Draining Fuel Tank....

[kryten2001]

Hi Guys -

I've got my VZ Monaro in "semi storage" (ie it gets driven once in a blue moon), and I'm concerned about the fuel rotting in the tank. I filled it when I bought it, and it's still got about 2/3rds in the tank..

Going the way I'm going, it'll probably take a year to go through a full tank...

So rather than let the fuel sit and stagnate/rot, I really wanted to drain it & replace it with fresh fuel once every 3-6 months or so..

Anyhoo, I bought myself a jerry and syphon hose (about a 1/2inch tube) from good old Supercheaps and decided to attempt it last weekend... The hose goes in probably 6 inches and then stops..

Either the Monaro's got an anti-syphon valve in it, or the neck restricts seriously before going into the tank.

Has anybody ever done this before, or are there better ways I should be attempting it? I'd rather syphon than pull a drain plug for obvious reasons.

Also - for longer term storage, is it recommended to take the load of the rubber by mounting the car onto blocks under its axles?.. Any other longer term storage tips?

Thanks guys...

[Sonnymad]

hi there,

i used to have the same trouble with my VN GRUOP A, years ago,wat i did is made a system with a pump and used to pull off the feed line to the injector rail and a hose into bucket,power up the pump and away you go,personally myself i used to leave my car up on stands

;)

regards sonny

[kryten2001]

hi there,

i used to have the same trouble with my VN GRUOP A, years ago,wat i did is made a system with a pump and used to pull off the feed line to the injector rail and a hose into bucket,power up the pump and away you go,personally myself i used to leave my car up on stands

;)

regards sonny

Yeah I'd actually thought of doing something like that, but was hoping to come up with something a little less drastic..... I know if I get my hands on the injector rails, it'd all end in tears.

[Sonnymad]

Yeah I'd actually thought of doing something like that, but was hoping to come up with something a little less drastic..... I know if I get my hands on the injector rails, it'd all end in tears.

hehehe,

the ls1 is eaiser as the fuel line is a push on fitting ,so if you bought the tool and a connecting pipe it would be simple as disconnecting and reconnecting

;)

regards sonny

[kryten2001]

hehehe,

the ls1 is eaiser as the fuel line is a push on fitting ,so if you bought the tool and a connecting pipe it would be simple as disconnecting and reconnecting

;)

regards sonny

Mmm piccies anybody?

Isn't the fuel pump in the base of the fuel tank? (or is it simply a filter?)

[Sonnymad]

Mmm piccies anybody?

Isn't the fuel pump in the base of the fuel tank? (or is it simply a filter?)


The fuel pumps in the tanks in a swirl pot basket,the filter is outside the tank,i,ll try to get pics for you

regards sonny

[kryten2001]

The fuel pumps in the tanks in a swirl pot basket,the filter is outside the tank,i,ll try to get pics for you

regards sonny

Cheers mate..

So does that mean an external pump will just pump from the tank through the tank's pump?

That's OK to do that is it? There's no valves in there or anything, or the internal pump won't mind being "force sucked".. (If there's such a word as that :lol: :lol: )

Cheers.

[chillicatqld]

Why dont you take the poor thing out for some WOT - that will get rid of the fuel pretty quick. Then put it back in near empty - easiest option I can think of.

[ROBSKI]

Would A Bottle Of Octane Boost Everytime You Used The Car Do????

[Aus8]

I would take it for a spirited drive personally.

Cheers

Aus8

[kryten2001]

I would take it for a spirited drive personally.

Cheers

Aus8

Thanks Guys.

As I said though, the car's in semi-storage, and as such it's not being driven (and I don't intend on driving it just to "burn" fuel)...

The best option is to drain the fuel and replace it every 3-6 months (not wanting to keep a dry tank/fuel line).

[daabido]

Putting one away with low clicks so when stock runs out it will be worth more? An interesting proposition...

I wonder what a very low kilometre Monaro will be worth in a couple of years?

[kryten2001]

Putting one away with low clicks so when stock runs out it will be worth more? An interesting proposition...

