Getting fuel out of a garage queen?

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I

Ian Rawlings

Guest
Hello peeps, not strictly landy-related but there's more know-how here
than in most forums I'm in. I have a garage queen that I'm trying to
rebuild (just finished rebuilding the engine I removed almost 3 years
ago) and have noticed that the fuel tanks are rusting. There's 70
litres of petrol in there that has been sitting for almost 3 years that
I need to get out into jerry cans, I can't drain it out the bottom and
would like to use a more controlled method anyway as draining it out
the bottom would mean that once it's started coming out, it's going to
be hard to stop.

Am planning on using the time-honoured suck-and-spit method once I can
get at the fuel (can't get the tube in the filler neck), I tried a
Draper siphon pump but it was a waste of time, couldn't even suck
water out of a glass. Anyone know of a good method that doesn't
involve electric pumps (including the car's own pump, don't trust it)
and is controllable?

--
For every expert, there is an equal but opposite expert
 
On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 23:22:38 +0000, Ian Rawlings <[email protected]>
wrote:

Ian, have you re-read this post?

>Am planning on using the time-honoured suck-and-spit method


Alex, in case you got this far, stop reading, now...

 
On 2005-12-10, Mother <"@ {mother} @"@101fc.net> wrote:

> On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 23:22:38 +0000, Ian Rawlings <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> Ian, have you re-read this post?
>
>> Am planning on using the time-honoured suck-and-spit method


Given the title of my post, I suppose it was a rather unfortunate
phrase.. I was talking about petrol though, not some kind of warm
high protein drink, just in case you were wondering.

Right, to bed, perchance to dream. Careful now!

--
For every expert, there is an equal but opposite expert
 
Ian Rawlings <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny about:

> Am planning on using the time-honoured suck-and-spit method once I can
> get at the fuel (can't get the tube in the filler neck), I tried a
> Draper siphon pump but it was a waste of time, couldn't even suck
> water out of a glass. Anyone know of a good method that doesn't
> involve electric pumps (including the car's own pump, don't trust it)
> and is controllable?


Can you get to fasten a long hose on the feed to the carb? If so will using
the pump for say 10 seconds then allow the rest to syphon in to your jerry
cans? It may stop just depends on the type of pump I suppose.

On filler necks where I've had initial problems, i've had some success in
rotating the pipe as it goes down. just depends on how many twists and
curves you have to negotiate. Perhaphs some petroleum jelly on the hose to
help it in.

Lee D


 
On 2005-12-10, Lee_D <[email protected]> wrote:

> Can you get to fasten a long hose on the feed to the carb? If so
> will using the pump for say 10 seconds then allow the rest to syphon
> in to your jerry cans? It may stop just depends on the type of pump
> I suppose.


No carbs, it's an EFI engine, also the engine's in a cradle next to
the car, not really in a fit state to be cranked! I really don't want
to be stood in the engine bay between two fuel tanks while trying to
operate any of the car's electrics, the pump's not been turned in 3
years and I'm not sure about the state of the cabling/piping. Some of
the piping used to transfer vapour around is goldfish-tank standard
which rots and splits so I don't want anything electrical anywhere
near it when I'm standing in the middle of it all!

I spoke to my neighbour who had told me he works for a company that
deals with hazardous liquids, turns out he meant "****" so that's not
much use to me sadly..

> On filler necks where I've had initial problems, i've had some
> success in rotating the pipe as it goes down. just depends on how
> many twists and curves you have to negotiate. Perhaphs some
> petroleum jelly on the hose to help it in.


I'll be taking the engine bay sidewalls off tomorrow (or Sunday) and
will take the fuel level sensor off the left-hand tank to give me
direct access to the top of the fuel. I tried feeding hoses into the
tank but while they went in they seemed to be curving around away from
the top of the fuel. While I could manage to dip the pipe into the
fuel and slurped some fuel out, I didn't think I'd be able to control
the end enough to get all the fuel out down to the bottom of the tank
so I'll just remove the sensor to reveal a hole in the tank.

And watch out for talking about pipes and petroleum jelly, Martyn's
about, we don't want to get him excited..

--
For every expert, there is an equal but opposite expert
 
If you have a compresor you can get it syphoning by blowiing across the end
of the pipe with the blow gun , same principle as a paint spray gun "Ian
Rawlings" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello peeps, not strictly landy-related but there's more know-how here
> than in most forums I'm in. I have a garage queen that I'm trying to
> rebuild (just finished rebuilding the engine I removed almost 3 years
> ago) and have noticed that the fuel tanks are rusting. There's 70
> litres of petrol in there that has been sitting for almost 3 years that
> I need to get out into jerry cans, I can't drain it out the bottom and
> would like to use a more controlled method anyway as draining it out
> the bottom would mean that once it's started coming out, it's going to
> be hard to stop.
>
> Am planning on using the time-honoured suck-and-spit method once I can
> get at the fuel (can't get the tube in the filler neck), I tried a
> Draper siphon pump but it was a waste of time, couldn't even suck
> water out of a glass. Anyone know of a good method that doesn't
> involve electric pumps (including the car's own pump, don't trust it)
> and is controllable?
>
> --
> For every expert, there is an equal but opposite expert



 
On or around Sat, 10 Dec 2005 08:31:35 GMT, "icky"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>If you have a compresor you can get it syphoning by blowiing across the end
>of the pipe with the blow gun , same principle as a paint spray gun "Ian


does that create enough vacuum?

