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emptying petrol tank
pdm - 10/3/10 at 08:16 PM

Evening all

Might seem like a bit of a numpty question but I'm not sure of what to do so please bear with me !

I'm stripping down a donor which has some fuel left in it - not much it's practically on the peg.

It's not insured or taxed and I don't fancy getting it seized if I was unlucky and got pulled just driving the last of it off.

T'interweb seems to suggest siphoning probably won't work due to mesh in filler pipe. Also seems to suggest it's not too good just letting it run dry.

What are my options ? It's a six pot beemer on a '94 plate...if that makes any difference !!

thanks
Paul

matt_gsxr - 10/3/10 at 08:19 PM

Leave it idling until it stops (easiest solution)

Or disconnect the outlet hose from the fuel pump and put it into something that can catch the fuel.

bob tatt - 10/3/10 at 08:20 PM

match and stand well back simples

drhunter - 10/3/10 at 08:27 PM

I'd get the electric drill and just pop a couple of holes in the bottom of the tank

I'll second the letting it idle until empty!

pdm - 10/3/10 at 08:27 PM

A match - hmmm !! I'd have to get a load more bits of it before I give that a go although it'd save scrapping the rest LOL !!

I'm not to keen on removing the hose asI don't know exactly how much is in there and don't want to overflow my fuel can - a search today seemed to say there was quite a sizeable reserve in there once the gauge hits the peg.

Idling until it stops seemed to be the best way to me too. But it's only got a fan which is turned by the crank - so it's a bit like an A-Series as far as I can make out in that it'd be idling with not much cooling as there would be no airflow.

If I leave it idling for a long time, then as long as I keep an eye on the temp gauge do you think I'd do any long term damage.

Thanks

blakep82 - 10/3/10 at 08:27 PM

take the lower fuel hose off the tank and let it drain into a petrol can?
my E30 had a drain plug on the tank, just behind the drivers door, just under the sill. loosen it off, and it poured out. don't know if the E36 has one though (assuming its a 3 series you got)

blakep82 - 10/3/10 at 08:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by pdm

If I leave it idling for a long time, then as long as I keep an eye on the temp gauge do you think I'd do any long term damage.


crank fan works well, unless its worn out. its BMW after all. they probably spent thousands designing that.
if not, heater inside the car on full cools any overheating down pretty fast

pdm - 10/3/10 at 08:31 PM

blakep82 - yes I thought I'd got that when I saw on a forum that a 3-series had a drain plug - they stopped it for the E36 though.

pdm - 10/3/10 at 08:35 PM

well it's temperature was steady when I drove it home - wish I'd gone a longer way round now before the insurance ran out but I never thought about it - doh !!

Not sure how this build is going to go - can't seem to even plan the basics at the moment.

Think I'll idle it for as long as I can and then go for removing fuel outlet.

Thanks everyone.

blakep82 - 10/3/10 at 08:46 PM

well, my 328 is a 1995, i think the fan clutch thing is knackered, it does start to overheat in traffic, but can drive about all day as long as its moving without trouble

a bit of traffic and it creeps up. with bonnet open, heater on full inside you definitely won't have troubles

pdm - 10/3/10 at 08:56 PM

Ok - idling it is then I'll keep a close eye on it, get the heater on and leave bonnet up as you say.

Thanks again.

avagolen - 10/3/10 at 09:37 PM

Being a bit of a stingy bloke, I layed the fuel pipe in the engine bay into a clean bucket and drained the tank very slowly. Poured it into a my tin top. That way it was saving me money and reducing the cost of the donor outlay.

I know some of you will say that there was a chance of getting dirt in the tin top fuel system and causing expensive problems, but I got away without any problems..

craig1410 - 10/3/10 at 09:50 PM

quote:
Originally posted by pdm
Ok - idling it is then I'll keep a close eye on it, get the heater on and leave bonnet up as you say.

Thanks again.


Just make sure one of your neighbours doesn't report you for "unnecessary idling" as there are some new local authority laws or by-laws about that afaik.

bilbo - 10/3/10 at 11:05 PM

I've done the same as avagolen in the past, although I'd use a proper fuel container like a jerry can instead of a bucket
You can help the fuel drain through by hot wiring the fuel pump.

[Edited on 10/3/10 by bilbo]

James - 10/3/10 at 11:46 PM

Can you not just drop out the tank then pour the fuel into your jerry can etc.

HTH,
James

pdm - 11/3/10 at 08:04 AM

Thanks everyone whose responses I've picked up this morning - plenty of ways forward to think about now which is always good.

cheers
Paul

02GF74 - 11/3/10 at 09:01 AM

two containers, so you can swap when one is full.

centre punch and hammer - use you immagination as to what to do with them.

franky - 11/3/10 at 10:11 AM

If its going to a scrap yard just leave it in there, When I did mine there was a couple of ltrs of fuel in there.