(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

Stumbled into an easy solution

L

Logan in SE Texas

Member
I'm helping a neighbor who lost everything from flooding due to Harvey. He has a Toro zero turn with a 23hp Kawasaki engine. We were working on it and needed to get the old gas out of the tank and it wasn't draining well at all. I tried blowing on the fill hole but it was too big to get a good seal. After pondering the situation and scanning around my shop I stumbled onto a solution. I got my electric leaf blower and stuck it in the fill hole and gave it a few shots and it pushed all the nasty gas out, had some clumps of stuff come out too. My neighbor thought that this trick was the neatest thing and i was just happy to get the tank completely empty. blew out all the hoses with air compressor, hooked everything back up and poured in a can of Seafoam and some fresh gas. Haven't got to the point of trying to start engine yet but at least we know it will have fresh clean gas.
 
As others have said, the electric leaf blower was NOT a good idea!

Since you had compressed air to use, a rag wrapped around the air nozzle would have created the needed seal at the tank opening.
 
A gaggle of alarmist for nothing!!! Some of you should just stay safely in bed.
 
I disagree with JMOR in principle. If the leaf blower had a 20 ft hose on it, or a blow port on a shop vac with 20 ft of hose, It would be safe. I see the issue being one of using a hose into a container to prevent splashing and potential fire/explosion of the pushed out material. Risky, uncertain practices are not advisable even if it worked once. The Challenger disaster was clearly an example of a problem waiting to happen. Jim
 
And so, the "safety police" come out of the woodwork to tell you what you did wrong.

Don't forget to add that your insurance might not cover that.
 
(quoted from post at 11:21:41 12/01/17) I disagree with JMOR in principle. If the leaf blower had a 20 ft hose on it, or a blow port on a shop vac with 20 ft of hose, It would be safe. I see the issue being one of using a hose into a container to prevent splashing and potential fire/explosion of the pushed out material. Risky, uncertain practices are not advisable even if it worked once. The Challenger disaster was clearly an example of a problem waiting to happen. Jim
Click to expand...
ell, Jan, everything is a disaster waiting to happen! Crossing a street for example. Good to know valuable info such as 20 feet is beyond the greatest distance gas vapor can travel and still ignite.
 
I don't see the real danger in what you did.

Big difference in blowing into a tank than sucking fumes out with a shop vac.
 
Whats not being factored in is the fuel/oxygen ratio for inition, plus gasoline vapors are heavier than air so they will sink to ground level. Most any shop will have gasoline emmitting vapors while electric motors operate.
 
(quoted from post at 10:21:41 12/01/17) I disagree with JMOR in principle. If the leaf blower had a 20 ft hose on it, or a blow port on a shop vac with 20 ft of hose, It would be safe. I see the issue being one of using a hose into a container to prevent splashing and potential fire/explosion of the pushed out material. Risky, uncertain practices are not advisable even if it worked once. The Challenger disaster was clearly an example of a problem waiting to happen. Jim
Click to expand...

10 out of 10 engineers that dealt with the o-rings told NASA not to launch at those temperatures. NASA had the president coming and really wanted to launch so they ignored the engineers unanimous response that NASA themselves asked for. They asked for professional and sound advice and completely ignored it, with predictable result. Someone should have been tried for manslaughter or negligent homicide.
 
(quoted from post at 10:55:08 12/01/17) I don't see the real danger in what you did.

Big difference in blowing into a tank than sucking fumes out with a shop vac.
Click to expand...

Yes,Yes big difference. with vacuum you are pulling fumes right into the motor. With blower you are pushing air.
 
Wow, I didn't expect the alarmist nature of some of the reply's. The leaf blower motor was approx. 3 feet above the gas tank fill hole AND I had a 42" shop fan blowing on us AND this took place in the opening of a 10' roll up door. I work in the petro-chemical industry and am well versed in all aspects of safety. When I hit upon this idea I considered the possible dangers and concluded that what I was doing would be safe. I even discussed the situation with my neighbor (retail/insurance salesman) and he had no objections and he has seen a lot of claims over the years from Darwin Awards candidates. YES, there WAS a possibility for something bad to happen, there ALWAYS IS in almost every task that we do in our shops and around our machines.
 
Hello Ken,



NO NO NO, Not all vacuum are created equal. A shop vac has a
vacuum side and a positive loutlet. It could be used as
well as an low pressure air hose,

Guido.
 
One big problem with posts now of days is; people read into them what they want to read instead of what they read.
 
(quoted from post at 10:27:09 12/01/17) Don't forget to add that your insurance might not cover that.
Click to expand...

Insurance never pays for the stuff that goes right.

But, always for the stuff that goes wrong.
 
ggb, there was also a whistle blower at Morton - Thiokol (the tank manufacture)
that knew the o-rigs were defective. He also was shut down.
 
I was more worried about the blower making a static spark with it maybe being used in a dusty condition before this, since both tanks are plastic and noticing static in the air around here and the dryness.
 
I use a outboard gas hose with a bulb and open ends to drain
gas from tanks and cans. Works well and will siphon
if the tank or can is high enough.
 
(quoted from post at 12:29:11 12/01/17)
(quoted from post at 11:21:41 12/01/17) I disagree with JMOR in principle. If the leaf blower had a 20 ft hose on it, or a blow port on a shop vac with 20 ft of hose, It would be safe. I see the issue being one of using a hose into a container to prevent splashing and potential fire/explosion of the pushed out material. Risky, uncertain practices are not advisable even if it worked once. The Challenger disaster was clearly an example of a problem waiting to happen. Jim
Click to expand...
ell, Jan, everything is a disaster waiting to happen! Crossing a street for example. Good to know valuable info such as 20 feet is beyond the greatest distance gas vapor can travel and still ignite.
Click to expand...

Thanks goodness he didn't mention a radial arm saw being in the shop, near a buzz saw run by a flat belt that he uses to block up wood that he's going to split with a Stickler type splitter. Certain death!!! :lol:
 
The only way there would have been any danger is if the leaf blower spontaneously turned into a leaf sucker, and started throwing sparks at the same time.

Pushing air into the tank was creating a lean condition, and the fuel would not ignite if you held a lit match in the tank.
 
Huh, being as how my leaf blower is gas powered I really didn't see what all the fuss was about. :lol:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
460 LP
Replies
2
Views
283
Old-F20
O
B
Used Homemade Log Splitter Help
Replies
9
Views
2K
WI Dan
WI Dan
A
JD 3020 Zenith Carb
Replies
5
Views
240
ajhbike
A
D
Rebuilt Carb Leaking into the Manifold
Replies
8
Views
328
DRDuetarg
D
C
String Trimmer Help
Replies
13
Views
1K
UncleTom
UncleTom
Tractor Parts Tractor Manuals

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy

Back
Top