Empty the tank with fuel pump

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

franky996

TYF Newbie
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Posts
23
Reaction score
56
Location
Austin Texas
2003 Yukon. Engine and transmission are out of the truck. I need to empty the fuel tank and want to use the fuel pump to do that. is there a fuse in the fuse box for the fuel pump , where I can put 12v to it and just run the pump and drain the tank with it?
 

Rocket Man

Mark
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Posts
25,965
Reaction score
50,651
Location
Oregon
2003 Yukon. Engine and transmission are out of the truck. I need to empty the fuel tank and want to use the fuel pump to do that. is there a fuse in the fuse box for the fuel pump , where I can put 12v to it and just run the pump and drain the tank with it?
Just pull the filler hose for access and either siphon it or use a hand pump. I’ve siphoned mine a couple times, easy.
 
OP
OP
F

franky996

TYF Newbie
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Posts
23
Reaction score
56
Location
Austin Texas
The whole point of it is to not do that but use the fuel pump to do it. The fuel lines are disconnected, no engine in the engine bay.
 

Rocket Man

Mark
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Posts
25,965
Reaction score
50,651
Location
Oregon
The whole point of it is to not do that but use the fuel pump to do it. The fuel lines are disconnected, no engine in the engine bay.
I know what you’re trying to accomplish but I don’t understand why you don’t want to do it the easy way. Do you know how long it takes for you to go through a tank of gas when you’re driving? It’s not gonna be much faster to pump that much gas when the lines are disconnected. It’s not a high volume pump, it’s gonna take a long time. Also keep in mind that fuel is actually used to cool the pump and it’s possible you will damage it by running it until it’s empty. It’s always been advised to not run your tank empty because it will destroy your fuel pump, plus you’ll be sucking all the crap at the bottom of your tank through. Think this through. Do you really want to take all day running your fuel pump and probably ruin it, or stick a length of old garden hose in it and siphon it out in minutes.
 
Last edited:

ks03

Fool Excess Member
Joined
May 3, 2019
Posts
307
Reaction score
297
I’ve done it before in a shop, on a hoist, on vehicles where the fuel tank needs to tilt at an angle that made it unable to be supported by a platform jack and we couldn’t get a hose in to siphon.

It’s a hazardous to do, 2 man job, because you are going to be spraying fuel hard enough to hit something 20 or more feet away. Because of that I’ve only done it with a line disconnected under the car, adapter on a hose, someone holding said hose, and commanding the fuel pump with a tech2. If you do it with a jumper wire, it will arc when you connect and disconnect power - so if anything goes wrong, you make a mess of gas, and then a spark to stop it.
 

exp500

Full Access Member
Joined
May 14, 2017
Posts
1,788
Reaction score
1,618
Or better yet, stop at the hardware store and get a 15 foot piece of clear 1/2 or 5/8 od tubing. You wont get a mouthful of gas and you will use it again. Long works better because the siphon effect can start/ restart from whats in the hose on the ground. Just kink it when can near full.
 

Fless

Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Apr 2, 2017
Posts
10,461
Reaction score
20,774
Location
Elev 5,280
IIRC my '04 had a (removable, I think,) screen right where the fill tube connected to the tank, so if yours has that a siphon hose won't get farther in. But you can still get quite a bit of gas out using the siphon method.
 

swathdiver

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2017
Posts
19,148
Reaction score
25,182
Location
Treasure Coast, Florida
2003 Yukon. Engine and transmission are out of the truck. I need to empty the fuel tank and want to use the fuel pump to do that. is there a fuse in the fuse box for the fuel pump , where I can put 12v to it and just run the pump and drain the tank with it?

Check your owner's manual for where the fuse might be. I am set up to use a Tech-2 to turn the pump on and off.
 

Tonyv__

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2018
Posts
2,579
Reaction score
5,152
Location
Bucks county PA
I would imagine depending what wires you cut or still have. Connecting the battery back to the fuse box and turning the key would tell the fuel pump to turn on
 

Rocket Man

Mark
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Posts
25,965
Reaction score
50,651
Location
Oregon
IIRC my '04 had a (removable, I think,) screen right where the fill tube connected to the tank, so if yours has that a siphon hose won't get farther in. But you can still get quite a bit of gas out using the siphon method.
My 02 has nothing there and I haven’t heard of that. Why would there be a screen there?
 

Forum statistics

Threads
129,201
Posts
1,812,030
Members
92,303
Latest member
44Dan
Top