Advice / Tips for Draining Old gas and checking fuel lines.

[Steve51]

Long Question – short answer…

I have recently installed a brand new engine and as such I have replaced all the fuel lines and filter etc. to accommodate the larger diameter fuel feed.

I also have about 40 gallons of stabilised fuel (gasoline) in my fuel tank that has been sitting for about 2 years.

Now I need to do two things … firstly I need to check the new fuel lines from the filter to the tank against leaks etc. and also need to check the condition of the old fuel.

Therefore it would be easier to draw the fuel from the tank from the new filter. I have tried a simple hand transfer pump and a bulb fuel line but that didn’t work.

So .. Just thinking of using an Edlebrock self priming 12v electric fuel pump for carburetors to undertake this.

Bearing in mind there is no fuel in the fuel lines at the moment, so will this work?

I initially wanted to draw a couple of gallons first just to check the condition of the fuel; I can even rig up a sort of fuel polishing setup with extra filter etc. if needed.

Thank you.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Your 2 year old stuff is no longer fuel

Pump it out, clean the tank, get fresh fuel

 

[airshot]

Years back I bought a small 12v fuel pump from Amazon just for pumping out tanks. Quite small, comes with intake filter, just add some 5/16" ID fuel line. I use a 8' long wire with battery clips to keep any spark at a distance. I think the whole project was less than 25 bucks. Just stick one end into the tank and the other into a 5 gal can. Go about your business then come back and replace the 5 gallon can. I never use gas more than one year old if it has been treated. You can add a few gallons at a time to your road vehicle to use it up. Treated fuel is good for one year, but becomes a big gamble after that.

 

[racerone]

Check your insurance policy.----Myself i would not risk trying to salvage old fuel.

 

[Steve51]

Thank you for your responses.

I had resigned myself to remove the old fuel but I did initially wanted to check if it could have been used in an old car at say 10% mixed with fresh.

My main concern was removing via the new filter thereby checking the new copper fuel lines back to the tank and the shut-off valve.

My initial attempt with a hand pump just didn’t work.