Siphoning fuel.

[AchingBack]

What do you think about this? I went to a friend's house to do some weed eating for him. I thought I had enough fuel in my machine to do the job. Half way through, I ran out of gas. Knowing my friend has a lawn mower, I asked if he had any gas. He lead me out to his driveway, and his 1962 Chevy. When he opened the trunk, I expected to see a gas can. Instead, he took out a tube, and by mouth, extracted enough gas from the Belair's tank to fill the tank of my Ryobi four cycle weed eater.

When I asked him where his gas can was, he told me he didn't have one. He has owned this car for over thirty years, and all of that time, it has been his gas can.

Seriously, I can think of better ways to fill my equipment. Anyone else do this?

 

[sandman2234]

Not for gasoline, but I have been known to do it for diesel. In fact, at my last company, I got permission to use the 250 gallons of fuel on the truck as a backup to my Steiner/JDtractor/Fordtractor in case of a hurricane. I wanted enough fuel to run the Steiner, which has a 10kw generator for at least a week on available fuel, so with the companies permission, I don't have to keep an offroad tank in the backyard. With my limited consumption, a 250 gallon tank was out of the question. I don't drive the current companies truck home everyday, so I still have to figure out a source come hurricane season.
Thanks to Panera Bread for the connection to post this message.
David from jax

 

[scott_vt]

Seriously, I can think of better ways to fill my equipment. Anyone else do this?

Good Evenin AchingBack,
NO !

All kidding aside, Im considered fairly thrifty by some of my friends but this guy has one on me !

 

[MossRoad]

It's pretty easy to siphon gas from an older car since the fuel neck has few obstructions. You can do it without sucking the hose, though. Just push about 10 feet of clear fuel line hose into the tank, fold over the end to pinch it, pull the hose out until you see fuel in it and take the hose lower than the fuel tank. Unpinch the hose and the fuel will start flowing.

Or you can buy one of those siphons from the auto parts store that has about 10 feet of hose and a hand squeeze bulb with one-way valves. They work great for lawnmowers and small cans, but take a Looongggg time to fill a few gallons.

 

[Rara Avis]

OSH Answers: 2-Health Effects of Gasoline

 

[RollTideRam]

I tried it one time when I was 16. I burped gas for a week. JC

 

[sandman2234]

When siponing fuel, never suck on the end of the hose. There are better ways, as mentioned above.
David from jax

 

[Soundguy]

Mossroad gave some good advice on a safer way to syphon. I'd reserve mouth syphoning for dire emergencies when i had no other option and not much hose...

For the frequent syphoner.. there is a small hand-squeeze syphon hose/pump rig you can get cheap at the auto store.. and it rolls up nivce and neat to throw in the trunk / tool box.. has ? 3/8 tube.. ain't fast.. but tastes better!

soundguy

 

[LBrown59]

never suck on the end of the hose.
David from jax

I've herd that it can be fatal

 

[Bird]

I would not do it at all now, but as a teenager, I've done that more than once.

 

[LBrown59]

I would not do it at all now, but as a teenager, I've done that more than once.

so did i.

 

[YM-135trac]

If you seal around the hose in tank w/rag or something&blow(not suck) the tank will presurize and start a siphon in quick order I have found. unless your tank has a vent of some sort that won't allow pressurize?

 

[mjarrels]

Yep... From my younger days, I know what gas taste like...

mark

 

[Soundguy]

I'm sure most of us do.. or at least many of us.

soundguy

 

[MossRoad]

Not me... nope... never...

 

[MossRoad]

Eight bucks at Harbor Freight.

Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

 

[Rara Avis]

I'm smart...I always convinced someone else to do the job...

 

[sandman2234]

My old Chevy has a gas lid big enough to drop a dipper into it and just scoop it out. It is usually the one that needs the gas, though.
David from jax

 

[MikeD74T]

Every year I siphon excess gas from my snowmobiles, lawnmowers, & 4 wheelers before retiring them for the season. I siphon by mouth but use transparent tubing & can see the gas before it reaches the end of the tube. It ain't rocket science. MikeD74T

 

[MossRoad]

Every year I siphon excess gas from my snowmobiles, lawnmowers, & 4 wheelers before retiring them for the season. I siphon by mouth but use transparent tubing & can see the gas before it reaches the end of the tube. It ain't rocket science. MikeD74T

I wonder if modern fuel has additives to prevent the kinds of things that we have all heard about regarding gas turning to laquer, etc... I used to use Stabil in things that were going to get stored, but haven't in a long time and have seen no problems.

I have a 1985 Sears Craftsman with a BS 3.5HP that I have never drained the gas from, nor changed the oil. 22 years. It still starts on the first pull. Chain saws, weed eaters, snow blowers, lawn tractors never get the gas drained over winter, either. I also have a 1985 Chevy pickup that has sat next to the garage for at least four years with gas in it that fired right up a couple weeks ago with a good battery. Four year old gas in a carb and it didn't make a difference.