Emptying a fuel tank

[jaybee]

Little brother's '01 Taurus is back...this time with a dead fuel pump.  Power is fine at the back, new pump is in hand.  It has almost 1/2 tank of fuel but I'm having trouble getting it out.  I pulled the hose off the inlet but I can't get my siphon hose to the fuel.  It goes in so far and then hits something, but never dips into the gasoline.

Any thoughts on how else to get a siphon into this thing so it won't have 10 gals of gas when I try to drop it?

[enjenjo]

Hook a hose the the fuel line, power up the bad pump, and smack the bottom of the tank. That will often make it run long enough to empty the tank. If that doesn't work, you can hook up an external pump and pump the fuel through the bad pump.

If you can reach the vent hose on the tank, you can feed a siphon hose through the vent to suck the fuel out.

[jaybee]

Thanks Frank.  I have it well up in the air and level, I'll probably try to run a siphon through the vent hose next.  If that doesn't work I'll try to get the pump running.  I have the new pump and strainer, Bro was a little shocked a $170 pump fit so neatly in the palm of his hand.

[wayne petty]

the pounding on the bottom of the tank works in about 90 percent of the failures..

i have used a big rubber hammer many times..  one time under a filled to the filler neck  voyager mini van..  with a rubber hammer and a remote starter switch extended from the relay socket to only power the pump when i was pounding to keep it chugging along..  as i did not want to burn out the last of the commutator..  i was under that van for an hour pounding.. swapping fuel cans...

there is a roll over ball in the filler neck. that prevented me from inserting a hose..  like you have found blocking your way...


i extended the remote starter switch with a pair of wires...  with male quick connects on one end.. and some big ring terminals on the other to grip in the remote starter switch clips...

some fords like what you are working on use narrower relay power terminals...  so you might need to narrow the male connectors..

tie the wires around something to prevent them from yanking out of the relay socket just by the pull of gravity...



this is the diagram on how the micro relays are configured

http://repairguide.autozone.com/znetrgs/repair_guide_content/en_us/images/0996b43f/80/23/d5/55/large/0996b43f8023d555.gif


this is a conventional mini iso relay

http://repairguide.autozone.com/znetrgs/repair_guide_content/en_us/images/0996b43f/80/23/d5/54/large/0996b43f8023d554.gif

i just though it might help....

you don't want to send the wrong voltage up the relay socket into the PCM...   bad very bad....


edit... oops...  this it the same car with the fuel pump control module...

[Mikej]

A hole in the trunk floor so you don't have to take the tank out?

[butch27]

I hate these new fuel pumps. They are the size of the old windshield washer pumps, if that give you any clues as to why they fail. Iv'e put my 4th one in on my Astro last week. JUST turned 100,000 miles.!

[wayne petty]

making in tank electric fuel pump last...

fuel filters about every 3rd or 4th oil change...  with a blow through test to see how clogged they are.. if they are clogged.. do them more often.. if not clogged.. stretch the changes out....


never run the tank below 1/4....

with long fuel tanks as astros and other vans and pick ups have.... if you drive up steep hills.. the fuel pump in the center of the tank is uncovered..  spins faster... the pump runs dry and the fuel lubed bushings wear away...


when the fuel filters clog.. the pump which has no bypass.. has to work harder..  this draws more amps.. burns the commutator away and the brushes away...


when there is water or the moisture content of the fuel system is way high..  rust can form on the fuel pump laminations and since rust is attracted to magnets.. it can wedge the armature..   preventing your driving enjoyment ...


i would also like to inform everybody.. that when replacing an intank fuel pump...  or even when you have the sending unit out on a conventional fuel pump... scrounge a magnet...  drop it into the fuel tank...  make sure it falls to the bottom... not fall upwards...

and.. of course.. always install a new strainer on the fuel pumps.. i know that does not need to be said.. but i have pulled out many a fuel pump.. that someone did not install a strainer on it..   and they wondered why the fuel pump failed

[butch27]

Thanks Wayne: Good advice.

[jaybee]

Thanks for all the advice, particularly the magnet in the fuel tank.  I'm sure I can energize it through the fuel pump relay.