Getting fuel out of underground tank??

I've got 500 gallons of fuel oil in my home heating oil tank (which I no longer need the house). I'm having trouble getting it OUT of the tank to use in the truck. (We'll worry about "off-road diesel issues" later.)

I don't have, nor can I afford right now, an electric pump that will pull it up from the tank. And I was, just now, very disappointed to see that the fuel will not drain by gravity from the copper lines left in the house!! Do those lines (or at least the supply line) SIPHON the fuel out, or does the furnace actually provide suction to pump the fuel up and out of the tank? (Unfortunately, all of the old parts of the furnace went away with the heat pump installers!)

If the old supply siphons the fuel, perhaps I could pressurize the tank enough to get it started?

Any ideas would be great!!

I got a small drill driven pump from Northern Tool (I think) for about $70 if you can swing that.

It was rated for fuel and you really should get one that is rated that way. Just hook a couple of hoses up to it, one in and one out.

You could use very low pressure to push it out, but you would have to be extremely careful doing that. Fuel oil storage tanks like the ones you're dealing with are not pressure rated, plus you would have to seal up the tank vents and other small air leaks. If it were me I would plumb in an air fitting with a ball valve and a pressure gauge and use just enough pressure to move the fuel out. NOT exceeding about 20 to 30 lbs max!!! You should only need a few pounds (probably no more than 5 to 10) to push the fuel.

DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK AND COMFORT LEVEL!!!!!!!!

don't even think of using pressure to get it out of the tank. if you rupture the tank an oil spill will go into the hundred thousand dollars and you're homeowners ins will say sorry pal !!!!!!!

Use air pressure to push it out. All you need is about 3 or 4 psi to do it. I have a couple of vacuum tanks that I use. If you want to use them you are welcome. I am just south of you.

Oh, and you may want to make sure that the tank isn't already leaking and taking on water. Use clear tubing taped to a long stick and dip it into the tank and pull it up slowly so that you can see if there is any fuel oil or water.

A compromised tank is an EPA nightmare waiting to happen.

Of course no one cared when a drunk driver took at a telephone pole in front of our house four weeks ago and drained gas and oil killing grass and most likely making it to our creek.

buy a cheap electric pump and hoses, or a manual pump and have at it

Shop Vac

or try a fuel transfer pump with a long hose on the pick up and stick it down in the tank and manually pump the fuel out just as you would with a 55 gal drum

As for air pressure, I was just going to use my little tiny air compressor stuck in the vent pipe, sealed with my HAND, while someone in the basement filled the container! Now THAT's high tech!!

I have emptied several tanks and it is a breeze. In fact I have 500 gallons stashed in an underground tank for my generator and trucks. I use a diaphram pump (Sandpiper Pump) to pull out the oil. The pumps are safe for flammable and combustible liquids. The work great off deuce air pressure. Rent a 1" pump and it will empty out you tank in less than 20 minutes with 60-90 psi air supply.

I do quite a bit of transfers with a cheap generic electric fuel pump

Recovry4x4 said:

I do quite a bit of transfers with a cheap generic electric fuel pump

Click to expand...

That is pretty much what I was going to suggest.

Just hit the local auto parts store and pick up one of those cheap little "ticker" electric fuel pumps. Plumb it into the line, hook it up to a 12 volt battery and let it fill your containers. It is a bit slow, but it will get the job done fairly cheaply and cleanly. You'll find other uses for it later too, I'm sure.

i just hook up my 24 volt 1.5" transfer pump and in abou 15 minutes that tank is empty bring on the next one please oh i do have some for sale and hoses too

Maybe more work than you intended but there's always digging out the tank. It's probably no deeper than the bottom of your basement. If you've got a straight shot down the filler neck then just drop a line with a nut attached down in. You'll know when the nut hits the bottom 'cause the pull on the string will lessen. Pull it out and you'll know both how much fuel is in the tank and how far down the bottom of the tank is.

I've you've replaced the furnace with a heat pump; leaving the old tank in the ground is kinda foolish as it's eventually going to start to leak and then you'll be dealing with the hazmat boys-- they'll be the ones whose sense of humor was surgically removed the day they were handed their hazmat certification.

Use an air operated pump if you can. I have one you can use if you don't mind shipping it back to me later. You can run it with air pressure from the deuce.

harber tools has both the electric pump and a very nice hand crank pump for pretty cheap, if you live near one of their stores

I'm not sure of your set up, but my old house had a fuel tank in the basement...if it were me I'd just fill up my jerry cans in the basement and haul them up the stairs to fill up the truck...if that is an option anyway...

If speed is not an issue, a cheap 12v automotive pump will get it done eventually.