Pumping Out Old Gasoline

[seattlepioneer]

I have an outboard with a built in fuel tank and a fuel hose that clips into the engine. I need to remove the old fuel.

Siphoning isn't practical as I cant get a hose into the tank.

That suggests that using the existing hose to the engine would be the way to go. Are there fuel pumps that make that kind of connection for that purpose? If so, how would they be described so that I could find one?

If not, is it practical to buy the fitting that connect to the existing clip and make my own? Any ideas, suggestions or alternative ideas welcome.

Thanks!

 

[dan t.]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

buy a basic electric fuel pump at any auto parts store, remove the fitting from the end of the fuel line, attach the pump ,attach a piece of fuel line to the pump, hook the pump to 12 volts and pump out the tank. keep this set up around , it will get you home if your pump in the motor quits

 

[mthieme]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

Welcome aboard SP.
If you just disconnect the hose coming from the bottom of the tank (or attach one to the fitting and divert it to a jug) wouldn't gravity do the job?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

A small outboard could be man handled and turned upside down into a bucket. Unless it is a 4 stroke ....... turning upside down will not hurt it.

 

[seattlepioneer]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

Welcome aboard SP.
If you just disconnect the hose coming from the bottom of the tank (or attach one to the fitting and divert it to a jug) wouldn't gravity do the job?

This a a 120 HP Force outboard. There is no bottom of the tank fuel connection that I see.

The idea of disconnecting the fitting for the engine and connecting an electric fuel pump sounds like it might work....

Thanks for the ideas.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

I pulled the sending unit and siphoned from there. Stuck the siphon hose out through the bilge plug.

 

[krakatoa]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

The best option is to take the boat to the lake, then pedal 2 to the metal.... Know what I mean??

 

[Woodnaut]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

Recently during hurricane Ike, many boat owners around here were siphoning gas out of of their boat's fuel tanks so they could burn it in their generators and keep the lights on in the house and the refrigerator running. Faced with this situation, you'd be surprised at how much gas you can move around with a primer bulb. Oh yeah. Just pull the line off after the primer bulb add on another piece of long hose, and siphon directly through the primer bulb to a [safe] container on the ground. Just be real sure not to overflow it.

But, ONCE YOU GET THE GAS OUT then you have to do something with it. After searching around on the web, most of what I found indicates that you can mix four parts of fresh gas with one part of old gas and it will burn just fine. (However, I would be sure to treat it.) I've done this a time or two before and the old Suburban seems to run on it pretty good.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

This a a 120 HP Force outboard. There is no bottom of the tank fuel connection that I see.

The idea of disconnecting the fitting for the engine and connecting an electric fuel pump sounds like it might work....

Thanks for the ideas.

Disconnect the fuel hose from the motor, add 3 or 4 feet of extension fuel hose, and just siphon the tank through the fuel hose. It might take a while, but its the easiest way to go.

 

[bassinbeno]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

Actually I just had to do this at the start of the boating season since I purchased a boat that was sitting for 2 years with stale gas. I just simply cut the end off the hose that hooks to the motor and siphoned all the gas out with primer bullb a few pumps and it ran continuosly into a jug. I then added a fresh 2 gallons took the boat for a ride on the trailer to slosh around the gas in the tank and repeated step one. Then simply hook your motor connection up to the hose with a hose clamp. If your gas is really bad I would suggest takeing your carburator bowls of and cleaning them out as well.

 

[gss036]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

I use the connections and a piece of hose to reach the cans. Slow, but works great. You also have a fuel supply in the winter for the generator if you loos power.

 

[seattlepioneer]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

Wow! Lot's of good ideas!

I have a relatively full tank of 15 gallons or so. But heck ---- cutting the hose clamp from the primer bulb sounds cheap and easy to do.

Several of the methods suggested sound good. And cleaning out the carburetor bulbs (I'm not sure off hand if it's fuel injected) sounds smart too.


You guys are good! Thanks.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

Whatever you do, don't use one of those little pumps that you hook to a drill - they are not made for pumping gasoline and get hot, if you run them long enough.

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

Faced with the same problem as you, I used the existing fuel hose with siphon bulb and removed the engine connector. By routing the fuel line through the transom drain hole, I was able to keep a good flow going down to the last drop by raising the trailer tongue jack up to the max. Good luck!

 

[seattlepioneer]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

Hey willyclay---


Good idea there. That sounds like I could use the primer bulb to get things started and then siphon much of the rest. That would be great!

 

[ebry710]

Re: Pumping Out Old Gasoline

Hey willyclay---
Good idea there. That sounds like I could use the primer bulb to get things started and then siphon much of the rest. That would be great!

When I got my Whaler it had 20 gallons gasoline and 20 gallons water in the tank. I disconnected my engine and used the primer bulb and fuel line to drain the tank. It took a couple of hours, but I work well. Water came out first then gas. Gas I have be slowing reentering into the mix.

I then:
1) refuel the tank
2) add fuel stabilizer
3) add a fuel/water separator
4) add a clear gas filter

This worked for me and it didn't give me any head aches.