Removing old diesel fuel

[Our Idea]

I need to pump out old fuel from my 2011 Ranger 29. For some reason I cannot get the hose to go into the tank from the fuel inlet. Is there a way to access the tanks directly?

 

[Scottfree]

You could disconnect the fuel line where it connects to the first fuel filter. The one NOT on the engine. It's about a half inch line. Then you could connect a cheap inline pump and more hose to conveniently pump the fuel into containers. That should remove all the fuel your fuel lines can reach.

Good Luck, Leon

 

[tugnnaweigh]

Might think about having the fuel polished, there' s services that do this, some on the water. it's so much a gallon, you end up with a clean tank and all your fuel.

 

[BB marine]

I drained my fuel tank last year when I was calculating my fuel sending unit so the Volvo gauge read properly . I removed one of the fuel tank pick-up tubes and inserted a pick-up tube with a barb fitting into the tank instead of using the sending unit port. This requires no gaskets and reduces the chance of leaks if using the more customary way the fuel tank sending unit access. The pick up tube was made from a piece of 1/4 tubing, long enough to reach the bottom of the tank. I used my oil change pump to pull the fuel from the tank and pumped the fuel into 5 gallon portable tanks. I was able to empty the tank completely. I used an open 5 gallon bucket to filter and separate any water or debris and returned the clean fuel back to the tank while knowing the exact amount of fuel entered for sending unit calculations. I had a very small amount of debris and less then a cup of water.
Using the standard installed fuel pickup will not empty the tank. The fuel pickups that are installed in my tank are an inch off the bottom and had a screen attached to the pick up. I removed the screen to prevent from future restriction and installed the pick up back in the tank. I also installed a polishing system using a 22 gallon reserve tank. The pick-up for the polishing system sits 1/4" off the bottom of the tank to insure that no water or debris will enter my engine fuel system ( pick-up 1" off the bottom). I have posted pictures of this in my Album.

 

[Andrew Custis]

From personal experience, the biggest and easiest one to remove at the tank is the fuel sender hole. On your model 29, I believe the sender is accessed from a removable piece of the wood flooring in the mid cabin. If you lift the cushion up, you will be able to locate it. Same place that I have had a guy come in to polish the tank from.

Thank you,