Removing old fuel

Dec 8, 2007
1,139
Dartmouth MA
Boat Info
1997 Sea Ray 400DA
Cat 3116 TA
1994 Sea Ray Laguna CC 250 Tohatsu
Engines
:
Repowering the Laguna. It has old fuel in it and I'm looking for suggestions on getting it out. I'm thinking 55gal steel drum from somewhere? I would rather pull it out thru the fuel pickup as I feel I will be able to get lower than sticking a hose down the fill and siphoning. I'm assuming there is an anti siphon valve in the fuel pickup at the top of the tank that won't allow me to siphon from there. Hence a pump. Does anyone have a better idea or a suggestion on where I can source a pump and barrel? Just spent a ton of money on outboard. Not looking to spend a lot of money on this.
 
If you go to Napa you can buy a low pressure Carter (Brand) 12v fuel pump for an old ford pickup (or any Old car but the one I bought was for a large V8 so it has larger volume) . You can put hose Barbs on the intake and discharge sides and put fuel line on them. I mounted it on a 4x4 block of wood and wired in a switch with alligator clips on the ends so I could hook up to the battery and switch it on and off easily. I drain the fuel out of all of my boats, mowers, snow mobiles etc when done using for a season so the fuel doesn’t go bad. I pump it out and put it in my truck if it isn’t really old fuel. It pumps about 1gal per minute. For old fuel I just bought a bunch of cheap 6gal gas cans and pump into those and then dispose at the town landfill.
 
I just pumped out gas from a boat that sat 2 years. The first pulls were approximately 2/3 water. After 10 or so gallons i finally got no water. The balance was burnable so we have been running it down. Now at almost empty i dumped the water separating filter and out a new one on and will be filling with fresh gas and treating. Its amazing how much water can get into a tank. Fortunately its a poly tank so no corrosion. I did this pumping out by hand using the prime bulb.

-Kevin
 
Helped a friend with this last year.
Used a 12 volt electric fuel pump and pulled it out of the hole for the sender.
We put it in to a bunch of 5 gallon gas cans and he burned it up in his truck. Every time he got near empty he added 5 gallons of the old boat gas and then topped it off the rest of the way with fresh gas from the pump. He added the old stuff right when he got to the gas station.
If your old gas has water in it you can do what Kevin did.


BTW: Love the Laguna's. What motors are you putting on it?
 
I just pumped out gas from a boat that sat 2 years. The first pulls were approximately 2/3 water. After 10 or so gallons i finally got no water. The balance was burnable so we have been running it down. Now at almost empty i dumped the water separating filter and out a new one on and will be filling with fresh gas and treating. Its amazing how much water can get into a tank. Fortunately its a poly tank so no corrosion. I did this pumping out by hand using the prime bulb.

-Kevin
You must have some strong fore arms!
 
Helped a friend with this last year.
Used a 12 volt electric fuel pump and pulled it out of the hole for the sender.
We put it in to a bunch of 5 gallon gas cans and he burned it up in his truck. Every time he got near empty he added 5 gallons of the old boat gas and then topped it off the rest of the way with fresh gas from the pump. He added the old stuff right when he got to the gas station.
If your old gas has water in it you can do what Kevin did.


BTW: Love the Laguna's. What motors are you putting on it?
I just purchased a 2019 tohatsu 250. Overall weight should be about 100lbs less. I hung it two days ago now waiting for a few extras before I can rig it. It is made by Honda. The outboard is blue but If you open up the cowl the engine is the Honda grey. I don't put many hours a year on this boat. I went with the cheapest engine I could find.
 
Does anyone have any thoughts on me putting multiple fuel filter/water seps? I have two on the boat now(was a twin outboard boat now single). The engine comes with a transom mount also. I would like to run the three temporarily until I get a few tanks thru it. Would the engine pump have enough power to pull thru the three?
 
I just purchased a 2019 tohatsu 250. Overall weight should be about 100lbs less. I hung it two days ago now waiting for a few extras before I can rig it. It is made by Honda. The outboard is blue but If you open up the cowl the engine is the Honda grey. I don't put many hours a year on this boat. I went with the cheapest engine I could find.

From twins to a single? Interesting.....
I’d love to get an old Laguna that needs a repower for my son as an upgrade from the little 18’ Maxum bowrider he is running now. We’ve been keeping our eyes peeled for a 21’ Laguna. I wonder how yours will perform with a single engine. A friend had the same boat as yours, except a few years older, and it was a great boat.
I had a line on a 21’ several years ago and blew it by lowballing the offer. Still kick myself over that one.
 
Every fall I remove the gas from my boat I use a $15 electric fuel pump to get it out and as I take it out I pump it into my car's so I use it up
 

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