2001 XC70 - Pumping out fuel tank

DPDISXR4Ti · Post by **DPDISXR4Ti** » 21 Jul 2016, 11:11

I'm a volunteer at our local Fire Department and we've had a 200K+-mile 2001 XC70 that's been donated to drill on. The fuel tank is near full, so we need to pump it out. Any advise on the easiest way to do that? "Junkyard terrorist" tactics are encouraged, given that we'll be cutting the car up any way.

Perhaps there is there a fuel prime cycle I can just leave energized?

Thanks much...

Post by **abscate** » 21 Jul 2016, 12:56

Im guessing an awl and a kiddie pool violates fire codes?

Thats how we collected gas in college in the 1970s

rimutakaman · Post by **rimutakaman** » 21 Jul 2016, 14:35

I've used a drill pump several times to drain gas tanks. You can get them at almost any hardware store. This is not the one I have, but all drill pumps are virtually the same http://www.homedepot.com/p/Drill-Pump-DRP-1/203449537. You take some hose or plastic tubing to place over the inlet and outlet ports. Stick the inlet hose down the gas tank filler tube; stick the other end into a garbage can if you plan on dumping the fuel. You then hook a drill up to it and it'll start pumping. Easy.

Nearly all drill pumps will say they should not be used to pump gasoline, kerosene, or diesel, but I've used a drill pump during Hurricane Sandy to move all three of those fuels from one tank to another. Pumping fuel with a drill pump will drastically shorten the life of a pump, but they are inexpensive enough and used so infrequently, that to me, if I need to pump fuel, that's how I do it.

Here is one that is a bit more expensive, but designed for fuels http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200384668. Again, I've just used the one that says not for flammable fuels and toss it when it goes bad.

Post by **F250** » 21 Jul 2016, 15:18

I've killed drill pumps with as little as 40 gallons of diesel fuel in a single pumping effort. If you go that route, go ahead and get two of them.

Here's another Northern Tool option.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... 306_390306

I've used it on both diesel fuel and oil and it really pulls the fluids out. Down sides are 1) it's more expensive, and 2) it will only capture about two gallons before you have to dump the tank and start over.

Post by **oragex** » 21 Jul 2016, 15:31

Perhaps put the fuel pump hose in a bin and connect the pump to the battery ?

DPDISXR4Ti · Post by **DPDISXR4Ti** » 21 Jul 2016, 20:52

abscate wrote:Im guessing an awl and a kiddie pool violates fire codes?

Well, lighting the car on fire probably violates a code ordinance or two as well, but that's what we'll be doing eventually. I'm looking for a slightly more elegant solution.

DPDISXR4Ti · Post by **DPDISXR4Ti** » 21 Jul 2016, 20:56

oragex wrote:Perhaps put the fuel pump hose in a bin and connect the pump to the battery ?

That's more the type of solution I'm looking for. Anyone have a schematic?

Post by **abscate** » 22 Jul 2016, 04:58

Get a local indie to donate half an hour on a lift, put the car up, punch hole and drain into jerry cans. Give them the gas if they want it,

Even better - from a lift, you could pop off the fuel filter fitting, and gravity feed it into another car directly via fuel hose.

The fuel pump will take a long time to empty the tank

from Alldata

Fuel pump
Pump capacity at a line pressure of 380 kPa and 13 V > 125 l/min.
Power consumption at a line pressure of 380 kPa and 13V max 7.5A

Thats probably a misprint and Im guessing its 125 mL per minute or 8 minutes per liter, or 30 minutes per US Gallon.

Total of 8 hours to pump out a tank, SWAG

Post by **oragex** » 22 Jul 2016, 07:36

Abscate is right, you may even drain the battery before the gas tank. If you punch it, don't use a drill, no heat no sparks

Post by **abscate** » 22 Jul 2016, 08:06

oragex wrote:Abscate is right, you may even drain the battery before the gas tank. If you punch it, don't use a drill, no heat no sparks

Melting plastic tank with blowtorch, not recommended.