's a neat idea.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"It is a characteristic of the human mind to hate the man one has injured"
Tacitus (c.55 - c.117) Agricola, 45
 

"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On or around Sat, 10 Dec 2005 08:31:35 GMT, "icky"
> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>
>>If you have a compresor you can get it syphoning by blowiing across the
>>end
>>of the pipe with the blow gun , same principle as a paint spray gun "Ian

>
> does that create enough vacuum?
>
> 's a neat idea.
> --
> Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
> "It is a characteristic of the human mind to hate the man one has injured"
> Tacitus (c.55 - c.117) Agricola, 45

it works a treat i did the other day with some parafin if you keep blowing
when the fuel comes it atomises it and makes a mega parts cleaner ( not to
be done in enclosed spaces)


 
On or around Sat, 10 Dec 2005 10:10:35 GMT, "icky"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>
>"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> On or around Sat, 10 Dec 2005 08:31:35 GMT, "icky"
>> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>>
>>>If you have a compresor you can get it syphoning by blowiing across the
>>>end
>>>of the pipe with the blow gun , same principle as a paint spray gun "Ian

>>
>> does that create enough vacuum?
>>
>> 's a neat idea.
>> --
>> Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
>> "It is a characteristic of the human mind to hate the man one has injured"
>> Tacitus (c.55 - c.117) Agricola, 45

>it works a treat i did the other day with some parafin if you keep blowing
>when the fuel comes it atomises it and makes a mega parts cleaner ( not to
>be done in enclosed spaces)
>


and presumably if you apply fire it makes a passable flame-thower.


what size pipe did you use?
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Travel The Galaxy! Meet Fascinating Life Forms...
------------------------------------------------\
>> http://www.schlockmercenary.com/ << \ ...and Kill them.

a webcartoon by Howard Tayler; I like it, maybe you will too!
 

>>Am planning on using the
>>time-honoured suck-and-spit method


>Alex, in case you got this far,
>stop reading, now...



Being a bit of a show-off ,,
I prefer to gargle ..............


***I'll get me coat ***

.............Smurf


 

"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On or around Sat, 10 Dec 2005 10:10:35 GMT, "icky"
> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>
>>
>>"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:[email protected]...
>>> On or around Sat, 10 Dec 2005 08:31:35 GMT, "icky"
>>> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>>>
>>>>If you have a compresor you can get it syphoning by blowiing across the
>>>>end
>>>>of the pipe with the blow gun , same principle as a paint spray gun "Ian
>>>
>>> does that create enough vacuum?
>>>
>>> 's a neat idea.
>>> --
>>> Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
>>> "It is a characteristic of the human mind to hate the man one has
>>> injured"
>>> Tacitus (c.55 - c.117) Agricola, 45

>>it works a treat i did the other day with some parafin if you keep blowing
>>when the fuel comes it atomises it and makes a mega parts cleaner ( not to
>>be done in enclosed spaces)
>>

>
> and presumably if you apply fire it makes a passable flame-thower.
>
>
> what size pipe did you use?
> --
> Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
> Travel The Galaxy! Meet Fascinating Life Forms...
> ------------------------------------------------\
> >> http://www.schlockmercenary.com/ << \ ...and Kill them.

> a webcartoon by Howard Tayler; I like it, maybe you will too!

For the flame thrower /parts washer I used some small bore washer pipe I had
kicking about this would probably disolve after prolonged use but worked
well for cleaning the inside of a gearbox . For syphoning I tend to use fuel
pipe I am not sure if the airline blower method would work on any thing much
bigger than that but I have never tried!


 
On 2005-12-10, Austin Shackles <[email protected]> wrote:

> what size pipe did you use?


I was about to ask that, suspecting that a fairly small diameter pipe
would be needed, but then again I don't want the stuff gushing out now
do I!

Pity I don't have a compressor though apart from one of those halfords
jobs for blowing up tyres.. I think I'll suck 'n' spit.

--
For every expert, there is an equal but opposite expert
 
On or around Sat, 10 Dec 2005 13:40:30 +0000, Ian Rawlings
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>On 2005-12-10, Austin Shackles <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> what size pipe did you use?

