Table of Contents

Car vacuum cleaners come in many designs and forms, the most common of which is the handheld car vacuum. Top 15 Best Car Vacuum Cleaners in 2018 cleaner.
Car vacuum cleaners come in many designs and forms, the most common of which is the handheld car vacuum. Top 15 Best Car Vacuum Cleaners in 2018 cleaner.
Before you disconnect anything from the car, wait for the car engine to cool down to siphon from a cool engine.

Being stranded on a highway isn’t the only reason to siphon gas out of the car; sometimes, you may need to siphon bad gas, as it may cause difficulties for drivers, such as dropped engine power, the engine sputters, etc. Continue reading the article below to discover how to siphon gas from the car.

Short on Time – Here’s a Quick Summary

There are several ways to siphon gas out of the car. Some of them include siphoning gas by creating pressure in the tank, using a siphon pump or garden hose, or using traditional mouth siphoning, which is not a recommended way to siphon gas out of the car.

What is an Anti-Siphon Valve?

Before we figure out ways to siphon gas out of the car, we need to understand the anti-siphon valve and why we need to bypass it.

Car vacuum cleaners come in many designs and forms, the most common of which is the handheld car vacuum. Top 15 Best Car Vacuum Cleaners in 2018 cleaner.
Anti-siphon valve in the car is usually an anti-siphon screen or a rollover valve that prevents you from adding anything solid into the gas tank and sometimes prevents the gas from escaping the car due to a rollover.
Car vacuum cleaners come in many designs and forms, the most common of which is the handheld car vacuum. Top 15 Best Car Vacuum Cleaners in 2018 cleaner.

You may have to bypass the anti-siphon valve to siphon gas out of the car.

random image

How to Bypass Anti-Siphon Valve?

Here is a list of 5 ways to bypass the anti-siphon valve.

Park on a Slope

If your car has an anti-siphon screen and not the rollover valve, you can siphon the gas out of the car easily since the anti-siphon is located further down the fuel filter.

You have to park the car on a steep slope in this situation. This is how the siphon will reach the gasoline.

Break the Anti-Siphon Screen

While you can break through the anti-siphon screen in the car, we recommend doing something other than this since you may end up blocking the entire fuel outlet in case its part falls into the tank.

You will need something sharp and long to break the anti-siphon screen. However, metal may create a spark so the copper will be a good solution.

Bypass the Rollover Valve

Most cars will also have a rollover valve of different types, such as a ball or butterfly. You may bypass the valve using the right set of tools. While this is an effective method, this may consume time.

Disconnect the Fuel Line & Drain Fuel

Instead of bypassing the anti-siphon screen or rollover valve, you may access the fuel from the tank’s other side. Do the following.

Locate the fuel line and disconnect it with a special tool. Next, attach the hose to the fuel line’s end and add the other side into a canister. Now turn the car on, and the gas will flow out of the tank. You may also need to turn the car on and off simultaneously.

Drill a Hole in the Gas Tank

The fuel tank Schrader valve can be used to bypass the anti-siphon valve. However, only a few cars will have this valve. If there is a Schrader valve, get a fuel pressure kit with a bypass valve, hook it up, and add the bypass hose to a canister. Then, turn on the engine and turn the bypass on to enable the fuel to flow into the canister.

random image

How to Siphon Gas Out of a Car?

Siphoning gas from the car tank can be tricky if you’re doing it for the first time. However, with proper guidance, you can siphon gas out of the car successfully.

Car vacuum cleaners come in many designs and forms, the most common of which is the handheld car vacuum. Top 15 Best Car Vacuum Cleaners in 2018 cleaner.
We recommend having a gas siphon kit in your car or a multi-use siphon pump, which has everything you may need to siphon gas from any car.
Car vacuum cleaners come in many designs and forms, the most common of which is the handheld car vacuum. Top 15 Best Car Vacuum Cleaners in 2018 cleaner.

The following steps will help you siphon gas out of your car.

Siphon Gas by Creating Pressure in the Tank

Do the following steps to siphon gas by creating pressure in the tank.

