Hotblack

Hello all, first post so my apologies for what could be an easy fix but I'm not a mechanic so please go easy on me.

I've had a Focus 1.8 TDCi hatchback sat in a garage for 3 years waiting to be converted to Spanish plates with a 1/4 of a tank of diesel in it. I realise now I shouldn't have just left it like that but from what I've read, the fuel has gone bad and needs to come out. I've tried syphoning it but all methods on YouTube have failed. I've looked under the back seats but can't get access to the pump to syphon it that way and I tried disconnecting a fuel line, turning the ignition switch a couple of notches but that didn't produce any fuel either. I’ve read quite a few people saying that this method works but they all assumed the person reading knew where about to disconnect the fuel line. I have attached a photo of where I disconnected the line as there is a nice easy joint but I’m guessing this may not be the right place to do it?

So in a nutshell, what’s the best way to drain ¼ of a tank of diesel and if it is by disconnecting a fuel line at the engine and turning the ignition on and off, where about do I disconnect it?

PS I’ve changed the battery and the oil (and filter) but I’m a little hesitant about changing fuel filters as I’ve read too many posts about cars not starting because of air in the system and not being primed and then I start to feel out of my depth so was hoping to just remove the fuel and then let the garage change the fuel filter and air filters (haven’t even looked into that yet) and whatever else should be changed after sitting for 3 years.

Caddyshack

If you look left next to the bit you have circled there is a silver round thing with a fuel line going in to it, it then has 1-2 more pipes andf a red plug under it, this should be the fuel pressure regulator, I expect if you take one of those off you will get the fuel.

If not I would locate the fuel pump and go off there.

Hotblack

Thanks for the suggestion Caddyshack but I'm really struggling to get any pipe to come off. The one on the left of the pressure regulator would seem to be the easiest but after a good 10 minutes of huffing and puffing and twisting, couldn't shift it 1mm. Then spotted the red connector at the end coming of the regulator and as I had managed to pull apart the white one (how hard can it be? You just prize open one side with a flat screwdriver and they come apart, right? No chance. 10 more minutes of pulling and twisting and levering with a large screwdriver. I got it to move 1mm but not enough for it to give up and come off. I don't know how you guys do this, it's like some evil mastermind has created connectors that once closed, never open again. Is there some clever technique I should use to get the pipe to the left of the regulator to come off? It seems so tight on there that it's not meant to come off.

Edit
As the only pipe I seem to be able to remove is the one circled, I had another go as logically, the pipe is either coming from the tank or going to the engine so if I put a container on both ends, one of them should give me some fuel when I turn the ignition key. I tried 4 times but still not a drop and it turns out it's not a 1/4 of a tank but just under a half.

2nd edit
I managed to attach a pipe to the fuel filter (by removing the easy to remove connector, not the stuck on for good pipe) and turn the ignition on and off a dozen times but not a drop of fuel came through. Is this a sign that my fuel is so bad it won't even pass through the pipes? Any thoughts?

Hotblack

No access from under the back seats, just a small hole for the electrical connection. Had a look underneath at the tank and the two fuel pipes go into the top of the tank, one with yellow tape on it, the other red, so even disconnecting one won't drain it. If I'm not getting any fuel through the filter when I turn the ignition on, does that mean I have a pump problem? I've read about jumping the relay to pump the fuel out which may be the next option but I'm worried I may have created an air lock by pulling the fuel pipe apart, (the one ringed).

Hopefully someone will be able to point me in the right direction, standing by

Edit: Rather than make another post, I'll add another edit here.

This was from a guy with a 1.6TDCi C-Max

"I disconnected the fuel filter inlet hose (white collar on my car) and inserted some 10mm OD poly tubing (9mm plus some electrical tape!) as suggested by kevmond, but (I think because I had previously tried to syphon from further up the line) I couldn't seem to suck anything through. So I dragged my compressor out of the garage, wrapped an old bike tyre inner tube round the outlet line and pressed firmly into the fuel filler nozzle. This formed an acceptable seal and allowed me to pressurise the tank - I had the regulator turned down slightly so as not to over-pressurise the tank and break anything. This then forced the fuel out of my poly-pipe into a handily placed container. 20 litres transferred in 5-10 mins. I then put 3-4 litres of diesel in the tank and pressurised again - as soon as the flow out was steady and bubble free I removed the poly pipe and jammed the hose back on the filter inlet. After filling the tank to the brim with fresh diesel, I started the car and it ran straight away, really smooth! It seems that my lightning-fast pipe-swapping was sufficiently quick! Really happy, as there is no manual bleeding attachment on my paticular model and according to kevmond there is no in-tank lift pump either - I was expecting hours of bleeding air with improvised tat and swearing!