I wonder what a very low kilometre Monaro will be worth in a couple of years?

We'll see!...

263ks on it, so it's not quite brand new, but close enough....

Any pics on how to perform this would be great, as the alternative of pulling a drain plug is a messy (and dangerous) proposition..

Thanks guys.

[Peter B - CV8]

We'll see!...

263ks on it, so it's not quite brand new, but close enough....

Any pics on how to perform this would be great, as the alternative of pulling a drain plug is a messy (and dangerous) proposition..

Thanks guys.

You're going to have to watch out for corrosion in an empty fuel tank.
If you have a reasonable amount of fuel in the tank at the moment (say half a tank) - I would be adding a litre of diesel and then going for a quick drive around the block with lots of zigzagging, so that you get a film of diesel over the inside of the tank. It will also help prevent orings etc from drying out.
Don't forget to pull the fuel pump relay to negate the fuel line pressure.

[VXSS346]

I reckon it needs to be taken out onto the road more often, everything will dry up, engine gaskets etc. oil, water etc can't flow. Injectors will eventually sieze, the list goes on. If the fuel tank is not full moisture will build up in there as well.
Might be better to buy a house if your doing it for investment. :)

Just my opinion.

[kryten2001]

I reckon it needs to be taken out onto the road more often, everything will dry up, engine gaskets etc. oil, water etc can't flow. Injectors will eventually sieze, the list goes on. If the fuel tank is not full moisture will build up in there as well.
Might be better to buy a house if your doing it for investment. :)

Just my opinion.

Ahh it's called diversification...

Plus not all investments can be boring things like houses, shares and gold.

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll be sure to keep the tank full, but I'd really like to know how to routinely empty it every 3-6 months without having to run it dry.

[Drewie]

Don't forget that the fuel tanks are now plastic so corrosion probably isn't as big a problem.

[cheffy]

easiest way i've found is to pull the shrader valve out from the front of the fuel rail. Its sittting under a plastic cap. Put a hose on that and turn the ignition on.

[kryten2001]

easiest way i've found is to pull the shrader valve out from the front of the fuel rail. Its sittting under a plastic cap. Put a hose on that and turn the ignition on.

Pics anyone? Please?

[Peter B - CV8]

Don't forget that the fuel tanks are now plastic so corrosion probably isn't as big a problem.
Oh yeah (he says with an embarrassed look & scuttles away)...

[chillicatqld]

Would maybe best keeping fuel in there so you can start up engine every few weeks to keep it in good nick. Dont have to drive it - just start it up and warm it.

[vh-holden]

i'd consider the fuel to be an investment too....

[daza]

Just had a look through this thread, it would be a nice thing to put one of these away for posperity. I would love to do this with a CV8 Z. If you are looking to make a profit it will need to be wraped up well and away for at least 10 years probably more like 20.

If you are serious about storage you have to ask yourself how long?? Will it get occasional use or is this a 5- 25 year propsition. If its a 25 year proposition there will be a few things that should be done.

Wash and wax the paint work and leave it to dry in the heat of the day to ensure there is little or no moisture inside. The wax will help the paint stand up to the covers you are going to use. Use a couple of covers a good one one the car and a cheapy to keep that one clean on the top. Dont strap the covers tightly as it will bruse the paint if left for several years

Fill everything that contains oil up to the very top; engine, gearbox and differential. Any air gaps will allow corrsion to start. If you start and stop the engine/gearbox and diff without getting it up to full running temp it will not get rid of the moisture in it and it will make the oil acidic and this will cause corrosion. Plugs out and fill with motor oil then loosly replace plugs. Fill the fuel tank to the brim this will also help prevent moisture getting inside.

Raise the car up on stands leaving the weight of the springs, wheels and hubs. Wheels off if it is for more than 5 years. If you leave it on the wheels make sure it is parked in timber (plywood or even glazed tiles are OK) to prevent the tyres sticking to the ground, this happens when parked on cement. Remove the tyres and coat them with silicone to prevent them from oxidising. The silicone will wash off when the car is ready for use again. Wax was used for this in the old days.