  • Get a gas container of sufficient volume to siphon the gas into and a clear plastic tubing 1 inch so that gas can pass through the tube.
  • Since siphoning works due to gravity, put the gas can on the ground near the car’s fuel tank.
  • Push the plastic tube into the gas tank while keeping the other end in the can. Put another short tube to create pressure into the tank.
  • Create pressure by making a seal around the tubes and packing a cheap rag or towel.
  • Blow air in the gas tank through the other tube to increase air pressure in the gas tank. This will enable the gas to flow through the longer tube into the gas container.

Use a Siphon Pump

Follow these steps to siphon gas using a siphon pump.

  • Get a siphon pump from the market. It will enable siphoning of gas safely.
  • Like the method mentioned above, place a gas can on the ground near the gas tank.
  • Add one end of the tube designated with the siphon pump in the gas tank and the other to the gas can.
  • Pump the gas when you’re ready. The method of using a siphon pump may vary based on the different types available in the market.
  • When the gas reaches your expected limit, raise the end of the gas can to stop the pump. Remove it when done.

Using a Garden Hose

This is another yet effective method to siphon gas out of the car. Follow these steps.

  • Place one end of the garden hose into the gas tank and the other in a closed gas container.
  • Ensure to place the gas can lower than the gas tank on the ground.
  • Create pressure in the gas tank, as mentioned in method one.
  • Soon you will feel the gas running through the hose since gravity will move it from the tank to the gas container.

Mouth Siphoning (Not Advised)

This method is not advised unless there is utmost need to do so. However, Understanding the danger of gasoline poisoning is important before you follow this method.

Car vacuum cleaners come in many designs and forms, the most common of which is the handheld car vacuum. Top 15 Best Car Vacuum Cleaners in 2018 cleaner.
Car vacuum cleaners come in many designs and forms, the most common of which is the handheld car vacuum. Top 15 Best Car Vacuum Cleaners in 2018 cleaner.
Gasoline has several chemical compounds that can poison humans. Swallowing it or breathing leads to numerous problems.

Follow these steps for mouth siphoning.

  • Place one end of a plastic tube into the gas tank and hold the other end in your mouth to suck gas.
  • Place a container on the ground near the tank.
  • Suck the gas from the gas tank while placing your hand on the tube near your mouth and crimp it as soon as you see gas coming.
  • Place the other end quickly in the gas can and siphon the gas out of the car.

Once I had to siphon gas out of the car and only had a tube and a can with me. So, I decided to use mouth siphoning and successfully siphoned gas out of the gas tank. However, I could feel breathing difficulty for some days after that incident. And now, I keep a siphon pump in my car, so I can easily siphon gas whenever needed.

The below table suggests what you might need while siphoning gas using different methods.

random image

How to Siphon Gas Out of the Car

What You’ll Need

  • Creating pressure in the gas tank
  • Two tubes (one short & one long), a gas can, rug or towel to seal tube ends.
  • Using a siphon pump
  • A siphon pump and a gas canister
  • Using a garden hose
  • A garden hose and a gas can
  • Siphoning through mouth
  • A gas can and a plastic tube.

Conclusion

You can siphon gas out of the car using different methods, such as a siphon pump or garden hose to siphon gas, or you can also use tubes and siphon through the mouth. However, mouth siphoning is not recommended, and you must follow proper safety precautions whenever you siphon gas out of your car.

FAQs

While you may cough or choke if gasoline enters your mouth, it can sometimes go down the lungs and cause serious damage to them. So, we don’t recommend using this method to siphon gas. However, you must follow proper safety measures whenever siphoning gas with your mouth.

There are other methods to siphon gas if you don’t have a siphon pump, including using the garden hose to siphon gas or a siphon tube to siphon gas out of the car.

You can easily siphon gas using a garden hose. To do so, place one end of the hose into the gas tank and the other end into a gas can placed near the tank. Then, create pressure in the tank and see the gas coming through the hose.

The easiest way to drain a gas tank is using a siphon pump, or you can detach fuel lines to drain the tank. Consult your mechanic before you follow any method.

Most modern cars have anti-siphon valves in their tanks to prevent fuel theft, so it may become difficult to siphon gas out of modern cars. However, you may bypass anti-siphon valves using different methods.

About Author

Andrew Ray

Andrew is an automotive technician with 10 years of experience mainly in American and Japanese cars, covering everything from routine vehicle maintenance and engine inspections to tire rotation.