Siphoning petrol - help!

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 IceKing 08 Jun 2020

UKC hive mind, help! 

I am trying to siphon petrol from a 2000 Mondeo, full tank. Using a dedicated siphon tube with pump. Have also tried the two tube method to create pressure in the tank through a short tube to push the petrol down the longer tube. 

Whatever I do I cannot create a seal between the end of the tube and the petrol, so when I try to create suction all that comes through is air and some petrol, so a siphon does not start. I have tried moving the tube in and out through its whole length to find a place that it is fully immersed but to no avail.

Any ideas? Is the tank a funny shape and therefore the tube needs to be in a certain place? Thank you. 

In reply to IceKing:

Has the Mondeo got a capless design on the fuel filler?

If so it's almost impossible as there is a 2nd 'flap' down the bottom of the tube near the tank that normally is only opened by the weight of fuel coming in!

 Rob Exile Ward 08 Jun 2020
In reply to IceKing:

Sorry if this is obvious but is the outlet part of the syphon tube - the end you want the petrol to come out from - definitely lower than the bottom of the petrol tank?   

1
OP IceKing 08 Jun 2020
In reply to Euan McKendrick:

No, it has a cap. Starting to think it has an anti syphon screen in there.

OP IceKing 08 Jun 2020
In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Yes, but that isn't the problem. Can't get the petrol to start down the tube in the first place. I thinking now there is an anti syphon screen in there so I can't get the tube into the petrol full. The scrapper is going to get £60 of petrol at this rate.

 flatlandrich 08 Jun 2020
In reply to IceKing:

Is there a drain plug at the bottom of the tank, accessible from under the car?? 

 Fozzy 08 Jun 2020
In reply to IceKing:

Is there a drain plug under the tank? If so, bucket underneath & drain it off. No plug? Bucket underneath then jab a screwdriver into the tank...

2
 TobyA 08 Jun 2020
In reply to Fozzy:

>  No plug? Bucket underneath then jab a screwdriver into the tank...

It's a long long time since I changed a petrol tank on an older car than a Mondeo, but if all you want is the petrol out, I would have thought that was the way to do.

Note. Don't smoke a tab at the same time.

 Hooo 08 Jun 2020
In reply to IceKing:

I assume it has an electric fuel pump? Can you wire this direct to the battery and get it to pump the fuel out?

 jkarran 08 Jun 2020
In reply to IceKing:

Use the fuel pump to drain it? Depends how knackered it is but you should be able to pull a line off the fuel rail or if the car is too deead, go straight to the pump under the back seat. You could also stab the tank there to siphon or take the pump out for access. 

Jk

 timjones 08 Jun 2020
In reply to IceKing:

Find a coupling in the fuel line, open it up and siphon from there.

In reply to jkarran:

I am not sure what you mean by "stabbing" the tank, but one needs to be very careful: petrol vapour is highly explosive.

 Hooo 08 Jun 2020
In reply to John Stainforth:

Not to mention the fun when the bucket is full and you have to replace it while petrol is pouring out.

 David Riley 08 Jun 2020
In reply to IceKing:

I bought a car.  Filled it up.  Paid.  Then found the whole lot had emptied onto the garage forecourt.  Someone had pulled a pipe off to empty the tank and not fixed it back properly.

 marsbar 08 Jun 2020
In reply to John Stainforth:

He isn't recommending using an angle grinder.  

 Ridge 08 Jun 2020
In reply to IceKing:

Try removing, or even just folding, the base of the rear seat. In pretty much every car I've owned that's the usual way of accessing and removing the fuel level sensor for repair or replacement. Take the sensor out and syphon out of the access port.

 Ridge 08 Jun 2020
In reply to marsbar:

> He isn't recommending using an angle grinder.  

Hammering a steel screwdriver though what might be a laquered steel tank does pose a spark risk though, (as does dropping the driver or hammer as you get out of the way). You'll almost definitely be OK though, just depends if £50 of fuel is worth a small risk of a trip to a burns unit and years of very painful rehabilitation.

Post edited at 13:00
Removed User 08 Jun 2020
In reply to IceKing:

You cannot get to the pump or filter on a Mondeo from under the rear seat. Its solid steel been there done that,  You also cannot use the fuel pump as it cuts out in 5 seconds if the engine does not fire and run

I would find the fuel line into the fuel filter  under the bonnet cut as high up as possible and put into a container below the tank level, it should just pour out. Do not cut the return pipe as it will not work from that pipe.

 Hooo 08 Jun 2020
In reply to Removed Usercapoap:

> You also cannot use the fuel pump as it cuts out in 5 seconds if the engine does not fire and run

That's if you leave it connected to the ECU. If you jump the fuseholder or cut the wires and connect it direct to the battery it will run continuously. I had to do this regularly on an old car that had an intermittent fault. I'm good with electrics though, might be a challenge for the OP.

OP IceKing 08 Jun 2020
In reply to Ridge:

Thanks Ridge, yes that's the answer. Siphoning it out now. 

Thanks for the help everyone. 

 LastBoyScout 08 Jun 2020
In reply to IceKing:

If you're trying to get a plastic siphon tube into the tank, it might not be rigid enough to push the screen out of the way.

I'd get under the car and pull apart a connection on the fuel line - have a proper fuel container and a hose clamp tool ready.

Usual caveats about dealing with petrol apply!

 nniff 08 Jun 2020
In reply to IceKing:

Man jumps out of an aeroplane with a parachute.  Pulls the main- nothing.  Pulls the reserve- nothing.  As he's falling he sees someone coming the other way.  "Know anything about parachutes?" he asks.  "No.  Know anything about welding petrol tanks?"

I'll get my coat

 LastBoyScout 08 Jun 2020
In reply to David Riley:

Many years ago, a mate of my Dad's had a car that he only ever used to bother half-filling with fuel.

Then, on one occasion, he filled it all the way and found he only got the same miles out of it.

Investigation revealed a hole around half way up the tank!

 Hooo 08 Jun 2020
In reply to LastBoyScout:

A mate of mine bought a Harley. On our first ride out we stopped for petrol and just after he'd finished filling up a huge white cloud of vapour emerged from his bike. The fuel tank had split and dumped 5 gallons of petrol onto the baking hot air-cooled engine. I've never run so fast in leathers and boots before or since.

 jon 08 Jun 2020
In reply to Fozzy:

> Bucket underneath then jab a screwdriver into the tank...

Then weld up the hole.

 David Riley 08 Jun 2020
In reply to LastBoyScout:

Yes. I expect mine would have been ok if it was not full. But good to find out within an hour of buying the car. All got sorted.

 Dax H 08 Jun 2020
In reply to marsbar:

And its probably a plastic tank. 

I would use the fuel pump myself or more likely think is it worth messing about and probably getting covered in petrol for £60

 marsbar 08 Jun 2020
In reply to Ridge:

Fair enough.  I guess it's like anything, people get away with it until they don't.  

Seems you've solved it in a safer way.  

 gethin_allen 09 Jun 2020
In reply to IceKing:

> No, it has a cap. Starting to think it has an anti syphon screen in there.

Fords of this era do. I tried syphoning the fuel out of my old car before it was scrapped but it was such an effort I have up in the end.


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