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siphoning bad gas

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RwP

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Hi, new to the forum here. I have a 2001 Rinker 212 Captiva sterndrive with a 350 mercruiser fuel injected engine. It has about 20 gallons of 2 yo gas in the tank that I want to get rid of. In my research on how best to get it out of the tank, the best method appears to be pulling the fuel line from the inlet to the water separator housing, attach that to a tube that runs out the boat drain hole at the rear of the transom, and into the plastic gas cans (would have to put a hand pump or something, inline to get the fuel flowing past the anti-siphon valve which I assume it has). I'm concerned about static buildup as the fuel flows through the vinyl line and into the plastic gas cans. Some research says to attached a ground wire to the fuel tank ground, wrap the other end of the wire around a bolt and drop it into the plastic fuel can before starting to prevent a static spark. Any advice would be appreciated. Nervous working with all that gas.
 
It usually easier to hire a service that will do the job for you...if you take your suggested route, there will still be fuel left in the tank...and once it is out, you still have to dispose of the old liquid. ask around at the local service yards for someone that does fuel polishing...
 
makomark said:
It usually easier to hire a service that will do the job for you...if you take your suggested route, there will still be fuel left in the tank...and once it is out, you still have to dispose of the old liquid. ask around at the local service yards for someone that does fuel polishing...
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Thanks! We do have County-supported hazardous waste disposal options and they take gasoline, but I'll check this option out.
 
RwP said:
Hi, new to the forum here. I have a 2001 Rinker 212 Captiva sterndrive with a 350 mercruiser fuel injected engine. It has about 20 gallons of 2 yo gas in the tank that I want to get rid of. In my research on how best to get it out of the tank, the best method appears to be pulling the fuel line from the inlet to the water separator housing, attach that to a tube that runs out the boat drain hole at the rear of the transom, and into the plastic gas cans (would have to put a hand pump or( something, inline to get the fuel flowing past the anti-siphon valve which I assume it has). I'm concerned about static buildup as the fuel flows through the vinyl line and into the plastic gas cans. Some research says to attached a ground wire to the fuel tank ground, wrap the other end of the wire around a bolt and drop it into the plastic fuel can before starting to prevent a static spark. Any advice would be appreciated. Nervous working with all that gas.
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I used a vacuum extractor (Mityvac or similar) to suck out the fuel tank of my classic car.

Do you know the gas is bad or have you not looked at it yet? I have had older gas that was still ok.
 
Dieter said:
I used a vacuum extractor (Mityvac or similar) to suck out the fuel tank of my classic car.

Do you know the gas is bad or have you not looked at it yet? I have had older gas that was still ok.
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don't know for sure its bad, was putting in fuel stabilizer, but having some running issues. Starts fine, idles fine, bogs down under load. its hard to find a shop with available time now. I'd like to drain it myself but need to address static buildup while draining.
 
RwP said:
don't know for sure its bad, was putting in fuel stabilizer, but having some running issues. Starts fine, idles fine, bogs down under load. its hard to find a shop with available time now. I'd like to drain it myself but need to address static buildup while draining.
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run it on an outboard tank which is easy to plumb into the engine. Change the filter, see if performance improves. If it does then go through the work of correcting the main tank.

If you are concerned ground the extractor when doing it
 
Thanks, the "how to ground part" is what I'm struggling with. What I think I need to do is attach a ground wire to the tank ground tab maybe? but what about the other end? Currently planning on using a hand pump to get the siphon started so there's no real metal accessible to attach a ground to, I'm using plastic gas cans so no grounding there, somewhere i read to drop the wire into the gas can. But nothing I've read seems to definitive.
 
RwP said:
Thanks, the "how to ground part" is what I'm struggling with. What I think I need to do is attach a ground wire to the tank ground tab maybe? but what about the other end? Currently planning on using a hand pump to get the siphon started so there's no real metal accessible to attach a ground to, I'm using plastic gas cans so no grounding there, somewhere i read to drop the wire into the gas can. But nothing I've read seems to definitive.
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Ground the pump to the negative side of the battery. For flammable liquids in industrial applications the jugs with be set up to ground with a grounding lug, which you will not have.

I wouldn’t worry about it too much unless you are using an electric pump. Using a hand vacuum extractor and fuel container i think you are worried over nothing, just hold your cigar in the other hand…


Did you ever determine if you actually have bad gas before you do all this?
 
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