Fuel removal

[jpaulroberts]

What is the easiest way to remove fuel from the tank? Do I just buy one of those drill attachments and stick the tube into the tank? Where in the tank to O put the tube to get it as close to the bottom as possible? Thank, Jerry

[Ray & Sandy Erps]

I haven't done this job yet but when I do, I'm just going to continue to use the boat on the weekends and not top off the tank when we get back.  It may take a little deferment on when the tank removal is actually done but I think that's the "easiest way."  The last couple of gallons I'll lift out with the tank and slosh the heck out of it before dumping it into a container.

Otherwise, I would probably take out the sending unit, stick a length of garden hose in the tank and siphon it out into a couple of waiting fuel containers.  Or....you might also be able to use the electric lift pump already installed in the boat after removing the "out" line and attaching a short piece of appropriately sized hosed.  That way the job could be done while sitting in the head reading a newspaper.

[Jim Price]

Be careful that the electric fuel pump does not get clogged.  It also has an internal screen I believe.  If you gotta pump it out, look at using an inexpensive 12-V oil change pump.  It should handle the fuel and the sludge up to a point

[Randy Stolze]

Jerry,

     I did as suggested; ran the tank down to what I thought was a quarter of a tank. I than disconnected the return line to the tank and put it in a 5gal. container and used the fuel pump to empty the tank. There was approximately half a gallon of fuel left in the tank after removing all the pump would lift.
       I never had a problem with clogged filters. The clean out was strictly preventative.

   Regards,

   Randy

[Ron Hill]

Jerry : Pumping out the fuel is easy if the Racor Filter is between the electric fuel pump and the fuel tank.  Here is the procedure I mentioned in my Mainsheet article:  
Get yourself a number of clean containers that slightly exceed the volume of fuel that you have in the tank and a piece of 3/8" fuel hose about 4' long.  Remove the output line to the engine from the fuel pump and replace it with that 4' section of hose and put the other end of the fuel hose in the first container.  
With the battery selector off, turn on the key switch at the engine instrument panel.  Then when you are ready to pump fuel go below and turn on the battery selector switch and energize the electric fuel pump - which will pump.  This filtered fuel can be reused after you reinstall the clean tank.  You can control the on/off of the fuel pump from down below by just turning the battery selector on and off as you fill each container.  

Be careful removing the tank as alittle fuel will still be in there.  G

Get yourself some of the Mainsheet articles - makes for some interesting reading.  Join the C34IA and you'll get a tech note CD.  

[jpaulroberts]

Ron, I am a member and I do have the CD. Does that have your procedure on it? I'll go double check tonight to see if the racor and fuel filter are in the right sequence, if not I'll change them to that. Once I get the tank out do I just put some acetone in and roll it around in there? I have heard I should use kerosene.

[jpaulroberts]

Ron, I looked at tech notes both on the web and on the CD. The article on tank cleaning seems to be in Nov. 2003. It is not on the CD and on the web it comes up as a file error. Any suggestions. I think I have dirty fuel and I want to clean my tank. I am replacing the filters of course.
Jerry

[BillG]

I cleaned my tank last fall and used about 8 ft. of tubing that I purchased from Home Depot and siphoned it out.  When the tank was almost empty, I unscrewed the tank and emptied the rest into a bucket.  Per a prior recommendation, I used acetone to clean the inside and it did a real good job.
Bill  "junco" #446

[Ron Hill]

Jerry : Sorry, I guess that the newer issues of the Mainsheet tech notes are not on our web site yet.  Guess I'll have to send my articles to Mark for the projects list at the same time I send them to Steve for publication!!
Basically, I went thru 2 gallons of acetone, putting in a quart in the tank at a time.  Then let it sit for 5-10 min. turning the tank also on each side and pouring it out.  After 1 1/2 gals the stuff I was pouring out was getting almost clear.  
Don't believe that kerosene will do zip !!

I could send you a copy of that article, but I out cruising till mid June and it's on my other computer.  

[jpaulroberts]

Thanks Ron, I've got it now. Have a great cruise!

[Ken Heyman]

I just completed this procedure in connection with my tank removal. I siphoned about half the tank in that the boat was up (high) on jacks for the winter and I liked keeping the operation off the boat. On a different day I used a electric drill with a Jabsco pump. I worked from the cockpit through the access in the port locker into the fuel sender orephus. (See Ron's tank photos). In this way I was  able to move the hose around and "suck" from different parts of the tank. I had no more than a few ounces left in the tank when I removed the tank from the boat.

Good luck,

Ken