Tankful of petrol - Retrieval?!

[gtwilliams]

Hi, I've had to scrap my car. It's currently sitting on the side of a road waiting to be collected. However, I've got a tankful of petrol in there and, given that fuel is so expensive these days, I'd like it back! Any ideas?? Other than sucking it out with a straw, of course!

[supraboy]

Drill the tank

[JREwing]

Siphon?

[ShayneJ]

IF the car has an electric fuel pump then chop the fuel feed to the engine and divert to the container of your choice then hot wire the pump sit back and watch.

[gtwilliams]

Trouble is, I need to do this in the next day or two. Not sure where to get a siphon from. Halford's do one, but it's tiny. Love the electric pump idea. Might be worth a shot.

[simon1987]

What car?

Is the fuel tank plastic or metal?

Sharp screw driver and a hammer straight or drill in to the tank and just catch it with a drip pan.

[gtwilliams]

It's a piece if crap Rover 416. I've not checked out the tank yet. If it was metal and I drilled it, isn't there a chance that a spark could cause ignition?!?

[EventHorizon]

Clean method - Electric pump, 2 lengths of rubber pipe, battery to power pump.
Quick messy way - drill the tank, catch the fuel that runs out.

Drill is safe as long as the bit is sharp & the tank isnt made from 5mm steel plate.

Edited by EventHorizon on Wednesday 20th March 00:54

[cheechm]

Easy: siphon principle.

[jas xjr]

aldi have a siphon pump on at £7 . but its available thursday

[GC8]

Simple syphon pumps with two lengths of tube and a bulb atop cost about a pound. The easiest way to do this will usually be by removing the fuel pump but itll be hard work pumping if you cant get the recepticle low enough.

You have to think you youre going to store the fuel too - a full tank will mean at least nine petrol cans and petrol isnt as easy to store as diesel, which doesnt attack plastic like petrol does.

[GC8]

I will add that I have done this myself and that it was worthwhile, but I suspect that someone who is having to ask how probably isnt going to succeed in recovering the fuel.

Also, if you dont already have suitable recepticles then it may not make financial sense.

[n1cky]

all you need is a length of hose.
put it into the tank, suck the other end, and it should flow just keep the end not in the tsnk lower thn the bottom of the tank. should empty it all.

done this with a few land rovers at work

[GC8]

Old cars have an open pipe, newer cars dont.

[MysteryLemon]

I did the same with a vectra b I scrapped.

Found the fuel line under the car, disconnected it, placed a Kerry can in place and turned the ignition on and off unroll it was all gone.

[thescamper]

its injected so i would assume an electric pump, find where hose goes to injector rail and disconnect it, put removed end in container and switch on ignition hey presto full bucket

[dfen5]

If it's a petrol won't that be a 70l tank? Few jerry cans there.. Mole grip the tank lines and drop the tank out.

[HustleRussell]

Tank will probably have an anti-syphon device.
Disconnect the fuel line in the engine bay and extend it into your container. Locate fuel pump relay and short the switched side so the pump has power. Switch on ignition and give it a few minutes. Job's a good 'un.

[hadenough!]

dfen5 said:

If it's a petrol won't that be a 70l tank? Few jerry cans there.. Mole grip the tank lines and drop the tank out.

This, what will you put it in to and how will you move it. £50 of unleaded would be a fair weight.

[jeevescat]

Did this, £2 plastic siphon straight into the tank of another car pulled up close.