How do I drain a diesel fuel tank

woodhead722 · Post by **woodhead722** » 25 Feb 2008, 23:58

Needed please.

My son's 405s belt has slipped - scrapping.

Next bad news - he's got about 10gals in!!

Got 4 out today by syphoning with a stiff clear tube, but your ideas will be appreciated.

THANKS!!

OwenP · Post by **OwenP** » 26 Feb 2008, 07:20

The only way I found when I needed to drain the tank was siphoning. Make sure you jack up the front left (or whichever corner is opposite the fuel filler) of the car to put as much fuel to the back near in the inlet as possible.

You will still leave a few litres in there, I have no idea how to get this out, sorry.

Hopefully someone else can be of more help than me, but that was my experience of it.

woodhead722 · Post by **woodhead722** » 26 Feb 2008, 09:29

Thanks OwenP.

I was wondering if someone could suggest where to disconnect the fuel

line (somewhere near the pump / filter?) and turn the

engine over.

OwenP · Post by **OwenP** » 26 Feb 2008, 10:43

That wouldn't work on my diesel as the pump pulls the fuel up from the tank, don't know if a petrol is different, you would have to disconnect one of the high pressure lines after the pump.

Although you could possibly attach a liquid pump to the line somewhere near the filter and use that to pump it out, didn't think of that when I had to do it.

matt · Post by **matt** » 26 Feb 2008, 17:56

I recently scrapped a 405 saloon,i jacked up the back of the car and undid the fuel filler pipe at the highest jubilee clip,the pipe will bend down enough to allow the diesel to flow into a can (via a funnel) As you get less and less fuel in the tank undo the bottom clip to allow you to twist the pipe round to get even more diesel out.

Then under the bonnet,use the hand pump thingy to pump any remaining diesel out via the drain pipe on the bottom of the fuel filter.

When i eventually cut the car up to fit into my trailer,i removed the tank to get the very last bit out cos im daft like that!

Have fun

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 29 Feb 2008, 19:32

In the past we had drain plugs which were at the lowest point in the tank, and would even have a magnet in them, but because of the bean counters at the factory we lost something that should have never have been "removed" from the spec sheet.

woodhead722 · Post by **woodhead722** » 29 Feb 2008, 20:31

Had reasonable success by removing the fuel sender unit from the tank top (under rear seat) & siphoning with strong clear tube.

Thanks for your help.

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 01 Mar 2008, 19:57

Hi matt.

How did you cut up the 405, have you got a Holmatro at home ?

matt · Post by **matt** » 10 Mar 2008, 16:35

ACTIVE8 wrote:Hi matt.

How did you cut up the 405, have you got a Holmatro at home ?

Ha Ha! No,just a trusty old Stihl saw!!