My trusty old Ford Mondeo's cylinder-head gasket has blown, so it's time for us to part. However, the scrappers won't pay me more than £140, so I'll be jiggered if they're going to get the £50 worth of gas that's sitting in the tank.

Apart from cutting a hole in the bottom of the tank, what's the most sensible way to drain it? (I've tried to suck it out and get a syphon going, but it's not doing my lungs much good!!)

Has it got an electric pump? Should think it has - lengthen pipe from pump to a tank and let the battery do the work..

take filler pipe off and shove a hose with inline self priming pump in and suck it out

something like this?

£12 from screwfix

Do not know about Fords but don't modern cars have anti syphone filler pipes...

yes, not quite what i meant, but thatll do!

Is it Diesel or petrol Smiffy ? Petrol will have electric pump in tank.
Remove pipe in engine bay(from filter/fuel rail) and into suitable container turn ign on then off , pump will prime and fuel sent down the line (will take a while)
Or lift up rear seats should be access grommet(cracking cheese) in floor and remove tank sender and drain as mentioned above .

hth

Brian...

It's a petrol.

I must admit, given reasonable access to the bottom of the tank and a container which you're certain will hold all the tank's contents, I'd be tempted to punch a hole in the bottom of it and drain it out that way. Alright it's less elegant and more dangerous than the other solutions proposed, but it's a lot quicker.

Could be hell of a mess if tank is plastic and splits. Just disconnect pipe under the bonnet fit longer one onto it and turn on ignition. No mess, no danger.