De-Fueling...? No Fooling...!!!

[mrrsm]

While this particular De-fueling Project involves working on my 1993 Chevrolet Camaro Z-28… the principle concerns are universal for all vehicles involving making any Fuel Tank as empty as possible when either replacing the entire tank… or when simply replacing the Fuel Pump under circumstances where making the tank as bone dry as possible is necessary prior to cleaning out any infested with much debris before installing the New Fuel Pump:

http://s557.photobucket.com/user/60dgrzbelow0/library/DEFUELINGASTANKS?sort=3&page=1

Follow Basic Safety First Rules:

After downing a Nice, Tall, Cool 16 Oz. Can of Refreshing Common Sense and Good Judgment.. as a matter of course, I like to ensure that the Car or Truck Battery Ground Cable is disconnected and positioned away well enough not to wrangle itself back and cause a spark that might ignite free gasoline fumes. Having something like this happen could be disastrous and taking a few simple preliminary actions like having a freshly charged ABC Fire Extinguisher on hand is the Best Idea around. I also like warning away Family, Friends and Neighborhood Card Carrying Gawkers who might suddenly show up and lean over the open top of the tank with a freshly lit Pall Mall Cigarette hanging from their lower lip while asking, “Can I watch while you change out your Fuel Pump... Huh??” with fresh gas fumes all over the place.

Use an Approved, Explosion Proof and Safe Flashlight:

It is a facile argument to say, “Well... I’ve changed a hundred fuel pumps and used my Trusty, Rusty Ol’ “D” Cell Flashlight my Grand Daddy gave me when we wuz back there in Buxtahootah! ...blah. blah, blah.. That is Rubbish. The only really Safe Flash Light for use in such close quarters to explosive fumes of any kind is one that is a purpose made, Explosion Proof Flashlight that has many safety features and flexibility for different purposes that you KNOW will not ignite ANY fuel vapors under ANY circumstances. The one I’ve chosen safe enough to turn on and poke down inside of the tank to look around is THIS one:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007RKKERA/?tag=gmtnation-20

Use The Proper and Safe Means for Pumping out the Gasoline:

This Fuel Recovery Kit made by GASTAPPER employs a Squeeze Bulb and an array of Hosing designed to handle any modern fuel tank design that includes Anti-Theft technologies to defeat that average Gas Thief and allows the various hoses to get all the way down to the deepest part of the most fuel tanks and get almost every last drop of fuel removed. The one I chose was a bit more expensive since I wanted to be able to do this very same set of procedures before dropping the Black Nylon Gas Tank under the 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer...without having a Ton of Fuel to make the process so much more difficult to accomplish. The Video will show how this thing can make the job a lot easer and safer… although their GASTAPPER model features a 12 Volt Powered Fuel Pump instead of relying on Gravity with the Squeeze Bulb style that I have for the same purpose. The link to Amazon displays the “Electric Motor” version being used in the Video:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QSPU0NS/?tag=gmtnation-20

Safely Collect and Store the Gasoline:

Regardless of whether I will be installing the Brand New 93-95 Galvanized Steel Fuel Tank with my Brand New Delphi Fuel Pump… I STILL need to completely empty out the Gas Tank to see how much crap has collected down inside since I drove the car off of the Maher Chevrolet Dealership lot around 24 years ago. And since I want to get it all out for safe storage ...and a little more besides if needed, I will be using this entire Four pack of Five Gallon Spill Proof Red Nylon-Plastic Gas Cans to catch and hold all of it:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SLPYJX0/?tag=gmtnation-20

 

[budwich]

I use a "standard vane pump" that is driven by a drill.... but in this case its an air drill.... . I haven't tried a tank drop on the trailblazer yet (touch wood), but "fishing" the hose by anything in the neck for stopping such activity seems relatively easy (at least on a ford ex).

 

[Mooseman]

Unless the pump itself is completely dead, I disconnect the fuel line at either the filter inlet or at the fuel rail, fit a hose over the end, put the other end of that hose into a container and jump the pump relay. I don't think you can get it any emptier than that.

Or like in this video, remove the valve core from the test port.

 

[northcreek]

I just fish a hose into the filler neck and put the air hose nozzle in there too with a rag to seal around them and blow the gas out with minimal pressure, has worked so far with no ill effects and it's cheap.

 

[mrrsm]

Well ... @Mooseman ... Once again... I have to thank you for triggering a solution to a very big problem I am having with the '93 Z-28... Indeed ...it does have a DOA Fuel Pump...and the problem is that I have the vehicle parked adjacent my concrete driveway and also have a recent vacancy now that my other F- Body is gone. Unfortunately... I don't have convenient access to enough 'warm bodies' to simply put the car in Neutral and push it from its present spot right back up into the clear space on my drive when I will be ready to do so.

But after reading your post... I just now also remembered that on a number of occasions ...you've also explained how to use the Compressed Air in the Aluminum Cylinders (BG-44 Style) with an APG and Ball Check Valves for treating the Carbon Buildup with a mixture of High Grade Gasoline and AC-Delco Top Engine Cleaner for Carbon Build Up inside of the Cylinder Heads. I happen to have a brand new one I purchased a few years back for use with A/C System purges.

I think that same Idea will work well enough here by following your suggestion to first remove the Schrader Valve on the Fuel Rail and then attach the Cylinder with a short input Fuel Line to the fitting. Then after clamping off both the Inlet and Outlet Fuel delivery and return lines to isolate them... I can start the Z-28 with a pint or so of Hi-Test Gas for just long enough to back it out of the sand and park it up onto the paved drive. Then... accessing and changing out the Fuel Pump and/or the Gas Tank on 'Dry Land' will be much easier when I can safely Jack Up and Support the vehicle. So Thanks Again ... for the Cool and Inspirational Idea! :>)

 

[Mooseman]

Try to run the pump anyway. It may have a little life left enough to pump the fuel out the open valve but not enough to pressurize the system. Your idea also looks possible but if the fuel filter is old, it may resist this low pressure as per this demo by ChrisFix (move up to 5:26 for relevant info):

 

[mrrsm]

I tried to test the FP several times via the Gray Test Wire & Black Plug adjacent the ECM and other than getting the Red + Terminal to spark to stimulate the FP back to life while bypassing the FPR and ECM... It was Dead Silent. Truthfully... once I can get the car back in the driveway (which was my most immediate concern until your help arrived ...) and then raise the back end up with a slight tilt toward one side to force all of the Old Gas to flow to one corner of the tank... I should be able to evacuate the tank fairly dry with this new gear.

I do have a new AC-Delco Fuel Filter to install at the same time I put in either the Delphi FP (with or without) the new Steel Gas Tank... so not having to run the engine even for a brief time on that nasty fuel as necessary to re-position the Z-28 will be great. Thanks for informative the Chris-Fix Video! You have just GOT to love the "Collective Mind" that is always here at GMTN.