How to drain fuel tank

[rev]

I need to get all the old diesel fuel out of my 86 CUCV. I have plenty of manuals, but no one talks much about how to drain the tank. Any words of wisdom?

Thanks.

 

[pauly383]

Cheap pump to fit a hand drill from Harbor freight , and some hose , would probably work /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif

 

[Rolled]

pull it and turn it upside down /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif Well, thats how I emptied the tank I bought at the junk yard /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[55Willy]

Um no, 1st warning on the pumps is don't use a drill, if the fumes gets near the sparks you'll have other things to worry about then the draining the tank,LOL

pull the tank, use a BRASS drift punch to take the sending unit out and flip the tank over.

 

[K5er4Life]

Siphone it out, thats how I always do mine, besides a little gasoline really gets you goin in the morning. Get some 1/2" clear nylon hose shove it down there and suck like a mofo to get the gas goin, once the gas in the hose goes past the level of gas in the tank it will flow like nothing else. Suckin your tank dry. With my camaro I was able to blow on the hose which kinda pressurized the tank then it pushed the gas right out, I had to plug some vent holes in the filler neck to get it pressurized but try it that way first so you dont have to worry about drinkin gas.

 

[pauly383]

OK then you can use one of the squeeze it bellows-type handpumps and be spark free then /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif

 

[55Willy]

bellows work, plus if your hands get tired give the neighbor kids a quater,LOL

 

[diesel4me]

My 82 diesel K20 has factory water drain siphon hoses and valves on both tanks for water removal--they are fairly small though,so it would probably take a long time to drain it through them--mine are located near the front hanger for the rear springs. Other than that,you could siphon it out,or pessurize the tank with an air hose and let it blow out of the main fuel line to the engine into a gas can,or if you have an electric fuel pump you can hook it to the same line and let it run til its dry--my truck has an aftermarket electric pump,so all I'd have to do is disconnect the rubber line at the fuel filter and stick it in a can and run the pump--those little pumps will empty a 20 gallon tank in about 15 minites---another plus to having one is you can prime a new fuel filter with it--saves lots of cranking and bleeding to get it to fire up again.
P.S.Diesel is now 2.15 gallon here now,went up 40 cents in less than 3 weeks! I wouldnt just dispose of it--you could probably sell it,or put it in your home heating oil tank--too expensive to dump it!. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[78GMC1/2TON4x4]

heres a great idea. buy the cheapest car fuel pump you can get for like a honda or something. then get two pieces of hose to go on each side of the pump. drop the one hose in that will suck and put the other in a gas can. to power it just run a wire off the fuel pump to your battery and maybe hook up a toggle switch to control it. HOPE IT MAKES SENSE /forums/images/graemlins/truck.gif

 

[rev]

Thanks to you all for the tips! Between all of your advice I got it drained.