Fuel Tank - Draining

Just run the factory fuel pumps to pump the fuel out of the tanks. You just have to jump the 30 and 87 terminals at the pump relay socket in the front fuse box to activate each pump (The pin designations are market on the relay). You don't need to turn the key on as the 30 terminal is powered all the time. Stop the pump as soon as the fuel starts to run low. It is not good for the pump to run with no fuel going through it. Connect hoses to the outlets of the fuel filters and route them into your catch container.

 

just loosen the center hose between the 2 tanks

 

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That way you can take it out in manageable-sized small chunks (like 1/2~1 gallon) into a small opening container for transfer to another car, if it's fresh, or to another more permanent (and safe) container for later disposal. Gasoline is really "thin", and rushes out of a drain plug opening really fast -- nor do you want more than a litre, or so, in a drain pan with a large exposed surface area.

 

Taking out the drain plug works only if you have a large (25+ Gallon) catch container that has a large funnel with anti-splash foam. The fuel rushes out very quickly and can make a large dangerous mess if you don't have such a set-up. Most people and shops don't.

 

Working with gas is dangerous. Make sure you don't have things around that can start fire like a old bulb style shop light dropped on the ground to ignite spilled gas. I always think about how far my job will go and run fuel out the rail via hot wired fuel pumps. It is safest and most controlled. You have to use more careful thought if engine out already. If your project has taken more time than you thought and you worry about old gas as the reason to drain the tank don't worry. Old gas burns. Unintentionally, I once had gas in a fuel injected mondial cab. for 2 years. I added some new gas put a new battery in and started the car. I drove it home for the Major. The dusty car with 2 year old gas ran fine.

 

One cup of gasoline can do as much damage as dynamite!!! You see guys starting old cars by dumping gas from a container down the carb while starting! Very bad. A guy was doing this and the engine backfired and burned him severely.

 

if you handle carefully nothing can happen

 

If your up on a lift and there is only a few gallons shouldn't be a problem draining from the drain plug. I drained about 12 gallons from my tank using two 7 gal jugs and a large funnel but it took 2 of us to do a quick transition to the other jug without spinning a drop.

 

I just pumped the fuel out of a 3/4 full Testarossa during an engine out service. The fuel was seven years old and smelled terrible. I powered up the left side fuel pump by jumping the relay in the fusebox as previously described. I took the inlet fitting out of the left side fuel filter and put a hose over the threaded and ran it into a drum. It took about ten minutes for the one pump to pump the fuel out. I then tried to run the right pump, but no fuel came out. I then removed the fuel drain plug on the bottom of the cross-over pipe and only a cup of fuel came out. So just using the regular pump will get almost all of the fuel out no fuss, no mess or spillage.

 

When I changed the fuel pump, and crossover hoses on my TR, I also removed the small fuel tank strainers before the pumps in the tanks. Mine were clean. Worth a look!

 

Merry Xmas to you too Vince !

Any spectaculair repairs to do next to the usual EO ?

You did the diff last time if I recall correct ?

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