Siphoning gas tanks

[Reaux]

I looked through some of the older posts, and the subject above has been danced around...but no solution has been stated outright. I know why: if you've ever had gasoline stolen, you applauded this improvement to vehicle security. I know I have...

But! The pressurized gasoline tank in a vehicle is a viable storage option that can't be ignored. Particularly here in hurricane country. How to get it back out of there?

Siphoning won't work because there is a screen. Is this a screen like 1/4 hardware cloth? Or a screen made of stamped sheet steel?

I saw mention of punching a hole in the tank from below. How can such an opening be controlled?

Would a plumbing snake gain us entrance into our own gas tank? Or is it possible to buy an aftermarket part that would allow unfettered access?

I know the potential for misuse of information is huge, but it's rather important. I don't want to go down the neck of my gas tank until I know for sure what's down there...

[Dark Skies]

Originally Posted by Reaux

I saw mention of punching a hole in the tank from below. How can such an opening be controlled?

Not very easily. A better way which I use on cars I'm stripping for parts is to get yourself down to a boat chandlers and buy one of those inline taps they use in the fuel line to outboard motors. Get a decent length of clear plastic fuel line, cut it in half and stick one piece on each end. One end will go into your Jerry can. The other end will be stuck on the fuel tank's outlet. What I tend to do is get a piece of steel fuel pipe and stick this in the end of the clear plastic line and clamp it on with an O clip. Then I get a brake fluid pipe clamp and stick it on the car's rubber fuel line (to staunch the flow), cut the hose and wedge your DIY take off pipe in the severed end. Release the brake pipe clamp and the fuel will flow. The inline fuel tap allows you to cut the flow when you've filled one Jerry can and are moving to the next.

If the outlet hose is fairly short and you can access the end where it enters the fuel pump you can simply remove it at the pump inlet rather than cut the hose - then stick the DIY take off into the hose.

[Maine Russian]

Originally Posted by Reaux

I don't want to go down the neck of my gas tank until I know for sure what's down there...

Heh...had a girlfriend like that.

Anyway, here is a vid on one way to get gas out of your vehicle to use somewhere else. I am assuming you want to take it out of YOUR vehicle right? Because if you are planning to take it out of someone else's vehicle then be prepared to have your forehead ventilated.

YouTube - How to Siphon Gas from a Newer Vehicle

[Wild-Will]

The easiest way I've known to remove fuel from your tank when you can't get a hose down the fill tube from outside, get under the fender and remove the rubber connector from between the fill neck and the tank. It's just two hose clamps and some twisting then you can slip your hose down into the tank unencumbered.

[Reaux]

Thanx guys! I see that it isn't so impossible after all. I knew that better minds than my own had explored these scenarios before. For all I knew, theft prevention technology in Detroit was ironclad. I'll just have to keep my eyes open for a few obscure parts.

And yes...it would be our own vehicle and personal gas. We live a good 12 miles from the nearest gasoline...which quickly disappears in a hurricane evacuation. We have plenty of portable red plastic gas cans, but a 26-gallon version that moves itself around easily is hard to resist.

[riverrat]

Most of the cars now days have quick connectors at the fuel filter. Just disconnect it and put a piece of hose on it. I have put together a kit with different types of fuel line connectors to be used with a lift pump from a diesel to get fuel out of vehicles. This is how I rotate the fuel in my cars that I don't drive. Just make sure to keep the leads for the pump long so that there are now sparks in the area of the fuel vapors for obvious reasons. If you make them long enough, you can just use the battery of the vehicle you are getting fuel out of, or connect it to the battery cable down at the starter.

[Dark Skies]

Originally Posted by riverrat

Most of the cars now days have quick connectors at the fuel filter. Just disconnect it and put a piece of hose on it. I have put together a kit with different types of fuel line connectors to be used with a lift pump from a diesel to get fuel out of vehicles. This is how I rotate the fuel in my cars that I don't drive. Just make sure to keep the leads for the pump long so that there are now sparks in the area of the fuel vapors for obvious reasons. If you make them long enough, you can just use the battery of the vehicle you are getting fuel out of, or connect it to the battery cable down at the starter.

In the same vein ... if you can easily access the electric fuel pump (assuming the battery isn't dead) pull the hose off the outlet side of the pump, attach your siphoning hose in its stead and run the other end to your Jerry can. Turn the car's ignition key to first position - power on - not crank - and let the pump do all the hard work. Switch off to change Jerry cans.

[protectonfor5]

Originally Posted by Dark Skies

In the same vein ... if you can easily access the electric fuel pump (assuming the battery isn't dead) pull the hose off the outlet side of the pump, attach your siphoning hose in its stead and run the other end to your Jerry can. Turn the car's ignition key to first position - power on - not crank - and let the pump do all the hard work. Switch off to change Jerry cans.

not to jump in,but just to help. If you have an obstruction, the fuel will stop. correct me if i'm wrong. it does this because of the fuel pressure regulator. you will need to disconnect anywhere before there. most people don't know, now ya kow...

