Making a suck bucket

[Walkin Horse]

Recently I posted on here about not being able to get my backhoe running. Thanks Bob Rook for your posts on the diesel germ and dirty fuel.

During the process of getting it started I researched whether it was a good idea or not to suck the tank out with a shop vac.I found an idea on a boat forum for a suck bucket.

I took a 5 gal. hydraulic fluid bucket and drilled a 1/2" hole in the top.. I cut about 5' of some old airline hose , stuck one end in the bucket and the other in the fuel tank.At first I tried a battery vac but it didnt work well. So I went back and got a good 2 gal shop vac and the generator. I hooked the vac hose to the spout on the bucket and turned it on. Soon I had the tank empty and. the fuel was all in the bucket and not the vac. It worked so well I was able to suck an old fuel cap gasket out. The tank had a lot of water slime and trash in it which I was able to get it good and clean.

 

[smstonypoint]

Good tip -- thanks for posting.

Steve

 

[crazyal]

Years ago several of us from work would have vacuum cleaner parties. We would find old but working vacuums at the free section of the dump. In the shop vacs we would put a pot with some gas, on the ones that had a bag we would put the pot in front of it so it could suck the fumes into the vac. We would use a portable generator for power. All it would take is a small candle near the exhaust to light it up like a jet engine. Some of the metal ones would last 15 minutes or more. It's fun to watch. Just be careful using a vacuum to suck fuel, even fuel you think is no good.

 

[SimS]

Be careful sucking flammable liquids with a shop vac. The vapors can explode in the vac. Maybe not so much with diesel but gasoline could go bang. I'm going to use your idea to suck the nasty oil from my skid steer chain cases. Thanks

SimS

 

[Walkin Horse]

The liquid never enters the vac. I guess this is one of those things that we do with some risk to it. It worked for me and with the week I had I would have tried anything. I had a fire ext. with me and do understand the risk I was taking.

I thought about a disclaimer in my op, but I said nah nobody would intentionally put gas in one and light a candle.