>
>I was about to ask that, suspecting that a fairly small diameter pipe
>would be needed, but then again I don't want the stuff gushing out now
>do I!
>
>Pity I don't have a compressor though apart from one of those halfords
>jobs for blowing up tyres.. I think I'll suck 'n' spit.


try not to actually ingest, or worse, inhale, petrol.

's narsty stuff, and full of benzene.

I made a pump for to do this from a bicycle pump, once. reverse the washer,
so that it sucks instead of blowing, and then cut a port in the side almost
at the top.

pump like buggery to get petrol up the pipe, then pull the piston past your
port at the end, and the petrol will siphon through the pump barrel.

The modern kind of pump with a connector built into the end, rather than the
old-fashioned one with the screw-in bendy connector is what you need. remove
the connector bit, and the rubber seal, then you can fit a half-inch-ish
pipe to the threaded bit which is thus revealed.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Appearances: You don't really need make-up. Celebrate your authentic
face by frightening people in the street.
from the Little Book of Complete B***ocks by Alistair Beaton.
 
On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 00:23:50 +0000, Mother <"@ {mother} @"@101fc.net>
wrote:

>On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 23:22:38 +0000, Ian Rawlings <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>Ian, have you re-read this post?
>
>>Am planning on using the time-honoured suck-and-spit method

>
>Alex, in case you got this far, stop reading, now...


Been there, done that, gotten a mouthfull of petrol, spent all day
trying to get the taste out of my mouth.

There's much nicer things to suck on.....

Alex
 
On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 20:46:18 +0000, Alex <[email protected]>
wrote:

>>Ian, have you re-read this post?
>>
>>>Am planning on using the time-honoured suck-and-spit method

>>
>>Alex, in case you got this far, stop reading, now...

>
>There's much nicer things to suck on.....


So, do you follow Ians commendation of 'spit', or...

 
On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 23:22:38 +0000, Ian Rawlings <[email protected]> wrote:

> Anyone know of a good method that doesn't
>involve electric pumps (including the car's own pump, don't trust it)
>and is controllable?


If you have a long enough tube you could feed it into the tank, put your thumb
over the end, then draw it out and down until the filled part is below the level
in the tank and it should start siphoning.
--
Charlie...
http://www.chocphoto.com
 
On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 19:12:42 +0000, Austin Shackles
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On or around Sat, 10 Dec 2005 13:40:30 +0000, Ian Rawlings
><[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>
>>On 2005-12-10, Austin Shackles <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> what size pipe did you use?

>>
>>I was about to ask that, suspecting that a fairly small diameter pipe
>>would be needed, but then again I don't want the stuff gushing out now
>>do I!
>>
>>Pity I don't have a compressor though apart from one of those halfords
>>jobs for blowing up tyres.. I think I'll suck 'n' spit.

>
>try not to actually ingest, or worse, inhale, petrol.
>
>'s narsty stuff, and full of benzene.
>


It's perfectly practical not to get a mouthful, just takes a bit of
care. However, you are sucking air out of a petrol tank so you can't
help inhaling petrol vapour. Not good stuff for you, but as a one-off
I can't see it being much worse than a lifetime of filling up at
petrol stations.

Just put your fag out... (that's your cue Martyn, standby Alex)

What's against rejigging the fuel lines on the Landy and using the
fuel pump on that?

--
Tim Hobbs
 
On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 23:12:49 +0000, Mother <"@ {mother} @"@101fc.net>
wrote:

>On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 20:46:18 +0000, Alex <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>>Ian, have you re-read this post?
>>>
>>>>Am planning on using the time-honoured suck-and-spit method
>>>
>>>Alex, in case you got this far, stop reading, now...

>>
>>There's much nicer things to suck on.....

>
>So, do you follow Ians commendation of 'spit', or...


Whilst there are things i do like to swallow, I couldn't honestly
reccomend swallowing petrol.

Alex
 
On 2005-12-11, Alex <[email protected]> wrote:

> Whilst there are things i do like to swallow, I couldn't honestly
> reccomend swallowing petrol.


A dentist once told me that a swig of Vodka in the morning would be
far better for my teeth than any of the mouthwashes available on the
shelves, perhaps I can one-up him and go in there stinking of petrol?

--
For every expert, there is an equal but opposite expert
 
On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 12:10:41 +0000, Ian Rawlings
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On 2005-12-11, Alex <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Whilst there are things i do like to swallow, I couldn't honestly
>> reccomend swallowing petrol.

>
>A dentist once told me that a swig of Vodka in the morning would be
>far better for my teeth than any of the mouthwashes available on the
>shelves, perhaps I can one-up him and go in there stinking of petrol?


If you go to your dentist and breathe alcohol fumes he'll refuse to
treat you - alcohol and anathestic don't mix.

God knows what he's do if you went and breathed petrol fumes at him...

Alex
 
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