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1996 Bonneville SE 3.8L - How to siphon the gas – have been told there is a check valve in the gas tank filler and old method of running a hose down the filler tube no longer works.

Need to remove the gas so I can drop the gas tank in order to replace the fuel pump. Appreciate info on removing the gas and any tips on pulling the tank.

Thanks in advance - Tony

Yea, there is some sort of baffle in the filler neck to avoid people stealing your gas.

I think your options for emptying the tank are:

1) Disconnect the gas line and turn the car to run, so the pump can pump it all out (assuming pump still works)

2) remove the back seat and gain access to the pump. Remove it and now you can syphon out that hole. (I believe this will work)

Maybe a gearhead will step in and can give greater detail or more options.

If the pump runs at all, you can disconnect the fuel line at the engine and jump the fuel pump relay. Let the pump do the work. Otherwise, not sure?

I don't think you need to siphon the tank. Just use a piece of wood and a floor jack to hold the tank while you remove the straps. Yes it will be a little harder to get out of there, but at least you don't need to worry about siphoning.

I'll assume that the pump doesn't work, so option 1 isn't going to work.

the 92-99 body has no access hole unless you want to cut through the body...you dont want to do that.

harofreak00 wrote:the 92-99 body has no access hole unless you want to cut through the body...you dont want to do that.

I remember seeing an access point above the fuel tank area when I took mine apart. Must have been for other things instead.

Thanks for the come back, looks like I can disconnect the tank and drop it using a board on top of a floor jack.

Anyone bought a fuel pump - how much?? Dealer or parts house??

Arriva wrote:Thanks for the come back, looks like I can disconnect the tank and drop it using a board on top of a floor jack.

Anyone bought a fuel pump - how much?? Dealer or parts house??

Auto part store will be fine. Get a direct fit replacement and save the little headache of piecing it together.

I was able to siphon through the filler neck after a lot of hassle. So it is possible.

i would remove the filler tube. had to do this myself , actually was pretty easy, just remove the screws holding the fuel cap ,then there is a bracket on the filler tube hard line. then loosen clamp and pull off of tank then you have direct access to fuel to siphon

rharper wrote:i would remove the filler tube. had to do this myself , actually was pretty easy, just remove the screws holding the fuel cap ,then there is a bracket on the filler tube hard line. then loosen clamp and pull off of tank then you have direct access to fuel to siphon

Gotter done, pulled the filler tube like rharper said. Had to siphon out the gas, too heavy (yes, filled up the day before fuel pump crapped out). Plus the gas would have slushed/spilled out during removal of the tank. Oh, and there is no access from the back seat or trunk.

Auto Zone pump $93.00; just hope I won't regret getting the OEM pump from Pontiac/GM Dealer ($216.00).

I used a 5 Ton floor jack; managed to drop the back of the tank down and slide it out. By doing it this way did not have to remove the exhaust heat shield which is riveted. Also removed the exhaust from Cat back; PB Blaster was a must.

Thanks for all the input and suggestions.

don't know if you removed the exhaust for a reason, it is just that you don't have to to remove the tank. At the most, you just need to remove the brackets at the tips and swing the whole assembly to the side a little.

sonoma_zr2 wrote:don't know if you removed the exhaust for a reason, it is just that you don't have to to remove the tank. At the most, you just need to remove the brackets at the tips and swing the whole assembly to the side a little.

I decided to drop the exhaust because it made it easier working on my back on a creeper. Also I was not sure if I could get the gas tank out without removing the exhaust heat shield so I needed the exhaust pipe out of the way to allow me to lay directly under the gas tank and pull it down from the rear in order to slide it down and out from above the shield.

Good job Arriva! Even if the exhaust didn't need to come down, you did something that most people can not.