[nvcrawler]

most tanks have drain plugs, why not just pull it and catch it with a can or what not.

[Esi]

Originally Posted by Dark Skies

In the same vein ... if you can easily access the electric fuel pump (assuming the battery isn't dead) pull the hose off the outlet side of the pump, attach your siphoning hose in its stead and run the other end to your Jerry can. Turn the car's ignition key to first position - power on - not crank - and let the pump do all the hard work. Switch off to change Jerry cans.

EASILY access the fuel pump?????? Present day autos have in-tank fuel pumps which require you to drop the fuel tank out of the vehicle to access them. I dont consider that easy. Do you?

[nvcrawler]

Originally Posted by Esi

EASILY access the fuel pump?????? Present day autos have in-tank fuel pumps which require you to drop the fuel tank out of the vehicle to access them. I dont consider that easy. Do you?

No not easy but there is still a fuel line leading out of the tank, just cut and stick in to container.

[Thumper74]

I'm assuming we're looking at a End of the World Scenario. Your neighbor died from the plague and the rest of them did too. You and your family or band of survivors are all that's left so it's not stealing at this point...

If you're taking someone else's gas, you can't start the car to get the fuel pump to work, that's an epic fail. The fuel is leading out of the tank, but only when the fuel pump is, well, pumping. Most fuel lines connect to the fuel pump which is on top of the tank, there is no 'flow' or anything if the car is not running.

If you're stealing gas, an ice pick, a large oil drain pan, some paint strainers and your gas can would be the best bet. This is what the thieves do around here. They ice pick the gas tank and put the drain pan under the lowest point where the gas will run to before dripping/running off of the tank. When the pan is full, they strain it into the gas can and move onto the next car. Trucks would work best. No all cars have anti siphon valves. I'd just look for one without it...

[Irishwarlord]

With the price going back up, better get a lock on that tank and a chain for the jerry cans. The mexicans around here, know all the tricks.

Still looking for the claymores for night security!

[Phoenixdadeadhead]

Originally Posted by Wild-Will

The easiest way I've known to remove fuel from your tank when you can't get a hose down the fill tube from outside, get under the fender and remove the rubber connector from between the fill neck and the tank. It's just two hose clamps and some twisting then you can slip your hose down into the tank unencumbered.

Ya beat me to it lol. This is the easiest way, and all you need is a screw driver and a short hose.

[Czechsix]

There's no one single solution - on my Suburban, best way would be to cut a fuel line and divert into a tank, but then again I've worked a system out so folks can't do exactly that....because I like my fuel, thank you very much. In the past, most of the fuel lines on the 'burb were metal, so you'd have to siphon via tank fill hose (very much not easy to get to on some vehicles, easy on others), or by prying the filler cap and shoving a length of hose in there and siphoning or pumping. Punching a hole in the tank is another possibility, but there will be lots of losses. For many vehicles this should work fine. Access to fuel pumps, fuel filters etc will usually require much more work than you would want to do. Hell, it's much more work than I want to do, and I work on vehicles.

What, by the way, is a pressurized gas tank? The systems I know use either a single line, or a high pressure/low pressure/bypass line system. About the only pressure I'm aware of in fuel tanks is negative pressure at times, due to faulty caps.

But to make a long story short, there are several ways to access fuel on vehicles, you just gotta find them. Try going to a pick-a-part or Ecology wrecking yard and studying some of the systems that are out there....you can pick up lots of interesting information regarding automotive systems that way. I know I do.

[Dark Skies]

Originally Posted by Esi

EASILY access the fuel pump?????? Present day autos have in-tank fuel pumps which require you to drop the fuel tank out of the vehicle to access them. I dont consider that easy. Do you?

The operative word being "if" But yes, as a qualified MOD mechanic, I'd consider that basic. However, by easy access to the pump I was referring to accessing the outlet line which is always going to be external to the tank. 'Easy' is relative.

But as SierraNVsurviver says:

Originally Posted by SierraNVsurviver

No not easy but there is still a fuel line leading out of the tank, just cut and stick in to container.

[Grevlin]

Is there a list of makes and model years for cars that have the tube-guards and cars that don't.

Scenario: I'm 200 miles from home and fighting my way back after the SHTF... Lot's of abandoned cars that I might need to borrow fuel from.

[ackbob]

If you just carry a set of non-sparking tools ( or even just a non-sparking punch ) and two oil drain pans, or a couple of 2 or 3 gallon buckets, along with a funnel to drain it into your gas can - you can just punch a hole in the donor tank and let it drain out into your oil pans - - and if you have more than one person ( hopefully you do if traveling in a vehicle ) the person underneath can just use a rag to block it while the pans are being drained into the fuel tank of your vehicle