Precautions To Take Before Siphoning Gas (Page 2/3)
Brent7088 MAY 21, 10:51 PM
Hooking up my conventional charger to the battery while activating the fuel pump would be no problem; just don't know how well that would go over with the fuel line unhooked from below less than 2 feet away from the connections.

[This message has been edited by Brent7088 (edited 05-21-2022).]

Patrick MAY 21, 11:19 PM

quote
Originally posted by Brent7088:

Hooking up my conventional charger to the battery while activating the fuel pump would be no problem; just don't know how well that would go over with the fuel line unhooked from below less than 2 feet away from the connections.



Well, for one thing... there's no need to have the battery still located in its usual location. When I did this, I had my battery located well away from the car, with long battery cables connecting the positive of the battery to the fuel pump terminal on the ALDL port, and the negative cable to a ground inside the cab. Just make sure your garage is well ventilated. Use a fan if necessary.

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 05-21-2022).]

Dennis LaGrua MAY 21, 11:34 PM
I've drained the tank by using an 8' hose with the proper fitting that will attach directly to the fuel rail. I believe its an old R-12 A/C hose. Then I place that hose in a 5 gal gas can make the connection to pin G with +12V let it drain and keep an eye on it. I also use a battery charger on the battery and since there is little chance of gas leakage on the engine its a pretty safe method.
On second thought the last time I used the pump to clear the tank I used a battery charger away from the engine compartment. I made a long wire with a pin on the end and plugged this into the ALDL connector and fed the power from a battery charger directly to the fuel pump. The gas pumped directly into a gas can with my hose that had the R-12 fitting that screwed onto the Schrader valve. This was the chance of sparking was minimal BUT after reading Theocres post the siphon method using the return hose sounds like the safest way and I will use that next time a tank needs draining. That appears to be the safest way but when you are handling a gas transfer there is no foolproof safe way. Gas is very volatile and any small spark nearby from a drop light or charger can cause a big fire.
------------------
" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

[This message has been edited by Dennis LaGrua (edited 06-30-2022).]

Brent7088 MAY 25, 04:39 PM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

Well, for one thing... there's no need to have the battery still located in its usual location. When I did this, I had my battery located well away from the car, with long battery cables connecting the positive of the battery to the fuel pump terminal on the ALDL port, and the negative cable to a ground inside the cab. Just make sure your garage is well ventilated. Use a fan if necessary.




Patrick - are you talking about one end of a thick battery cable going to the ALDL terminal? I'm not sure how I would insert that, being suck a thick cable. Also where did you clamp the negative cable onto inside the cab? Or could I just connect it to somewhere else under the front hood or the engine bay?

[This message has been edited by Brent7088 (edited 05-25-2022).]

Brent7088 MAY 25, 05:06 PM

quote
Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua:

I've drained the tank by using an 8' hose with the proper fitting that will attach directly to the fuel rail. I believe its an old R-12 A/C hose. Then I place that hose in a 5 gal gas can make the connection to pin G with +12V let it drain and keep an eye on it. I also use a battery charger on the battery and since there is little chance of gas leakage on the engine its a pretty safe method.




Dennis - Did you connect the R-12 hose to that schrader valve on the fuel rail? Also did you have the battery and charger connected to the car from a distance using extension cables or was the battery right inside the battery bay?
Patrick MAY 25, 05:27 PM

quote
Originally posted by Brent7088:

Patrick - are you talking about one end of a thick battery cable going to the ALDL terminal? I'm not sure how I would insert that, being suck a thick cable. Also where did you clamp the negative cable onto inside the cab? Or could I just connect it to somewhere else under the front hood or the engine bay?



Brent, this isn't rocket science. You obviously can't jam a jumper cable into a tiny ALDL terminal. Use a wire small enough to poke into the terminal, and clamp the positive jumper cable to that. In regards to the negative cable, it shouldn't be all that difficult to find something metal inside the cab that grounds to the frame. You've always got the option of using the ground terminal of the ALDL port.

I'm not trying to be an ass, but I hope you have someone a bit more experienced helping you out, considering you're dealing with a potentially dangerous situation.
Brent7088 MAY 25, 05:36 PM
Understood - I thought maybe there was a step of disconnecting part of the ALDL to make a different type of connection from behind, so I was a bit fuzzy on that. The only type of connections I've ever made was when jumping a dead battery, so I'm just not eager to jump in blind on this.

Thank you for the input.
Brent7088 JUN 29, 02:22 PM
I was able to siphon out probably 2/3 or so of the tank after a couple rounds (charging the battery up each time), and on the 3rd attempt after a couple hours later to finish it out, nothing happened. I checked the fuse and it was good, but I assume doing it this method bypasses the fuse and the relay. Would the FP be dead at this point?

*With the first 2 attempts the FP ran just fine until I unhooked the negative cable.

[This message has been edited by Brent7088 (edited 06-29-2022).]

theogre JUN 29, 03:17 PM
FP maybe dead...

Try this... (This uses a Little fact most ignore or don't know.)

Put hose on Fuel Return Line on tank side.
Then Siphoning or use some type of hand pump to get rest of gas.

GM used the Return Line as a structural element for FP mounting and Return Line ends near the FP "Sock."


If car is in the air, can likely just Siphon the gas this way.
Brent7088 JUN 30, 02:18 PM

quote
Originally posted by theogre:

FP maybe dead...

Put hose on Fuel Return Line on tank side.
Then Siphoning or use some type of hand pump to get rest of gas.




Yea the FP is likely dead.. it's ok, needed replaced anyhow after 36 years.

I do have the car in the air enough to get underneath and take this pic. Can you tell from the pic which one is the return line?