Can a car be used to extract oil?
4 Answers
The fuel inlet of a car's fuel tank is a curved pipe, making it impossible to extract oil from there. However, by opening the rear seat cushion of the car, you can find an access point to do so. Gasoline is a volatile and flammable hydrocarbon mixture liquid derived from the distillation and cracking of petroleum, used as fuel. It appears as a transparent liquid, is flammable, and has a distillation range of 30°C to 220°C. Its main components are C5 to C12 aliphatic hydrocarbons and cycloalkanes, along with a certain amount of aromatic hydrocarbons. Gasoline has a high octane number (anti-knock combustion performance) and is classified into different grades based on octane ratings, such as 89, 90, 92, 93, 95, 97, and 98. Starting from January 2012, the gasoline grades 90, 93, and 97 were revised to 89, 92, and 95 respectively.
Seeing the question about siphoning gas from a car, I really don't recommend doing it yourself. Older carburetor-equipped cars could indeed be siphoned, but modern fuel-injected cars have anti-siphon designs in their fuel tanks. Forcing a tube in can not only damage the car but, more importantly, it's extremely dangerous. Gasoline is highly volatile—just a little static spark from plastic tubing rubbing could cause serious trouble. Last month at a friend's shop, a car owner tried using a laundry detergent bottle to catch gas, and static electricity nearly set the garage on fire. If you're really in an emergency, it's better to call professional roadside assistance for fuel delivery or ask a repair shop to use a vacuum fuel extractor—at least they have explosion-proof equipment. Remember: gas stations won't even fill metal containers, and that rule definitely exists for a good reason.
Technically, siphoning gas from a car is feasible but fraught with risks. The era of straightforward fuel tank access like the old Santana is long gone. Modern fuel tank openings are equipped with spiral baffles, and fuel filler necks have one-way valves, making it impossible to insert an ordinary hose. I've seen people attempt to siphon gas by dismantling the fuel tank sensor, only to end up with gasoline leaking all over the chassis. A spark from metal tools colliding ignited the fuel vapor. A more practical approach is to check the towing and rescue terms in the vehicle's manual. Insurance companies often provide free emergency fuel delivery services. Last year, when my car broke down on the highway, I called for roadside assistance via phone, and within half an hour, they delivered five liters of emergency fuel—far more convenient and safer than messing around with siphoning.
Don't try siphoning fuel yourself! Our auto repair shop has handled several cases caused by this. Last month, a young man tried siphoning gas from an SUV, the tube got stuck in the anti-siphon screen, and when he yanked it out, gasoline splashed all over him – luckily it didn't ignite. Modern vehicle regulations require fuel tanks to have rollover leak prevention designs and anti-siphon devices, making it nearly impossible to extract much fuel without professional equipment. If you really need to dispose of excess gasoline, contact hazardous material recycling companies. For emergency fuel needs, we recommend using apps to schedule services from nearby auto repair shops – professional handling fees are often cheaper than buying the tools yourself.