As I tried to syphon out the fuel, I'm wondering if I have caused some lack of pressure in the tank? I don't have a compressor so is it time to throw in the towel and call the garage to tow it away and drain (and re-pressurise)? Shame as I was thinking I was so close to getting the better of the thing.

Hotblack

Sorry for adding to my thread but I've just had a light-bulb moment. All the posts and videos I've seen that show fuel being pumped out by turning the ignition on and off didn't mention the need for a lift pump to get the fuel from the tank to the fuel-filter (I think I've got that right). So does that mean because the Focus 1.8TDCi doesn't have the lift pump, this method of emptying the tank is a non starter? So am I back to jumping the relay and trying to pump it out that way? Never done anything like that before so will wait to hear from one of you guys that knows what they are doing, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing...and all that.

geordiegooner

Why do you need it out? Unless it's contaminated with water ect it doesn't go off

Hotblack

Well bugger me! I started searching a couple of weeks ago for "what to do when your car has been sitting for three years" and pretty much every page I found said "change the battery and all the fluids (fuel, oil, flush the radiator maybe even change the brake fluid)". Thinking about it, they all kept mentioning squirting oil into the spark plugs which was a pretty big clue they weren't talking about diesel.....I'm starting to feel a little bit silly.

I've just done another search specifically for diesel and all those posts I saw have disappeared, It would seem Americans don't use diesel for little cars. There was talk about adding additives to 'help' the diesel stay fresh, is that worth doing or in your experience, if it has sat in a relatively warm water free underground garage, it should be fine?

Thanks for replying, you've just made my day! Shame about the fuel cans and pipes and general fannying about to various DIY stores, I'm sure they'll come in handy one day.

geordiegooner

I would just fill it to the brim with fresh diesel but change fuel filter in engine bay.just make sure you fill filter with fresh diesel and keep topping it up to get air out. (Or just tow around till.it starts)

Hotblack

Just a quick question, some people have had problems with their 1.8TDCi's and cheaper fuel filters and once they fitted a "genuine Ford fuel filter" everything was fine. I can't seem to find out what a genuine Ford fuel filter is but if you had to chose between the MANN-FILTER - Ref: PU 7002 x (£24.60) and the KNECHT - Ref: KX 229D (£32.50) which would you choose? I ask because the Knecht is only €9.99 on their Spanish website and the Mann is €35.60. Seems a bit of a no brainier but I'm not familiar with Knecht but I've heard of Mann and I'd rather get a good one than a cheap one.

PS I'll use the 6mm pipe I bought for syphoning and make a primer pump, told you it would come in handy!

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

Leave it as is. Any messing with the fuel system is just going to introduce air and give you problems. We use some stuff from wurth at work called diesel cure, it is supposed to make any contaminated or watered down diesel combustible.

Hotblack

Shame I didn't come here earlier as I've already been messing with the fuel system in trying to pump the fuel out. I've still got a 6mm pipe connected to the fuel filter with the other end in a Jerrycan and I fear I may have let air into the system when I pulled the pipe apart (ringed). I was planning to suck out any air in the fuel filter with the bulb primer (when it arrives), fill the tank and then start it and if it runs, use up the old fuel, fill the tank again and when that is low, change the filter (hence the recommendation on which one to get).

I don't know if my diesel has been watered down, it probably hasn't. I guess I should wait and see if it fires up and runs before adding Diesel Cure, do you know if it can do more harm than good if the diesel doesn't need curing?

GVK.

For anyone trying to get fuel out Fords don't fit an in tank lift pump in the majority of DIESEL cars.

Hotblack

Just wanted to give a quick update to this thread incase anyone else leaves their Ford Focus sitting for 3 years. After pulling some fuel through the filter with my hand pump (to try and get any air out that I'd let it by fannying about with the fuel line) it started on the 6th attempt. I let it rest for 30 seconds between attempts as I didn't want to put too much strain on the battery and after a couple of false starts and 3 failed starts, it fired up just fine.