Ways to drain gasoline from the tank of a foreign car
If your car has a mesh installed in the gas tank, and you can’t drain the gasoline with a hose, don’t worry.
There are several other simple ways to drain fuel from the gas tank of a foreign car. In any case, it is worth remembering that gasoline should only be drained from the tank in an open area, so as not to be poisoned by fuel vapors, which are very harmful to human health.
Method 1
Many modern cars have a special drain hole at the bottom of the gas tank that allows you to completely drain all the fuel from the tank. You just need to find this hole, place a suitable container under it and, unscrewing the cap, pour gasoline into it.
This method is very simple, but not all cars have drain holes, and crawling under the car is not always convenient. Therefore, we will consider another option, how to drain gasoline from the tank of a foreign car.
Method 2
In order to drain gasoline from the tank of a foreign car, you need to perform a few simple steps:
- Open the hood of your car;
- With the engine off, disconnect the fuel hose (coming from the fuel pump) at its connection to the engine.
- Place the freed end of the hose into a suitable container for draining gasoline from the tank (bottle, canister, etc.).
- Turn on the car's ignition, but DO NOT START the engine! In this case, the fuel pump will turn on for a few seconds and pump fuel. Thus, by turning the ignition on and off several times, you can drain a sufficient amount of gasoline from the fuel tank.
- After you have drained the required amount of gasoline, the fuel hose should be reconnected to the engine.
Keep in mind that it is better not to drain all the gasoline from the tank in this way, so as not to damage the fuel pump and not to choke the fuel system of the car.
By the way, on some injection engines of modern foreign cars and cars of the VAZ family, the manufacturer has provided a special fitting that allows you to drain gasoline from the tank without disconnecting the fuel hose from the injector (see the example in the video below).
For foreign cars with mesh
In a word, on old cars (except for new VAZs) you can pump out fuel in different ways; there is no special approach. But what about foreign cars whose tank is protected by a mesh. This does not include any hose.
First thing to do. Find a drain hole on such a car. It is located below the bottom.
It will be enough to unscrew the plug and gasoline will flow. If the drain hole is not provided on the machine, you will have to do something differently.
Here's what to do.
- Open the hood.
- Find the gasoline supply pipe.
- If the engine is running, turn it off.
- Remove the hose from the filter.
- Have a helper crank the starter.
- After turning on the pump, fuel will begin to come out of the hose under pressure.
If draining the fuel with a pump is not impressive, you can insert a bulb into the tube to pump it out. This way things will go much faster. Of course, it is better to place a wide container under the hose. In addition, if a pump pumps out gasoline, it must be given time to cool during draining (the starter must be turned off). If this is not done, the car's electronics will burn out. And most importantly, it is recommended to drain in this way in clean air or in a large room, so as not to be poisoned by gasoline vapors.
New Lada models also do not allow you to conveniently drain gasoline from the tank. The supply hoses of these cars are made curved, the fuel tank is located too low, it will not be possible to drain the fuel using the methods described above. However, there is another way.
- At the end of the nozzle rail you need to unscrew the nipple.
- Then put a hose on the rail, which at the other end is lowered into the container.
- Turn on the ignition.
If you have to pump out fuel periodically, it is easier to purchase a tube for refilling air conditioners. Such a hose can be put on the rail without unscrewing the nipple.
A few words about pumping out fuel. When the starter rotates, it supplies fuel only for a short period of time. To make it drain longer, it is recommended to install a jumper in the fuel pump relay or bridge the contacts in the BC. The last option has a plus - you don’t need to turn on the ignition, but there is also a minus - you can easily install the battery.
Video: how to drain gasoline from a Lada Kalina Cross tank
Some drivers, however, manage to drain gasoline from the tank in the classic way. You just need to insert the hose into the tank, turning it along its entire length counterclockwise, and place the container as low as possible. For example, this can be done if you lift the car onto an overpass.
