Draining the fuel tank with the pump?

[jphilipson]

Just wanted to verify if this method is correct and harmless, as I'm no expert

I need to pull my tank to install a bulk head fitting for my aux fuel cell. My plan is to run it till it's pretty close to empty. Then, to drain the remaining gas my plan is to use the fuel pump. Will pull the fuel supply line from the pump, then attach a clear plastic tube running into a gas can; then power cycle the key a few times to engage the pump and hopefully pump out the remaining gas.

Anything potentially harmful about doing this (other than the usual warning when working around gasoline). I mean can it hurt the pump or anything, and will it work?

 

[Busa1166]

I think if you let the fuel pump run dry it's bad thing. Not sure

 

[jphilipson]

I think if you let the fuel pump run dry it's bad thing. Not sure

I think for extended periods it is. That is the point of the clear hose though, so I can see when it runs dry.

 

[kevin8105]

Wouldnt removing the fuel pump allow the fuel to flow out of the tank freely? I think I would definitely lean towards the free and natural resource of gravity rather than putting a fuel pump at any risk whatsoever. Just a suggestion!

Kevin

 

[Commuta_Busa]

I do this all the time. You just need to hot wire the pump for it to run without the engine on. Works great and drains the tank quickly.

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

Wouldnt removing the fuel pump allow the fuel to flow out of the tank freely? I think I would definitely lean towards the free and natural resource of gravity rather than putting a fuel pump at any risk whatsoever. Just a suggestion!

Kevin

The tank is made with a design so that with pump removed some gas will still be trapped inside. It won't all just flow out.

I do this all the time. You just need to hot wire the pump for it to run without the engine on. Works great and drains the tank quickly.

But like he says would simply turning key on and off thereby priming fuel pump a few times not flow remaining gas out?

 

[jphilipson]

I do this all the time. You just need to hot wire the pump for it to run without the engine on. Works great and drains the tank quickly.

Thanks!

But like he says would simply turning key on and off thereby priming fuel pump a few times not flow remaining gas out?

It will do the same thing, just a bit slower. I will get mine as empty as possible first with a siphon first. So a few short primes should do the trick.

 

[badass1000]

I run different fuels at the track and pump gas on the street. I do it as you mentioned above all the time. I have ben thinking of wireing in a switch so that I can just turn the pump on instead of turning the key on and off a bunch of times. Turning the key on and off is kind of a pain.

 

[jphilipson]

I run different fuels at the track and pump gas on the street. I do it as you mentioned above all the time. I have ben thinking of wireing in a switch so that I can just turn the pump on instead of turning the key on and off a bunch of times. Turning the key on and off is kind of a pain.

Yeah, I will only need to do it once myself, so do not need a switch. If I had to do it a lot, wiring in a switch would be handy.

 

[gill_grissom]

I do this all the time,,,, no problems yet..

 

[smithabusa]

this is what i made up for my bike when i installed turbo etc.

put terminals on battery, plug into fuel pump, flip za zwsitch

LOL

 

[09GraySilverBusa]

Nice harness

 

[jphilipson]

FYI, this worked fine when I did it, although there was still some left the pump couldn't get in the bottom. Not much though.