how to pump out old gas???

M

masilobes

Member
Nov 2, 2010
81
buzzards bay ma
Boat Info
Kayla B
Engines
twin 350 mag mpi
fuel is 2 1/2 years old and want to pump it out. can i do it through the filler cap or do i have to do it through the sending unit on the tank. if it has to be done through the sending unit, how do you remove it? it has 5 bolts around the rim of it, do you unbolt it?? 2003 280da
 
I'm also curious about it, thinking how I can suck from the deepest level of tank.
Or if it's possible I'm gonna suck the diesel dirt from the hose coming from tank which enters to racor separator bowl. That will suck from tank's suction pipe.
Gas powered 280DAs don't have "racor" but they have same hose directly goes from tank to engine and it will be more beneficial tank cleaning IMO.
Best regards.
Melida
 
Is this boat on a trailer?

If so it could be siphoned or as Melida said remove the hose from the water separator, add an extension, and poke it through the bilge drain plug hole to your catch container.

If its in the water you will have to pump it out.
 
With a 2003 boat, how old can the gas be? Why do you feel you need to remove it? If the engines will run on what is there, run the tanks low and refill with fresh stabilized fuel. A few filter changes can't hurt either.

I think if you have to remove the gas, going thru the gauge hole would be easiest, too many bends in the fill hose to snake thru.
I have already remove the anti-siphon valve and replaced it with a hose barb and siphoned the gas out thru the transom drian plug hole into 5 gal cans. Takes a while but no pumps are needed once you get the flow going. Obviously the boat needs to be out of the water for this.
 
Its just with all the talk about ethanol and water in the tank im better off knowing theres fresh dry fuel in it instead of trying to run the boat and killing my motors.
 
Can't suck easily through the line that goes to the engine - there's an anti siphon valve. Although I've never physically verified it on anything larger than a 27', I assume the 280DA would have this. The easiest thing is to remove a fitting on the tank - whichever is easiest - and stick the hose down there. If the sending unit is easiest, that simply unscrews.

The gas may very well be fine - but, personally, I wouldn't chance it. Did you use the appropriate additive?
 
Last edited:
the boat is new to me. as i am finding out more and more about the boat and the previous owners upkeep, i have no reason to think the gas wasn't treated. he basicly bought new at marina where he sliped it and winter stored there also with all work done by the same dealer. now if the boat was last in the water sept 08, was ethanol as widely used then?
 
Hard to say - probably not. But, even normal gas starts to go bad after about 6 months. The additive will obviously help - but 2-1/2 years is a long time. If it was me, I'd err on the side of caution.

Pull out about a quart and place it in a glass container. Smell it - it shouldn't smell like shellac or varnish. It should be very light in color. Let it sit over night. Look at it the next day for separation.
 
On my first boat the gas sat for 2 years then I used the boat. Plugged both gas filters (twin stern drive) with water in 15 minutes. The mechanic disconnected the lines to the gas pumps and sucked out two gallons from the tank (single 100 gallon tank) and all was well. Tank was over half full 50+ gallons. Filled it up and did not have any problems.
 
If you're just worried about the Ethanol, don't Mercury has been ready for that crap to come on the market for years, O ring hoses etc. If you have an older boat like mine(1988 7.4 s) then you have to buy the marine fuel NO ALCO. or put the stable in it..I buy the 98 oct.pure stuff from the dist.and haul it to my boat I put the stable in it anyway to make the fuel last longer while sitting I have about 280 gal's setting in my boat now, bought it 3 weeks ago,and won't start using it for about a mo. or so....Rip
 
In below pic I have the white bowl "racor diesel/water seperator" which gas powered boat don't have it. The hose at the right side of te bowl is coming from tank, and I'm mentioned to thinking to suck the tank via uninstalling the from bowl and vacuuming.

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af108/melida315/Heater%20Craft/290120111454.jpg

On the other hand in the spec sheet of 2005 280DA written "
Fuel System:
​
​
​
​
​
​
Fuel Lines, USCG - Type A-1​

Fuel Tank w/Anti-Siphon Valve & Electric Sending Unit"

In this situation is it still available sucking from the hose in the pic ?

Best regards.
Melida

PS. The dirty bilge is not a common thing in my boat. It was taken at the moment of installing hyronic heating and some antifreeze spilled while measuring how much to add to top off the coolant.
 
Last edited:
Melida, the problem with using that hose is the anti siphon valve as you noted in the specs. Yes, you can manually pump it out or use some type of automatic pump... but, manually will get VERY tiring and take a long time. As far as automatically doing it, I'm not sure if there is any readily available pump that is approved for fuel - remember, this is an area where you DEFINITELY don't want to create a spark :wow:. Maybe there are pumps available, I'm just not personally aware of any - and then there's the cost for what will likely be a one time use.

