Draining fuel tank

[aquaholic]

what with the latest statement I have decided to give up on red and fill with white only. However i have around 1/3 a tank of red which i need to extract and donate to my local YC and my fuel tank doesnt seem to have a drain, Any ideas on the best way to extract said diesel?

***Update***Sorry it's been a while but thought I should update on how things went. Used a 'drill' pump from eBay, removed the sender unit and managed to get the tank bone dry, changed the fuel filters, have used about 120lts since march and checked the disel at the engine and can't see any pink in it. I now have 2 x 20lt fuel cans that I use with a jiggle pump to transfer into the tank the new white diesel. Doesn't seem much hassle at all.

 

[sailorman]

what with the latest statement I have decided to give up on red and fill with white only. However i have around 1/3 a tank of red which i need to extract and donate to my local YC and my fuel tank doesnt seem to have a drain, Any ideas on the best way to extract said diesel?

small bore electric pump through the filler

 

[DJE]

Divert the fuel return pipe into a can and run the engine

 

[nevis]

what with the latest statement I have decided to give up on red and fill with white only. However i have around 1/3 a tank of red which i need to extract and donate to my local YC and my fuel tank doesnt seem to have a drain, Any ideas on the best way to extract said diesel?

you need a pump attachment to an electric drill plus 2 lengths of hose and a can cost about a fiver,i use this method when power is available to fill the tank with forecourt diesel, the pump is still going strong after 4 years.

 

[Billjratt]

I use a syphon to get the sludge out for analysis, so I know that works (it's garden hose with a bit of lead round the "suck" end and an outboard primer bulb inline) .
However, emptying the tank won't clear the dye, so it depends on the detection method used by the officials who are annoying you, as to whether you will be impounded or not...

 

[aquaholic]

No but I need to start somewhere so thought I would do it prior to service and changing the fuel filters,

 

[sailorman]

I use a syphon to get the sludge out for analysis, so I know that works (it's garden hose with a bit of lead round the "suck" end and an outboard primer bulb inline) .
However, emptying the tank won't clear the dye, so it depends on the detection method used by the officials who are annoying you, as to whether you will be impounded or not...

Or more likely the opposite

 

[Talulah]

You could also use things like the Pella Oil Extraction pump down the vent hole. Depends what volume you have.
Alternatively use Pella pump on outlet pipe of tank.

 

[Twister_Ken]

what with the latest statement I have decided to give up on red and fill with white only. However i have around 1/3 a tank of red which i need to extract and donate to my local YC and my fuel tank doesnt seem to have a drain, Any ideas on the best way to extract said diesel?

Where are you going to get the white to refill?

 

[PetiteFleur]

you need a pump attachment to an electric drill plus 2 lengths of hose and a can cost about a fiver,i use this method when power is available to fill the tank with forecourt diesel, the pump is still going strong after 4 years.

Yes - that's the method I've used on a couple of occasions, cheap as chips BUT make sure you rotate the pump the correct way! Guess how I know! And make sure it;s suitable for fuel - some are only for water.

 

[sarabande]

Billjrat - you make that statement about red dye being residual, in other threads.


Can you verify this please, and/or provide corrobarative evidence. It is becoming an urban myth.

 

[Davy_S]

I think our friendly gypsy types found a way of filtering red diesel to make it look normal. They filtered it through fullers earth or potash powder (I think it was that) but did it on quite a big scale!

 

[nigelmercier]

Any ideas on the best way to extract said diesel?

I bought one of these when I needed to drain my tank. The same pump can be used to pump out water from areas that don't limber through to the bilge.

 

[aquaholic]

Sorry it's been a while but thought I should update on how things went. Used a 'drill' pump from eBay, removed the sender unit and managed to get the tank bone dry, changed the fuel filters, have used about 120lts since march and checked the disel at the engine and can't see any pink in it. I now have 2 x 20lt fuel cans that I use with a jiggle pump to transfer into the tank the new white diesel. Doesn't seem much hassle at all.