Emptying Gas Tank

[PJ Moran]

Sorry if this has been asked and answered, but I couldn't find anything via the search engine.

I want to remove as much of the gas from my nearly full tank, but am unable to get a hose down in there through the filler neck. It occurred to me that with a submerged, electric fuel pump, I should be able to use that to pump most of the old fuel out.

Has anyone done this before? How do you make the pump run without starting the engine? Is there a fuel pump relay somewhere that could be triggered manually?

 

[Ckrawiec]

You could certainly disconnect the fuel pump connection and fashion a power source and ground connection directly to the fuel pump and use the pump to push out all the old fuel...however, the fuel is used to also cool the pump so you would eventually be reducing the cooling of the pump as the fuel level starts to drop, so be aware of that.

Wondering why you can't get a siphon tube down the ski filler tube though....you should be able to thread a line down into the tank and use a cheap manual hand pump or siphon pump (Harbor Freight comes to mind - $6.00 hand pump) to start a vacuum and dump the fuel into a container that is lower than the ski fuel tank itself.

 

[benjilafouine]

On my 2003 I tried a couple years ago and it was the same: I was unable to insert a siphon.

 

[Ckrawiec]

Hmmmm...is there a ball check down in there to prevent fuel from pouring out if the ski overturns? I didn't think of that initially.....doesn't show anything like that in the fuel system diagram...but its entirely possible, but the fuel cap should take care of that though.

 

[benjilafouine]

I wonder if it not something like a p-trap under a sink.

 

[Ckrawiec]

I wonder if it not something like a p-trap under a sink.

Puzzling....doesn't show anything special in the fuel system and the diagram just shows a pipe directly into the tank from the gas cap, so I'm wondering why/how you can't get a siphon tube down into the tank??? I've never had to take a seadoo fuel tank/filler tube apart so I don't the answer.

I did a car system once and I did find a ball check (to prevent siphoning) inside the filler tube....

 

[GrinchMonster2000]

I Remove all fuel from my 05`Rxt and 04` Gtx by taking Battery out, remove compartment above fuel tank, Leveling the ski then disconnect all lines slowly remove fuel pump, using a hand pump siphon all fuel out, when fuel get low in tank i rise and jack one side of ski, so fuel goes to corner of tank.

 

[POPPS]

I always go inside the ski, and remove and move the filler hose to the side, and I also raise the front of the ski using the front 3rd wheel. I am lucky that I have an air compressor. I take a length of 1/2 inch garden hose, cut a small hole into the hose about 6 inches from the end, insert the nozzle of my air blow gun, and run it till the fuel syphons out. I like old hoses since they get stiff and I can aim/direct them to bottom and very back of the tank. Since the hose is 1/2 inch, it doesn't take long to evacuate the tank.

 

[Ckrawiec]

I always go inside the ski, and remove and move the filler hose to the side, and I also raise the front of the ski using the front 3rd wheel. I am lucky that I have an air compressor. I take a length of 1/2 inch garden hose, cut a small hole into the hose about 6 inches from the end, insert the nozzle of my air blow gun, and run it till the fuel syphons out. I like old hoses since they get stiff and I can aim/direct them to bottom and very back of the tank. Since the hose is 1/2 inch, it doesn't take long to evacuate the tank.

GENIUS....necessity is the mother of invention.....on the older skis with the fuel baffle, I suppose you could also attach a long 1/4" hose to the RES nipple on top of the baffle assembly and start a suction with the end of the hose lower than the ski to siphon out the fuel....you won't get every last drop but certainly the majority of the fuel and that'll also indicate if the vent is clear depending on how fast the fuel drains out.

 

[PJ Moran]

I can disconnect the fuel hose at the fuel rail. Can fuel be siphoned out through the fuel pump?

 

[jim7]

I bough this works on all toys.. drains the gas in everything quickly

GasTapper Standard - Free shipping included

 

[PJ Moran]

I tried for like the sixth time to get my tube into the tank and it finally worked! I was able to successfully empty the tank using my siphon hose. I still like to think that one could either use the fuel pump to empty the tank or siphon it using the fuel line to the fuel rail.

 

[GrinchMonster2000]

Using the fuel pump in by-pass or Hot Wired mode Not a Good idea because fuel itself is use to cool pump also pump will not remove all fuel because pump inlet is not sitting on bottom of tank.