How To Empty Gas Tank? Safe and Easy Methods Given

Anyone who knows how to empty gas tank safely and easily always comes out of sticky situations with successful results. Whether they are in desperate need of fuel from another vehicle, need to sell their car, or carry out repairs on their gas tanks, these drivers are never found wanting.

Fortunately, some of them have shared their experience with us and you can learn a lot. This article will cover some unique ways you can empty your gas tanks and answer some of your pertinent questions as well.

What Are the Ways to Drain a Gas Tank Safely and Easily?

The ways to drain a gas tank safely and easily are through siphoning and the use of a fuel pump. Each method has its merits and disadvantages, but all are guaranteed to get you some gas when you need it the most.

• Draining Fuel by Siphoning

First, you’ll need a fuel siphon system, which is available in most auto shops across the country or online. A fuel siphon system is a device that draws gas out of one vehicle into a container. Ensure you purchase a siphon pump designed and approved for use in draining combustible materials, otherwise, you might endanger yourself and the vehicle. Also, you’ll require a long ⅜ inch hose (possibly one that is six feet in length) and a pump to drain the gas.

The next step is to push your hose into the fuel tank until it hits the end or there’s about a foot or two of the hose left. The fuel tanks of newer vehicles are designed to prevent fuel from sipping out after an accident, thus there are blockades around the opening. To bypass these restrictions and get access to the fuel, use a smaller and more rigid hose that won’t kink. After the smaller hose has gone through, pass the larger hose over it.

Ready the receptacle for the fuel and use your hand pump to drain the fuel out of the vehicle into it. Ensure you hold the end of the hose (the one in the receptacle) to prevent it from swaying from side to side when the fuel flows. When the fuel stops flowing, it means your tank is empty, so you can remove the tubes and close the tank. Exercise caution when you’re pushing the more rigid tube into the gas tank and stop if you’re not making any headway to avoid damage.

• Using the Fuel Pump To Drain Gas

To do this, get under the hood of your car and look for the gas tank drain plug location. Note that this is only applicable if there is a fuel tank drain plug or a fuel test port where gas can be tested. Place a large drain pan directly underneath the plug to catch the gasoline that’ll be exiting the tank. Have extra containers around in case the fuel is more than what the drain pan can handle.

Unscrew the plug and allow the fuel to pour into the pan. If your car has no plug, locate the fuel lines which are hoses connected to the gas tank and disconnect them. However, ensure that the pan is in place before you disconnect these hoses to avoid spilling gasoline all over the place. Turn the engine on and off repeatedly to force out all the fuel since these types of cars use electric gas pumps.

Once the fuel is drained, replace the plug or re-connect the hoses and then you can refill the tank. This method is the easiest especially when your vehicle has a fuel plug. However, if you’re using a fuel tester on a fuel test port, then you’ll need to turn on the vehicle’s fuel pump while the engine is off. This is done by jumping the fuel pump relay or using a scan tool to turn on the car’s fuel pump.

• Making Use of Two Hoses

This method is quite similar to the siphoning method but it doesn’t require a hand pump to draw out the fuel. It is also the trendiest, cheapest and safest way to transfer gas from your vehicle to a container. The items to do this include a bucket, rag, one long hose and one short hose.

To begin, immerse one end of the long hose into the gas tank while the other end is placed in the bucket. Then dip one end of the short hose into the tank but hold the other end in your hands. Now, completely block the gas tank hole with your rag and then blow air into the end of the small hose in your hand. The principle is simple: the air you blow through the end of the small hose will force fuel transfer down the opening of the large hose in the container.

However, depending on the “power” behind the air you blow, it may take a few blows before the fuel gets flowing. Make sure that the receiving container is on a lower level than the gas tank to ensure a fast and complete flow. Once the fuel stops flowing, remove the rag and the two hoses and replace the fuel cap. You can refill the gas tank with the right fuel, that is, if you initially used the wrong fuel.

• Siphoning the Gas by Mouth

This is an age-old method that we would only recommend when you’re in a dire situation. Let’s say you need gas on a long and deserted road and you meet another driver who is willing to give you gas. However, he has no mechanical pump and can only provide one long hose and an empty container to complete the job. You can resort to this method which shows how to take fuel out of a car with a hose.

First, push one end of the hose into the gas tank and hold the other end in your hand. Next, prepare the receptacle (container) and put the other end of the hose in your mouth. Now, suck the gas from the tank and when you feel the gas flowing up the hose, quickly remove the hose from your mouth and put it in the container. If the fuel ceases flowing for any reason, then repeat the process until you have enough fuel in your car to take you to the nearest gas pump.

There’s a high chance of you swallowing some amount of fuel when you’re sucking the gas, which is why we don’t recommend this method. Swallowing or inhaling the fumes from the fuel is detrimental to your health. Thus, avoid this method if you don’t need fuel in your car and use the other methods instead if you’re just emptying your vehicle.

To prevent this from happening, it is better to store your car with a full tank and a fuel stabilizer. However, use the fuel before it degrades. Storing a car with an empty tank could corrode the insides of the tank, which would mean the tank needs a replacement. You can leave fuel in your gas tank for as long as 6 months but beyond 6 months, the fuel could go bad and damage your fuel tank. However, other types of fuel can last up to a year before degrading due to oxidation (when the fuel mixes with oxygen).

Frequently Asked Question

– How Do You Drain Water Safely and Easily From Your Gas Tank?

To drain water safely and easily from your gas tank, you’ll need an additive that would absorb and suspend the water on the fuel. The water is then taken out when the fuel is burnt in the engine during the process of combustion to produce energy.

Conclusion

We’ve discovered how to drain a fuel tank without removing it and answered some pertinent questions regarding the topic.

Here are the major highlights of what we’ve discussed so far:

• Four methods that teach how to drain your fuel tank easily are siphoning, using a fuel pump, using two hoses, and sucking the fuel.
• The easiest and safest method is using a fuel pump to draw fuel via the fuel tank drain valve, but you’ll need a fuel tank drain kit.
• The most hazardous way of draining fuel from the gas tank is siphoning the fuel by sucking it and allowing it to flow into a receptacle.
• Don’t store fuel in your gas tank for more than six months or a year because the fuel could degrade and lose its compatibility.
• It is not advisable to store your vehicle with its gas tank completely empty as this could lead to corrosion of the insides of the gas tank.

If you accidentally get water into the gas tank, you can remove it by adding an additive that would absorb the water. The water would then float on the surface of the fuel and later burn during combustion.