Draining Prado Fuel Tanks

Submitted: Friday, May 11, 2007 at 20:08
ThreadID: 45367 Views:22923 Replies:8 FollowUps:10
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Hello Everyone who wants a good laugh at my expense.
With my brain in neutral gear this afternoon I managed (with no trouble at all) to put 114 litres of unleaded into my diesel Prado. I have drained the sub tank but am lost with the main tank and how to drain it. I have taken the tank shields off and on the main tank there appears to be no drainage plug. I can see two rubber looking "things" in the bottom of the tank but can not see a way to easily remove them to see if there is a plug behind.
Any advice on how to proceed to get rid of the petrol will be appreciated.
Cheers, Trev
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Reply By: GerryP - Friday, May 11, 2007 at 20:19

Friday, May 11, 2007 at 20:19
Trevor, don't feel bad mate - I've done it twice already. First time I realised after topping up with 10 litres in the main tank. Drove home on the sub tank, but eventually worked up the courage to simply run it on the mixture with no ill effects at all.

Second time I filled up the whole main tank and put some 15 litres in the sub tank before I realised. I then topped up the sub tank (185 litre) with diesel and drove home on the resultant mixture.

Providing you don't go more than about 10% ulp in the mix, I am told it won't hurt. Not that I would do it deliberately mind you.

Don't know about you mate, but maybe it's got something to do with getting older? :)

Cheers
Gerry

AnswerID: 239360

Follow Up By: Member - Trevor - Friday, May 11, 2007 at 20:48

Friday, May 11, 2007 at 20:48
Hello GerryP - The main tank was about 1/4 full so the mixture is pretty strong. I just can't believe there is no drainage for the main tank. It has to be there somewhere. Cheers, Trev
PS Getting older could be the problem. Walking into a room and saying "what am I here for" is a problem
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Follow Up By: Blaze - Friday, May 11, 2007 at 21:04

Friday, May 11, 2007 at 21:04
Hi Trevor with a mate having water possibly in his fuel system of his Nissan he took it to the dealer and home made cupboards had to be removed so diesel could be pumped out from the top and the tank wiped out. Seems manufacturers don't believe these vehicles will ever need the fuel tanks drained..
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Follow Up By: D-Jack - Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 02:20

Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 02:20
The other day I went to fill up only for the 2nd time with my new LPG injection. Filled up with LPG, then went into the store to tell the console operator that I wasn't driving off, I was just moving to go and get some diesel. Drove to the diesel pump area, took the nozzle off the hook, wouldn't squirt any diesel. By about 20 seconds I was getting really sick and tired of waiting for the operator to activate my pump, then he runs out and tells me that I'm trying to put unleaded in my diesel tank! Do you think I was thankful firstly I had told him what I was doing and secondly that he was switched on enough to know what I was doing wrong! In my defence, there are three pumps together in a completely separate part of the station, one is large nozzle diesel, the other small nozzle diesel, the other ULP! I assumed they were all diesel!

D-Jack

p.s.good luck working out how to drain the tank
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Follow Up By: Blaze - Sunday, May 13, 2007 at 20:57

Sunday, May 13, 2007 at 20:57
D-Jack, it sounds scary to me if a Diesel/LPG vehicle with ULP. I am hoping that it wouldn't run if it had been filled like this. I can only imagine the vehicle starting on what was left in the pump and then getting a gut full of ULP/LPG mix Hmmmmmmm.
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Reply By: Stu050 - Friday, May 11, 2007 at 21:05

Friday, May 11, 2007 at 21:05
Can you get a hose into the filler to siphon or pump out the petrol?

does the workshop manual indicate a drain bung on the main tank?

A phone call to toyota may help.
AnswerID: 239382

Reply By: Member - Doug67 (NSW) - Friday, May 11, 2007 at 21:15

Friday, May 11, 2007 at 21:15
I have the current model Hilux and did the same, full tank load, towed it home without starting the motor.Mine was a tank out job, I used the chance to put in a long range tank not that the Parado needs one of those. What happens when your in the outback and get a bad batch of diesel with no drain plug. You'll have no luck siphoning either, I would say get the tools out and start removing.
AnswerID: 239392

Follow Up By: Graham & Lynne - Friday, May 11, 2007 at 21:33

Friday, May 11, 2007 at 21:33
How I do it as I work @ a service station & have 2 customers a month with your problem use a 12volt electric fuel pump & connect it to fuel supply line at fuel filter
a just pump fuel out.
Other option take fuel line off at fuel filter and pressurise fuel tank with compressed air it is a bit slower but cost less.

from graham
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Follow Up By: Member - Trevor - Friday, May 11, 2007 at 21:57

Friday, May 11, 2007 at 21:57
Hello Graham & Lynne - Thank you for your advice. I'll give the compressed air a go as time is not a problem. I still can't believe there is there is no drain plug. Trev
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Reply By: Member - Royce- Friday, May 11, 2007 at 21:53

Friday, May 11, 2007 at 21:53
Did the same with my wife's hilux. Had to use a hose to syphon out. Got 50litres left of the diesel fuel mix. Slowly adding it here and there to various vehicles. A few 100 mls at a time.... not going to waste it!!
AnswerID: 239408

Reply By: nowimnumberone - Friday, May 11, 2007 at 23:33

Friday, May 11, 2007 at 23:33
i havnt had to fill a diesel for years but i do remember when you pull the hose out there used to be a lever you had to push before it starts pumping.
have they got rid of that idea and if not how do you fill a diesel tank after tank and push the lever time and time again and then not notice it when you put in unleaded?
lol
AnswerID: 239445

Reply By: TassieDave - Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 07:52

Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 07:52
The workshop manual for my 2001 prado show a drain for the main tank about 4 inches to the side with no need to take the guard off. You don't say which model prado you have, if its the same latter on when it warms up I'll have a look on mine.
Dave
AnswerID: 239478

Follow Up By: TassieDave - Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 10:13

Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 10:13
Just had a look at mine, has a drain plug on the drivers side just like the workshop manual said. There are 3 cutout's in the cover the drain is in the one closest to the side.
Dave
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Follow Up By: Member - Trevor - Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 13:22

Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 13:22
Hello Tassie Dave - My Prado is a 2006. I've had another look and there are no drain plugs. Cheers, Trev
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Reply By: Footloose - Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 09:46

Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 09:46
Trevor, it's a lot more common than you think ! I've done it before, and my wife once put diesel into her Corona. Couldnt work out why it was blowing smoke and the consumption was crazy, until I smelled the fuel.
Easy to do, especially if its an unfamiliar fuel station.
AnswerID: 239501

Reply By: LCRUZA (VIC) - Sunday, May 13, 2007 at 12:04

Sunday, May 13, 2007 at 12:04
We did the CSR in 2005 and ended up with 10Lt of water in a Prado fuel tanks from a jerry can.

We ended up drilling a hole in the main tank to empty it.

Good luck.

Ron
AnswerID: 239693

Follow Up By: Member - Trevor - Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 22:49

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 22:49
Hello LCruza - The thought did cross my mind!!!!!! The drill was close by. I suppose I could get a plug fitted? Cheers, Trev
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Follow Up By: LCRUZA (VIC) - Wednesday, May 16, 2007 at 11:30

Wednesday, May 16, 2007 at 11:30
We used a 2 part epoxy to plug the hole which was OK but it weeped a little. I think in the end a new tank was fitted when he got home.

Ron
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