How to drain gasoline from a car's gas tank
If on old cars (carburetor foreign cars and some VAZ models) the draining process is relatively simple, then on new models you will need to work hard. This is due to the fact that they have a long winding channel, where it is difficult to push the hose, and a mesh installed at the filler neck, which also prevents draining.
Below we describe how to drain fuel yourself, depending on the type of gas tank and methods of fuel supply.
How to drain gasoline from a car
You need to know about these methods because... situations are different, sometimes drivers are carried to places where civilization has not reached, and fuel from the tank may be required. Therefore, it is necessary to know how to quickly and safely drain the gasoline from the tank when needed. Gasoline is also drained during fuel system repairs.
Below are methods for draining tanks without a mesh. These are mainly the following cars: VAZ, Gazelle, Niva, Volga, i.e. mostly Russian models. There is also a way to do this work on modern cars with an injector.
Old-fashioned way
Known to many drivers. You will need a canister and a hose to drain gasoline, which is inserted into the tank, after which you need to draw air from the other end of the tube using your mouth. You need to quickly suck in air from the hose and wait 2-3 seconds. Because gasoline will not flow immediately. Keep the end of the hose as close to the ground as possible and do not lift it up. When the fuel flows, the hose is inserted into the canister.
As an additional video, how to drain gasoline from a tank without getting drunk:
Using a fuel pump or return line
You can drain the fuel from the tank of a foreign car or modern cars of the VAZ family (Kalina, Granta, Vesta, Priora) using a hand pump. When purchasing, make sure that the pump can actually pump out fuel. Hand pumps come in different sizes and configurations. Those that are more expensive have an adapter and a hose. Cheap pump options do not have them, and you have to additionally purchase these devices.
It's done like this:
- The hoses are connected to each other, one end is lowered into the tank, the other into the container.
- Fuel pumping begins.
- The pump pumps until the characteristic sound of liquid approaching is heard and it flows out of the hole.
- If you need a lot of gasoline, then prepare several cans in advance.
Another method for injection machines is the use of return flow. To do this, you need to turn off the car engine and take the fuel hose, which is located behind the fuel pump. It is better to disconnect it under the hood of the car. It runs from the tank to the engine fuel rail. This is where it is more convenient to disconnect it. Its end is lowered into the canister, after which the ignition is turned on to the second position. In this case, the engine is turned off (we do not start), but the fuel pump will pump fluid as usual. After pumping the required amount of fuel, the ignition is turned off and the tube is installed in place.
On many foreign cars such as Renault Logan or Chevrolet Niva and VAZs from the 10th family, there is a special fitting in the fuel rail specifically for draining gasoline. We unscrew it and calmly drain the gasoline from the tank.
Drain gasoline through the fuel line and the plug in the tank
In some older foreign cars and carburetor cars, the fuel pump is located not in the tank itself, but near the engine. In this case, you can try to drain the fuel through the fuel line. You need to proceed according to this scheme:
- Remove the clamp and disconnect the hose leading from the tank to the fuel pump.
- Install the hose into the fuel container.
- After these actions, gasoline will flow from the gas tank.
If there is a drain plug in the car (you can find it in the operating instructions), you will have to use an overpass or drive the car to the inspection hole. The sequence of actions on how to drain gasoline from a tank is as follows:
- A large container or 5-liter canister is placed under the drain plug.
- The plug is unscrewed.
- The required amount of fuel is drained.
- The plug is twisted.
If there is no such plug, then you need to use a fuel pump. This method is much more complicated, because... you will have to disassemble the interior, sometimes cut a hole in the rear of the floor, and completely remove the fuel pump. This can be done when you need to completely drain all the gasoline from the tank and clean the system of dirt.
We drain fuel from VAZ family cars
There are several ways to drain gasoline. Fuel can be drained in the shortest possible time using a hose equipped with a bulb pump. This simple device allows the car owner to remove gasoline from the tank without harming his health. But such a device can be used if the tank does not have a protective mesh at the neck.
