best way to syphon petrol

rokki · 13 March 2014 at 5:08PM

having our old broken car scrapped but there's half a tank of petrol left in it and want to transfer it to our other car.

is it just a case of putting one end of a tube in the tank and sucking on the other end till the flow of petrol starts and I can bung that end into the tank of the other car?

Sounds rather gross - am assuming its inevitable to get a mouthful of petrol - unless anyone knows of a better way?

scotsbob · 13 March 2014 at 5:26PM

The end of the tube you are sucking has to be lower than the tank. Use transparent tubing then you can see the petrol coming through and avoid a mouthful.

You can buy siphons in most accessory shops but that might not be economical for the saving of 5 gallons of fuel.

BeenThroughItAll · 13 March 2014 at 5:28PM

Easiest way is to cut the fuel hose at the carburettor/injector rail and then use the car's own fuel pump to pump the fuel into a suitable container, either by turning ignition on and off (it'll probably only pump for 30s at a time hence on-off needed) or applying 12v directly to the fuel pump connection (if you're mechanically minded enough to do so).

Assumes car is not so broken you can't do this... You could always do the same (cut fuel hose at carb/inj) and then extend hose and suck on end to siphon.

You probably won't be able to get a hose into the tank through the filler, cars have had anti-siphon devices for years.

EdGasket · 13 March 2014 at 5:28PM

No you can't do that. What you are siphoning into must be at a lower level so you can do as you say (but hopefully divert the tube before you get a mouthful) but you'll have to stick the end in a container on the ground.
When I did mine, I used a bucked and then cut the rubber hose at the bottom of the tank to get the last bit out into a bowl however all that petrol swilling around uncovered IS NOT RECOMMENDED - a spark from static could have set it off. I think if I were doing it again, I'd use a large petrol/gerry can to be safe.

rokki · 13 March 2014 at 5:50PM

thanks for replies - hadn't realised tanks had anti siphon devices! Car is nearly 11 years old (03 reg) if anyone knows if this will have an anti siphon?

good idea re the transparent tubing, and also using proper petrol container

just cant bear the thought of half a tank of petrol going to waste!

BeenThroughItAll · 13 March 2014 at 5:52PM

rokki wrote: »

thanks for replies - hadn't realised tanks had anti siphon devices! Car is nearly 11 years old (03 reg) if anyone knows if this will have an anti siphon?

I'd be very surprised if it didn't. Easy enough to check, just shove a tube in the hole and see if you can suck petrol through it

SailorSam · 13 March 2014 at 6:00PM

I think if you were only syphoning the odd gallon i'd take it from around the carb, but if you want to empty the tank put the car up on axle stands and take it from underneath. Look for where the main steel petrol pipe may be joined to a plastic pipe going up into the engine and take off any clip. Then let gravity do the job so the petrol flows.