How to Remove Fuel from Gas Tank on 1999 Trans Am

[GaryYarber]

Hi There, I have a 1999 Trans Am which has been sitting for several years which now has about an 1/8 of a tank of fuel. I have started the car occasionally and it starts and runs fine. However, I am concerned about running the remaining fuel thru the engine. What is the best way to approach this problem. Would adding a fuel additive and a full tank of gas to dilute the remaining fuel take care of the problem. Or should I remove the remaining gas from the tank. If so, how do I remove the fuel? Thanks for your help.

[autopartshaven]

The easiest way would probably to be siphon the gas out rather than dropping the tank and pulling the fuel pump out and drain the fuel that way. This guy uses a pump to pump it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp3Sl9VUcN0

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by GaryYarber

Hi There, I have a 1999 Trans Am which has been sitting for several years which now has about an 1/8 of a tank of fuel. I have started the car occasionally and it starts and runs fine. However, I am concerned about running the remaining fuel thru the engine. What is the best way to approach this problem. Would adding a fuel additive and a full tank of gas to dilute the remaining fuel take care of the problem. Or should I remove the remaining gas from the tank. If so, how do I remove the fuel? Thanks for your help.

with a small amount of fuel of 4 gallons IF 20 gallon tank that would be about 1/8 plus on the gauge. 4 gallons times 8 = 32 lbs. tank itself is very light.

I would drop tank and drain and add more fuel to clean it out good. even remove fuel pump and replace it . check the wiring to pump also at this time..

with alcohol fuels 2 years with stabilizer at the max amount is all you can get. the old gas should be disposed of. I found a gas station that used old gas/oil to heat the building. I had 10 gallons from my boat tank.

with injectors don't take a chance. also replace the fuel filter..

If you want to do a short cut using a hose to syphon it out will work ,but not all will come out and the fuel makes particles that settle at the tank bottom not good for the injectors. if you do suck gas out and see particles then you know the tank must be dropped and cleaned..

[Tech II]

Jcat, I would only drop a tank on this car, ONLY to replace a fuel pump....they are a nightmare to get out of the vehicle....you have to drop the rear end, and jack the rear of the car way up in the air, to have enough clearance to get the tank out.....the main problem is, in GM's stupid design, they had a solid fill pipe going to the fuel tank...stupid, stupid, stupid....why? I have no idea...and get this, to top it off, they had a recall on the "weld" of the fill pipe to the tank....

Not knowing where this vehicle has been, it could be all rusted under there, leading to more problems....

I would replace the fuel filter, then just fill it with fresh fuel....that car is meant to be driven ....drive it or sell it....

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by Tech II

Jcat, I would only drop a tank on this car, ONLY to replace a fuel pump....they are a nightmare to get out of the vehicle....you have to drop the rear end, and jack the rear of the car way up in the air, to have enough clearance to get the tank out.....the main problem is, in GM's stupid design, they had a solid fill pipe going to the fuel tank...stupid, stupid, stupid....why? I have no idea...and get this, to top it off, they had a recall on the "weld" of the fill pipe to the tank....

Not knowing where this vehicle has been, it could be all rusted under there, leading to more problems....

I would replace the fuel filter, then just fill it with fresh fuel....that car is meant to be driven ....drive it or sell it....

with that bad news I would then set the fuel pump to run with a fused jumper on the prime wire run the pump with my pressure gauge and fuel dump valve open and when the fuel stops put another 2 gallons in the tank and repeat. this should get most of the mess out. then replace the fuel filter again. that should be good enough .

cut open filter see how bad it is rust/alcohol white debris..