Out with th' old--How to?

B

Bearh

New member
Okay, so I admit it--I'm cheap, and at the same time, I'm all thumbs.
I've made the decision to replace the twin 18 gallon tanks I've got on "Snowdon" ('99 22CD) with new tanks from C-Dory (hopefully the biggest they've got that will fit). However, when I can find them under the ice in the cockpit, I'll need to take the old tanks out. I presently have one tank almost full, and the other has about 6 or 7 gallons left in it.
Question: How do I get the fuel out as easily as possible without blowing myself and the boat up (its on the trailer right now)? I've looked into professional services, but they seem to charge an arm and a leg, and I figure it can't be all that hard. I once siphoned some gas out of a car tank, receiving a mouthful in the process--that must account for a few million missing brain cells, I guess. So any grooming tips would be gratefully accepted. :smilep
 
If you're not in a hurry, the easiest way is to remove the snap connector at the motor end of the fuel hose, drape the hose over the transom, sqeeze the bulb a few times to get it flowing, and catch the gas in a can.

However, when I replaced my 18 gallon tanks, I took them out full using the tractor bucket. If all you have is 5 or 6 gallons in the one tank, you can lift it up easy without the tractor. Then you can pour the gas out of the filler neck into a can for the lawnmower or you wife's car.

I bet your neighbors appreciated having such a good kid around when you were in high school.
 
Bearh

Remove the gas line from motor. Remove fitting from end of gas line. Then lower end of gas line into container on the ground and pump bulb to start siphon. Good Luck. Hope to see you on the Bay. Doug B
 
For sure, put it in your wife's car, it might have water in it. :cry: Just don't tell her about it in case it does. :evil: Let us all know what tanks you get and what they cost. I'm looking at maybe doing the same thing.
 
A barrel pump would be splendiferous but on my boat the fill hoses have a couple of sharp bends...I'm doing good to get a syphon hose of any size work on down to the tanks, so I resort to the remove the hose from the engine method.
 
Bearh, I picked up a tempo fuel hose w/ the primer bulb. I cut the pickup end @ a 45 degree angle to ease entry past the bends in the fill hose. I use it for my vehicles and snowmobile too. Pete
 
What I'd like to do, but haven't gotten around to, is locate the engine side half of the fuel connector fitting, and keep it in the tool box so that whenever I want to drain the tanks, I could merely connect that part onto the fuel line connector, and drain right into a portable tank. Anyone know where these parts can be found reasonably?
 
Thanks a bunch for the help--sounds like a little common sense, a strong back (or a tractor bucket), a little time, and a hose with a primer bulb is what it will take. That, and a wife that doesn't mind running a mite ruff for a while. The ideas for most of the above, except the wife, were probably in the few million brain cells that went south in that mouthful of gas a few years ago. :shock: Does using the regular fuel line to suck out the crud at the bottom of those 18 gal. tanks make it necessary to clean out that fuel line after the draining, I wonder? Oh, yeah--I forgot--the durn pickups are up so you can't reach the last few gallons anyway, so probably, no problem.
To the Chesapeake area contingent--Thanks, and maybe this would be a good year for a get-together. There seems to be a number of us. We have some real good ramps and anchorages right near our home on the South River, and t'would be easy to set up a barbeque out back. Say hey, if you might be interested.
 
I ended last season with two 6.5 gallon portable tanks full of stabilized fuel. I use up all winter long in the snow blower (this is Ohio, not Seattle) and have it in supply for the generator if we lose power.

I just topped off the generator by using the pump bulb fuel hose (a spare) and it took 10 minutes to drain 2 gallons. Siphoning out 20 gallons will take some time, but there's no labor involved.

I've done this directly into my truck too. Don't have to watch for overflow if the truck is near Empty. Just need the boat tank higher than the receiving tank.

-- Chuck
 
Back
Top