There is a simple but effective method. Often fuel needs to be pumped out quickly; the need catches the driver on the highway. For example, this situation arises when you need to save someone. It happens that you don’t have the necessary things with you. In this case, you can use a small diameter tube.
The procedure is similar to the one that involves using a hose:
- First, negative pressure is created in the tube using the mouth. The method is not dangerous, so the car owner does not have to worry about gasoline getting inside the body.
- When the required pressure has been created, a rope is passed through the tube. It should have a smaller diameter. Its end part is tied in a knot, and the size must match the diameter of the pipe.
- The result is a homemade “piston”. It is moistened; saliva can be used for this. After this, the tube is lowered into the fuel tank. It is worth preparing a bucket in advance; gasoline will drain into it. When everything is ready, a rope is taken out of the pipe. We lower one end of it into a canister to collect fuel.
- The work must be done slowly. When the piston is completely removed, the fuel itself will flow into the canister. In order to stop the process, you need to raise part of the piston above the level of the tank. After pumping out the required amount of fuel from the gas tank, close it with a lid.
The procedure has several disadvantages, but the main one is that it is impossible to completely empty the fuel system . The procedure becomes more complicated if it needs to be performed on a machine that came off the production line after the 90s. The fuel lines in such vehicles are tortuous.
On domestic cars, gas tanks often have plugs. They are installed so that motorists can drain fuel if necessary. To do this, the car must first be jacked up. After this, place a container of suitable volume next to it and unscrew the stopper.
When working, there is no need to rush; you should make rotational movements. Before starting the procedure, the neck of the tank is opened. This makes it possible to remove the fuel completely. The method is labor-intensive but effective.
Methods - how to drain gasoline from a tank
Carburetor engine
If you need a small amount of gasoline, such as half a liter or a liter, and you have a carburetor engine, you can do the following. Start the engine and let it run for a while. Open the hood and locate the carburetor. Usually it is located approximately in the middle of the engine compartment and is attached to the intake manifold.
Find the fuel supply hose, it should go visually from under the bottom of the car and secured along the body, then fit onto the fuel supply fitting of the carburetor. We will need it. Do not confuse with other hoses, because one of the other hoses is the engine crankcase gas intake. Watch where they go so you don't make a mistake.
Usually the hose is put on and taken off with a simple movement without effort. But it may turn out that it is reinforced with a clamp. In this case, loosen the clamp with a screwdriver. Place the container and enjoy the process:
Having prepared a container for gasoline (for example, a plastic bottle), without turning off the engine, disconnect this hose from the carburetor. Gasoline should flow out of it. Place the container and enjoy the process. Periodically reconnect the hose back to the carburetor to fill it with a supply of gasoline and prevent the engine from stalling. Repeat these procedures until the container has the required amount of gasoline.
The gasoline that is in the carburetor chambers will not allow the engine to stall, so the engine will run for some time at idle speed. The gas pump, if it is located in the tank, will also work, so gasoline will flow out of the hose in a small stream, which is what we need.
Be careful not to let leaking gasoline get on hot parts of the engine and exhaust manifold, otherwise it may result in a fire. It’s most convenient to do this with two people - one sits in the driver’s seat with the door open, the second drains the gasoline and, if something happens, gives the command to turn off or start the engine.
After this procedure, put the hose back in place and tighten the clamp (if there was one). When starting the engine, you will most likely have to crank the starter longer so that gasoline has time to fill all the carburetor channels and enter the ignition system. Also, do not be surprised if the engine runs unstably at first and even stalls - this will pass. It just needs to work until the level of gasoline in the system is restored.
This method is good for domestic carburetor cars . On most foreign cars, it may be unsuccessful if, for example, the electronics detect depressurization and block the fuel supply, or if the required pressure in the fuel system for gasoline to run out is not created. Personally, I used this method to drain gasoline from a Honda Integra in order to make a fire in the winter.
