How to drain fuel tank in 1999 Caddy

Question

I have a '99 DeVille that blew a head gasket. I plan on junking the car, but before I have someone haul it off, I want to drain the $50 of gas out of the tank.

There appears to be a check valve at the bottom of the filler tube at the tank entrance. This is very effective in stopping me from simply putting a tube down into the tank.

My factory shop manual shows a "special" drain tube but they don't specify if it goes in the tank or maybe attaches to the fuel line from the tank to the engine. They simply say "Drain the tank."

Bottom line: Has anyone actually drained a tank successfully? If so, exactly how?

There must be a way to accomplish this because shops must need to drain tanks prior to a tank replacement.

Driving the car until the fuel is used is not an option.

If I disconnect the fuel line from the filter which is close to the tank, will the fuel pump run continuously with the key on or will the engine computer shut down the pump if the engine isn't running?

TIA, Rich

Steve Austin · Accepted Answer

The fuel pump will run continuously if you pull the fuel pump relay and jumper the socket where the relay contacts are.

dahpater · Answer

If your junking it, take an awl and hammer a poke a hole in the damnthing and be done with it.

cuhulin · Answer

If I was going to use an awl and hammer to poke a hole in the tank, Iwould soak a rag with water and hold the awl to the rag against the tankand then use the hammer on the awl. cuhulin

Mike Walsh · Answer

And use a soft metal awl e.g. brass that will not spark.This might not be necessary because there will be ignition only where there isair and gasoline present. There should be only gasoline present inside the tankwhere the hole is made, and no gasoline outside the tank. Do you feel luckytoday?     wrote:

cuhulin · Answer

Frankly, I don't reccomend punching a hole in a gas tank at all.cuhulin

Rich · Answer

OK, I have done it. I removed the line from the filter that goes forward to the engine and threaded a short piece of metal fuel line to it. From there to a piece of flex tubing into a gasoline can.

BTW, there is just no way to get a tube down into the tank to siphon. The check vale at the bottom of the fill tube is a definite stopper.

I removed the fuel pump relay and jumpered the socket for the relay contacts. Turned on the key and waited for it to empty.

Other than a couple of trips to the parts store to get the correct size tubing to connect to the fuel filter, it was a straight-forward job.

Thanks to all for suggestions.

Rich

dahpater · Answer

Sure is allot of extra work and aggravation when you coulda just pokeda hole in it. O well.

cuhulin · Answer

After he junks the car, suppose some one comes along needing to buy thegas tank for a car?cuhulin

dahpater · Answer

LOL. So if the tires are bald, he's gona put new ones on?!?!

How to drain fuel tank in 1999 Caddy

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