Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Getting Something Out of the Gas Tank Feed Line / Hose


As you know, I have been working on my trailer. I posted several things recently about polishing my trailer and fixing leaks etc. 



I took and stored my trailer and brought my suburban home and it had over half a tank of gas in it. I live on a dark street in a small town and for some reason, so many times over the past 20 years, someone syphons gas out of our cars. Two of our cars gas floats have been damaged so we can't tell how much gas we have. 

Years back, I put a lock on my suburban tank. I locked the doors on my car but I guess that didn't lock the back doors and someone stole several things out of the car and I kept a gas tank key in the glove box. Well, they took that key and every time I get in it to use it, it is empty. 

When I brought it home from storing the trailer, it had over $50 in gas still in the tank. I have a gas syphon pump so I filled a few gas cans and filled both of our cars with gas from the suburban but when I pulled out the syphon pump, the tube disconnected and left the hose inside the gas line to the gas tank. 

I called my mechanic asking him what I should do as I knew it had a rubber stopper at the end and having that in the gas over time would disintegrate and maybe gum up the fuel system as I don't use it but a few times a year.  

I LOVE my mechanic, he is such a good man and helps me so many times over the years. He suggested I go buy a little tool that has a clamp hand on the bottom of it and you push the pump action at the top and the little metal clamps come out and then grab the item and then you can pull it out. He wasn't sure where one would be but thought Ace may sell one. He told me if that didn't work, there was a hose that goes into the gas tank that can be undone and we could take that off and get to the hose as it was probably still stuck in that line. 

I found the cool little tool at Ace for under $5 and it was really kind of fun to play with and could be useful to get items behind the dresser or dryer. My mechanic said his disappeared one day so I think I will give the tool to him. Anyway, I tried to use the tool but the flap on the tank opening kept closing down so when I tried to pull the tool out, it kept getting caught and since I couldn't see the tube so it was just guessing at where to try it. It only took one or two tries for me to know it wouldn't work. 

I then looked under the car and saw that the hose was just held on by a screw clamp so instead of having to take it to the mechanic and pay him to do it, I just climbed under the car and did it myself. I took a video showing how easy it was. I got the hose off and I pulled it down to look and the syphon tube was right inside that rubber hose. I used a screw driver to get the hose out of the gas-line hose as it wasn't that far into the hose. 

I put it back and clamped it on again and I was surprised how easy it was. I have never done much under a car before so that was fun. I am grateful I didn't have to take it to the mechanic. 

It is amazing to me how many things I have learned to do over the years due to not having the funds to hire someone to do it. It was nice to be able to fill Princess Five's car as well as mine with the gas that would have been lost saving me two fill ups at the gas station and finishing the trailer and getting it stored and ready for winter. I LOVE getting things off my "to do" list! 

Have a Blessed Day! 

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