Fuel tank draining

Triple-S · Jan 30th, 2015, 08:56

I'm currently rejuvenating a friends Volvo 164, which has been dry-stored for ages. I've overhauled the carbs so it now runs from a small jar of fresh fuel, as that in the tank smells like chip-pan fat, so has to go.
The tank bottom has a small brassy plug with a square head, and a larger rubber or plastic plug with a countersunk square socket in it. This fits my 3/8" square drive socket set, but both are very stiff.
Question: which one should I apply more effort on, and can one buy a new plastic one if I damage the socket? Certainly don't want to shear the plug off into the tank.
Thanks if you can advise.

capt jack · Jan 30th, 2015, 13:02

Had exactly this issue when I renovated my old 1800ES.

One of the plugs will be the drain (the one nearer the middle), the other will give access to the little filter that's fitted over the tank pick-up. You'll need to get that out as I'd be 99% certain that little filter will be a mass of gunk.

The tank is mild steel, the drain plugs are brass into a brass bush, brazed into the tank.

If you get a bit enthusiastic with a socket and a breaker bar then there's a real danger that you could hoick the bush out of the tank altogether - which would be messy and rather terminal for the tank I guess.

I was lucky as mine did give way to some fairly gentle persuasion.

I guess that it wouldn't hurt to try generous amounts of penetrating fluid (not WD40). Obviously heating up the general area is ever so slightly a bad idea, but I wonder if some rapid cooling might help? Brass contracts when cooled I think, so it might just give enough to free it off, especially when combined with a generous dose of penetrating fluid? I'm thinking of the stuff that gas fitters use to temporarily freeze and block central heating pipes.

Do bear in mind that hitting things hard can cause sparks, so do take sensible precautions. Petrol is nasty volatile stuff, and old petrol even more so.

Cheers

Jack

PS: The old petrol drained out my ES ended up being used in my lawnmower - and the smell from the lawnmower exhaust was absolutely vile!

Jan 30th, 2015, 08:56	#1
Triple-S How Old? Last Online: May 31st, 2021 12:28 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: redhill	Fuel tank draining I'm currently rejuvenating a friends Volvo 164, which has been dry-stored for ages. I've overhauled the carbs so it now runs from a small jar of fresh fuel, as that in the tank smells like chip-pan fat, so has to go. The tank bottom has a small brassy plug with a square head, and a larger rubber or plastic plug with a countersunk square socket in it. This fits my 3/8" square drive socket set, but both are very stiff. Question: which one should I apply more effort on, and can one buy a new plastic one if I damage the socket? Certainly don't want to shear the plug off into the tank. Thanks if you can advise.

Jan 30th, 2015, 13:02	#2
capt jack VOC Member Last Online: May 21st, 2024 20:19 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Selby, North Yorkshire	Had exactly this issue when I renovated my old 1800ES. One of the plugs will be the drain (the one nearer the middle), the other will give access to the little filter that's fitted over the tank pick-up. You'll need to get that out as I'd be 99% certain that little filter will be a mass of gunk. The tank is mild steel, the drain plugs are brass into a brass bush, brazed into the tank. If you get a bit enthusiastic with a socket and a breaker bar then there's a real danger that you could hoick the bush out of the tank altogether - which would be messy and rather terminal for the tank I guess. I was lucky as mine did give way to some fairly gentle persuasion. I guess that it wouldn't hurt to try generous amounts of penetrating fluid (not WD40). Obviously heating up the general area is ever so slightly a bad idea, but I wonder if some rapid cooling might help? Brass contracts when cooled I think, so it might just give enough to free it off, especially when combined with a generous dose of penetrating fluid? I'm thinking of the stuff that gas fitters use to temporarily freeze and block central heating pipes. Do bear in mind that hitting things hard can cause sparks, so do take sensible precautions. Petrol is nasty volatile stuff, and old petrol even more so. Cheers Jack PS: The old petrol drained out my ES ended up being used in my lawnmower - and the smell from the lawnmower exhaust was absolutely vile! Last edited by capt jack; Jan 30th, 2015 at 13:04.

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