the last 'S' than I'd like to be sometimes.

Will stick my head in there tomorrow and see if that will work....thanks.
 

Bluestream

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

You can use a piece of steel or copper tubing to join your hoses if you don't have or want to buy a nipple coupling
 

captmello

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

Unhook the fuel line from fuel pump and install a nipple coupling. Add some more hose on, and run this out the drain hole in the bilge to your waiting gas tank(s).

Siphon out your gas, no need to buy any fancy pumps. KISS principle works most times.

If you're anal like me, use a funnel with some coffee filters to catch any debris

The anti siphon valve at the tank should prevent this from working. :(
 

Beefer

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

Not to derail or anything... but why is your head in a place for the world to see everybody's business????
 

paulspaddle

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

Not to derail or anything... but why is your head in a place for the world to see everybody's business????

Derail?...it's still kinda talking about gas.

Couldn't tell ya why the builders would put a built in toilet in the back bench. It's never been used....go figure.
 

paulspaddle

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

The anti siphon valve at the tank should prevent this from working. :(

So you need a pressure of some kind.

I'll start by seeing if there are some screws buried in that carpet somewhere then go get a pump.
 

Bondo

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

So you need a pressure of some kind.

Nope,... Not Pressure,.... Vacuum, from a fuelpump...
 

Bluestream

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

The anti siphon valve at the tank should prevent this from working. :(

If there was an anti-siphon valve at the tank, the feul pump would not be able to suck any fuel to the engine. I just used this method to drain my own tank and it works very well.
 

Bondo

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

If there was an anti-siphon valve at the tank, the feul pump would not be able to suck any fuel to the engine.

???????????? :rolleyes:

It's the way boats are set up by the factory, per Coast Guard Mandate...

Obviously, your's has been cobbed up by someone over the last 20 years...
 

Bluestream

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

???????????? :rolleyes:

It's the way boats are set up by the factory, per Coast Guard Mandate...

Obviously, your's has been cobbed up by someone over the last 20 years...

No mine has not been cobbled together over the last 20 years. Its factory stock. I am not talking about drawing fuel from the fill port on the tank, but the same supply line that goes to the fuel pump. If there was a valve on that line the pump would not draw any fuel out at all. Gravity siphon is what is used.
 

sasto

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

No mine has not been cobbled together over the last 20 years. Its factory stock. I am not talking about drawing fuel from the fill port on the tank, but the same supply line that goes to the fuel pump. If there was a valve on that line the pump would not draw any fuel out at all. Gravity siphon is what is used.

now I'm confused....remove the line from the boat's fuel pump.....secure line to electric pump...pump out fuel......am I missing something?
 

Bondo

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Re: Sieving gas from tank?

but the same supply line that goes to the fuel pump. If there was a valve on that line the pump would not draw any fuel out at all. Gravity siphon is what is used.

Ayuh,... I hate to inform you,... Your Wrong...

Per Coast Gaurd mandate, All gasoline tanks used in boats Must be equiped with a Anti-siphon valve...
Not a Check-valve,... There's a difference...
It's usually the hose barb at the exit fitting of the tank itself...
It requires 2lbs. of Vacuum to release fuel...

If your's hasn't been removed, it's stuck open...
 
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