Removing Fuel From a 2002 Escape 209

W2ET

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I'd appreciate suggestions on the best means of getting 25-30 gallons on wet fuel out of our boat. I thought about cutting the fuel line in the engine side of the priming bulb and using an aftermarket electric fuel pump. Do I really have to remove that 24x24 (approx) access panel in the aft area of the cockpit and do something more serious?

TIA.

Bill
 

Bob's Cay

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I did just as you suggest. I disconnected the fuel line from the filter and used a connector and hose to a universal fuel pump. Worked well for me.
 

BobP

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If the boat is on a trailer, you could leave the squeeze bulb, disconnect the motor side of squeeze bulb, add a length of hose long enough to get to grade, then let the siphon effect take the fuel down to your containers once you get it going with the squeeze bulb.

Crank up the bow high since fuel pickups are at rear of tank.
 

scottg

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BobP said:
If the boat is on a trailer, you could leave the squeeze bulb, disconnect the motor side of squeeze bulb, add a length of hose long enough to get to grade, then let the siphon effect take the fuel down to your containers once you get it going with the squeeze bulb.

Crank up the bow high since fuel pickups are at rear of tank.

The anti-siphon valve at the tank will not allow this to work. I'll give another plug to the after market fuel pump, connected to the fuel bulb. I drain my Escape this way every year.
 

BobP

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Whoa ! True, I forgot.

I had removed mine since they caused some other problems.
 

W2ET

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One more question...

Is there a part that would connect to the "engine end" of the fuel line, which would take a hose barb, to which the piece of fuel hose and aftermarket pump could be attached?

Don't know if that makes any sense as I typed it, but the idea would be avoid having to cut the original fuel line at the priming bulb?

The engine is a Honda.

Bill
 

Bob's Cay

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I just disconnected mine at the hose clamp going into the transom mounted fuel filter. Then connected the universal fuel pump up to the line with the clamp. From the pump I clamped another length of hose to run to the 5 gallons cans. Didn't cut anything and was able to hook it all back up when I was done.
 

W2ET

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Got it!

I'll have to take a look and see how the hose is connected to the Racor and how easy it will be to break the connection.

FYI, I've spent the last month or two (and the latter part of last season) learning that it's a bit unreasonable to ask an outboard to run on water...

Bill
 

seasick

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Note that the fuel pickup does not go to the bottom of the tank in most cases. If you are pumping out to clean out sediment or water, you need to get to the bottom. After removing enough fuel to be certain that the level is below the fuel sender opening, remove the sender and use a manual or approved electric pump to finish the job
 

SilverLining

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I'm missing something here. If the purpose of the exercise is to remove water from the tank, why drain the tank? The water is on the bottom of the tank. If you can access the top of the tank via the fuel sender, use a length of copper tubing connceted to a hose to a primer bulb to a hose into a gallon jug and pull the water off from the very bottom of the tank. Repeat until no more water is brought into the jug. Any residual water can then be easily handled by the Racors. Doing it this way avoids any discussion of siphons, fuel pick-up tube heights, etc.

This works well with both water and any separated liquids(since both are substantially heavier than gasoline.

After removing the water, pour in some additives and use that gasoline.
 

seasick

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SilverLining said:
I'm missing something here. If the purpose of the exercise is to remove water from the tank, why drain the tank? The water is on the bottom of the tank. If you can access the top of the tank via the fuel sender, use a length of copper tubing connceted to a hose to a primer bulb to a hose into a gallon jug and pull the water off from the very bottom of the tank. Repeat until no more water is brought into the jug. Any residual water can then be easily handled by the Racors. Doing it this way avoids any discussion of siphons, fuel pick-up tube heights, etc.

This works well with both water and any separated liquids(since both are substantially heavier than gasoline.

After removing the water, pour in some additives and use that gasoline.
You are correct but there can be a catch. Depending on the tank desigh=n and the angle of the boat, a partially filled tank can still read full on the guage since the fuel is shifted to the back. You have to unload enougt fuel to be sure that when you remove the sender cover, fuel doesn't flow out
 

Danmac

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ive got a friend that removed a filled tank on his sailfish using a small air compressor, he put the hose end into the fill hose blocked off the area surrounding it with rags, he than blocked off the vent and disconected
the fuel line from the motor. He than put the end of the line in five gallon gas jugs . he than turned on the compressor filling his fuel tank with air forcing the fuel to follow the path of least resistant said it took him no time to drain his fuel out. "He said it worked like a charm" id be hesitant to try this on a boat with older fuel tanks though.
 

seasick

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Danmac said:
ive got a friend that removed a filled tank on his sailfish using a small air compressor, he put the hose end into the fill hose blocked off the area surrounding it with rags, he than blocked off the vent and disconected
the fuel line from the motor. He than put the end of the line in five gallon gas jugs . he than turned on the compressor filling his fuel tank with air forcing the fuel to follow the path of least resistant said it took him no time to drain his fuel out. "He said it worked like a charm" id be hesitant to try this on a boat with older fuel tanks though.

I have heard stories of folks busting their tanks or separating them from their mounts using compressed air. 3 PSI is about the max pressure recommended for tank testing so I guess that is the max for your application.
 

richie rich

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The guy with the compressor just made a nice bomb...fortunately it did not explode......that is not a smart move...seasick is right...3-4 psi max on a solid tank, but the bigger issue is that you're supplying the oxygen to a pressurized tank fuel of fuel....one spark from static or the compressor itself and you're in tomorrow's obituary. Drain the tank completely because even though water is in the bottom, there is more crap in there as well, along with the fact that the gas is getting sour anyway. I drained 60 gallons of so called good looking gas after removing the water from the bottom and burned it in my car and lawn mower.....BIG MISTAKE...there's stuff you just cant see until its all out and gone. I removed the factory anti-siphon valve and the screw in elbow and stuck the plastic tube all the way to the bottom and gravity siphoned it out...works well...just keep everything grounded as best you can...if you're feeling lucky, burn it in the car.