There are a few other things you may wish to consider, like drain the battery of fluid, treat all the sponge rubber to keep out the air, remove the belts to keep them in good condition. Batterys out of keys to stop potential corrosion. Leave the doors slightly open and windows down to leave some spring in the rubbers.

Grab a new oil filter, air filter, belts and may be hoses. Put these in the boot ready for a restart. When it is unwraped these things will help gain concourse points if original.

There are many other things you could do but this gives a good start. The one thing you should do if you go down this path is write down what you have done so if you forget or somone else gets the privilage of unwraping the car at least the pre start requirements are there. I know someone who bought a car from the US that had been in storage for 45 years and it it is still as good as the day it was put onto blocks due to this type of treatment.

Cheers
Daza

[seldo]

But WTF would you do this..?? Assuming a starting price of $60k, even if you made no allowance for maintenance issues like insurance and storage costs, you would need to sell it in 15 years for more than $165k in today's money, just to break even, (allowing 7% compounded over that period). As they say..."Rot's o' ruck..." :)

[VooDoo]

You're going to have to watch out for corrosion in an empty fuel tank.
If you have a reasonable amount of fuel in the tank at the moment (say half a tank) - I would be adding a litre of diesel and then going for a quick drive around the block with lots of zigzagging, so that you get a film of diesel over the inside of the tank. It will also help prevent orings etc from drying out.
Don't forget to pull the fuel pump relay to negate the fuel line pressure.


The fuel tanks are plastic, no corrosion there :)

[APCLB]

Mmm piccies anybody?

Isn't the fuel pump in the base of the fuel tank? (or is it simply a filter?)

Dont PULP fuels contain additives to keep it "fresh" or from "going off",unlike ULP, its only good for a couple weeks from the refinery before it loses its "freshness" or the RON count goes down????? or is it too early for this kind of thinking...... :confused:
ANyhow keep the tank full,keeps moisture out.

[OUTAtheBloo]

Firstly, yes i realize its an old thread.

Can anyone give me any tips on how to drain all the fuel from my VT series 2. I'd like to give the car a run with fresh 98 in it, as it didn't do well with 4 month old 91.

Do the fuel tanks have a drain plug, or is there an easy way from underneath the car (i have a car trailer with an open floor) to get the fuel out ?

Any pics would be of great help, thanks guys

Dan

[Mad Dog]

Easiest way ive always found if you just want to reduce the level of fuel is to disconnect an engine bay line and jump the fuel pump relay. If you want to clean it probably disconnect a line at filter as a suggestion but as I havent done that on a holden there may be a better way.

[bush_basha]

hey guys, instead of starting a new thread I want to drain the tank in my VE as the fuel has been sitting for a few months, my thoughts were to disconnect a line and turn the ignition on but I don't want to harm the pump or anything like that. has anyone got a way to do it or just go with the option?

[JezzaB]

Pump won't keep pumping anyway. You would have to bridge the fuel pump relay in the pass kick panel fuse box

[bush_basha]

ah righto cheers jez, is that the best way to do it, won't stuff the pump by running it empty?

to bridge it is it just a matter of putting 12v onto the one side?

[feistl]

I did it with one of these...
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Jiggle-Syphon-1-2-1-5m-Hose-/120708741070

Set it up, took a little while to syphon the whole tank into a jerry can, but then put it in other cars. (Fuel was probably 15 months old, put it in a couple of cars diluted (Eg 20L of old fuel with 40L of new) and all cars ran perfectly. I wouldnt run a high performance/tuned engine on it, but a standard car seems fine.

[bush_basha]

how'd you go getting it in the fuel tank of a VE? aren't they anti syphon tanks?

[Troutman]

No one's mentioned it, but I'm planning on trying a preservative product along the lines of this:

http://www.marineengine.com/products/images/1921118C.jpg

[bush_basha]

well I'm not sure how that jiggler will work on my VE, I tried to stick some regular garden hose in there for a test fit and I couldnt get it in very far.

anyone have any ideas?