Unscrew a large enough fitting that goes into the tank and simply use a old piece of garden hose to siphon it out. Quick, easy and cheap.
 
Lazy Daze said:
Melida, the problem with using that hose is the anti siphon valve as you noted in the specs. Yes, you can manually pump it out or use some type of automatic pump... but, manually will get VERY tiring and take a long time. As far as automatically doing it, I'm not sure if there is any readily available pump that is approved for fuel - remember, this is an area where you DEFINITELY don't want to create a spark :wow:. Maybe there are pumps available, I'm just not personally aware of any - and then there's the cost for what will likely be a one time use.

Unscrew a large enough fitting that goes into the tank and simply use a old piece of garden hose to siphon it out. Quick, easy and cheap.
Click to expand...

Dennis,
Thanks for the info.
I'm thinking to make that operation by electric pump. My VP mech has one, he uses it to suck the oil from engine. Don't sure if it's approved/safe for it, but at least my fuel is diesel and safer than doing this with gas IMO.
I want to suck from there because, firstly to prevent fuel spillage if I do that from sender location which is placed just under the bed of midcabin. Secondly I'm planing to this in haulout and before placing the boat to the wood stops on hard while on lift a bit raising the bow and acumulate the dirt/water to the aft end of tank where the suction pipe is. Also by raising the bow will open the screw at the stern to drain the bilge.
Best regards.
Melida
 
Melida - yes, with diesel I agree with you. Let us know how it goes. I'm curious how it'll work. I've only ever used a manual pump and I know it took quite a bit of effort. If it works for you, and you're able to, please also post what model pump you're using.

Are you planning on using a male-to-male barb fitting so you can extend the hose out of the boat?

Throw a little enviro-safe soap (Simple Green, for example) down in your bilge, now (or a few days before you haul out, anyway). That way it will slosh around and do some "automatic" cleaning for you. Maybe even add a little water.
 
Lazy Daze said:
Melida - yes, with diesel I agree with you. Let us know how it goes. I'm curious how it'll work. I've only ever used a manual pump and I know it took quite a bit of effort. If it works for you, and you're able to, please also post what model pump you're using.

Are you planning on using a male-to-male barb fitting so you can extend the hose out of the boat?

Throw a little enviro-safe soap (Simple Green, for example) down in your bilge, now (or a few days before you haul out, anyway). That way it will slosh around and do some "automatic" cleaning for you. Maybe even add a little water.
Click to expand...

Dennis,
This will be at the middle of may, before that day comes I'm preparing my self for everthing needed and will do everything in 3 days haulout like a F1 car's pit stop.:grin: Gonna infrom you how it went.
Don't know exactly what I need to connect the existing hose to the pump, have to see before doing that.
I use biodegradable starbrite boat shampoo and bilge cleaner for four years and happy with them. Will try the automatic cleaning.:grin:
Best regards.
Melida
 
There are companies that pump out the old gasoline, polish it (treat the old gas) and then pump it back into the tank. They can also clean the gas tank prior to pumping the gas back into the tank. They have mobile trucks that go on-site and the entire treatment is completed in hours. There is a site for one company which has information on the whole process. FuelTs.com.
 
Next saturday I'm gonna haulout my boat for annual maintenance.
Just remembered that the usable fuel of 280DA's tank is 95 gallons over 100 gallons of total tank capacity. So the suction pipe leaves 5 gallons in the deepest level of tank which can't sucked via suction pipe or (in my boat) racor/separ hose.
But, since my concern is evacuating the water/bacteria/dirt at the bottom of tank, I have to suck the unusable 5 gallons where they are sitting.
Therefore to briefly remove them from the tank I must suck the fuel from sending unit as the OP mentioned. I saw that there are 5-6 screws/nuts, but wondering how much I can raise the sending unit out of it place to fit a hose inside tank while not damaging the calibration of sending unit.
Hope to hear from 280DA owners or who done it.
 
Last edited:
I'm not sure how much space you have above the sending unit, but typically you can just pull it out completely. When it gets towards the top (or you don't have a lot of head room), just give a little twist/angle it down. It's pretty straight forward - it'll make sense when you start doing it.
 
Lazy Daze said:
I'm not sure how much space you have above the sending unit, but typically you can just pull it out completely. When it gets towards the top (or you don't have a lot of head room), just give a little twist/angle it down. It's pretty straight forward - it'll make sense when you start doing it.
Click to expand...

Dennis, thanks for the reply.
I'm asking the availability of the space for, if there is a wire or a connection between the tank and sending unit which would stop the movement of sending unit. Also wondering the sending unit is caulked/siliconed or just screwed ?
Thanks in advance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,117
Messages
1,426,458
Members
61,032
Latest member
Brock340
Back
Top