I have an inboard diesel with a 12 gallon fuel tank sitting underneath one on the seats in the dinette of a Hunter 25.5. The fuel tank does not have a drain cock. What is the best way to get all the fuel and any muck out of the tank? The two solutions I thought of were to: 1. stick a tube down the fueling port on the deck and use an evacuation pump and pump it out. 2. disconnect the fuel line from the tank to the engine and pump the fuel out from there. Problem is that this all has to be done in the cabin and I am a little afraid of spilling smelly diesel fuel everywhere. Is there a better way? Any suggestions?
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Draining the Fuel Tank
I have just drained the diesel fuel on my Legend 37 from my tank after the fuel sat for 2 years without activity. The tank was only 1/4 full, about 7 gallons left in the tank. On my tank there is a fuel gauge that can be removed and accessed from the top of the tank. I took a manual operated pump used to change the oil and used that to pump out the remainder of the fuel and whatever sludge I was able to get. That method was a little sloppy and I did spill a little diesel fuel on the cabin floor. Make sure you wash any spillage up with a good cleaner like Simple Green. I was not able to get every drop out of the tank but I expect I got 95% of the fuel and sludge out. If you don't have some type of "port" on top and your tank is rigid PVC or Polyethylene you can drill a small hole the size of your tube but before you drill obtain a cap from a hardware store that when completed you can plug up the hole. I have since purchased an electric pump which runs off the boats battery bank for about $35.00 that would have done a better job in removing the fuel without any spills. Depending on how much fuel is in the tank you can use a 5 gallon gas can to collect the pumped out diesel fuel. You can dispose of the diesel fuel in your home heating oil tank, if you have one. I did check with my heating oil provider and he said it was no problem. I did communicate with others through a HOW Forum that you should not use home heating oil in your boat fuel tank. It isn't refined enough for that purpose. You can use over-the-road diesel fuel for the boat. I would highly recommend that you put an diesel oil treatment in the tank after you fill it up. Be very careful to follow the porportions stated, to much treatment can eat away at the rubber hoses, per the local Yanmar dealer. Good Luck,
I have just drained the diesel fuel on my Legend 37 from my tank after the fuel sat for 2 years without activity. The tank was only 1/4 full, about 7 gallons left in the tank. On my tank there is a fuel gauge that can be removed and accessed from the top of the tank. I took a manual operated pump used to change the oil and used that to pump out the remainder of the fuel and whatever sludge I was able to get. That method was a little sloppy and I did spill a little diesel fuel on the cabin floor. Make sure you wash any spillage up with a good cleaner like Simple Green. I was not able to get every drop out of the tank but I expect I got 95% of the fuel and sludge out. If you don't have some type of "port" on top and your tank is rigid PVC or Polyethylene you can drill a small hole the size of your tube but before you drill obtain a cap from a hardware store that when completed you can plug up the hole. I have since purchased an electric pump which runs off the boats battery bank for about $35.00 that would have done a better job in removing the fuel without any spills. Depending on how much fuel is in the tank you can use a 5 gallon gas can to collect the pumped out diesel fuel. You can dispose of the diesel fuel in your home heating oil tank, if you have one. I did check with my heating oil provider and he said it was no problem. I did communicate with others through a HOW Forum that you should not use home heating oil in your boat fuel tank. It isn't refined enough for that purpose. You can use over-the-road diesel fuel for the boat. I would highly recommend that you put an diesel oil treatment in the tank after you fill it up. Be very careful to follow the porportions stated, to much treatment can eat away at the rubber hoses, per the local Yanmar dealer. Good Luck,
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