Wasp Nest in Gas Tank

unixgeek · Aug 30, 2014

Long story short, a small paper wasp nest fell into the filler tube of my truck :whymewhyme:

. I have no idea if it is lodged in there or if it made it to the tank. Any suggestions on how I can get it out or what will happen if I leave it in there and drive it?

05singlecabHEMI · Aug 30, 2014

i just gotta ask. whats the story on this?

you can try and take just the filler tube out. Ive done this on a few trucks just never a dodge so im not sure if it is accessable.
or you can drop the tank and clean it out.

over time the paper will disintegrate and probably be nothing more then setiments. but it could maybe clog the fuel pump.
id clean it out regardless.

Redtruck-VA · Aug 30, 2014

Two choices that I see, drive it and possibly have it stall someplace or drop the tank and clean it out. Some folks prefer lifting the bed to get at the fuel pump, but in this case I'd say drop it so you can roll it around to reach everything. What size tank is it?

usaf2006 · Aug 30, 2014

Deleted for idiocy lol.

joeg45 · Aug 30, 2014

I don't know about a shop vac vacuuming fuel fumes into an electric motor eh I wouldn't pneumatic vacuum yeah

I would say drop the tank or if the filler neck is easy to get to start there first

Mega-Hemi · Aug 30, 2014

DO NOT SHOP VAC IT!!! I've taken patients to burn centers for doing the exact same thing...

unixgeek · Aug 30, 2014

05singlecabHEMI said:
i just gotta ask. whats the story on this?

I was replacing the fuel cap (CEL was on) and I saw a nest attached to the fuel door. I don't drive the truck very often, so I guess they made a home. Anyway, I knocked it *away* from the truck, but somehow it ricocheted off the door and went straight down the fuel line. Nothing but net. I just stood there like "did that just happen" for a good few seconds. I got one end of the line loose and I'm having trouble with getting the other end off. We had some bad storms here, so I've had to leave it until tomorrow. Looks like I'll be dropping the tank...

MyOhFive · Aug 30, 2014

isn't there a little valve in the neck that prevents stuff from falling down there??

Mega-Hemi · Aug 30, 2014

If it was small enough to fall down the neck without help I'd say it's probably too small to cause any problems with the filter. The filter on the end of the pump has a pretty large surface area.

dss56 · Sep 1, 2014

I would try to get another nest and drop it in a jar of gasoline and see what happens. If I remember the spray stuff for wasp nest/bee nest kind smell of petroleum and melts the nest. The nest are made very thin and Im sure will melt/dissolve in the tank and should not cause any harm on the pump filter. This is only a thought on my part of the nest melting in the gas.

I know years ago I had a huge nest on my house and used the spray and it melted/dissolved the nest to nothing.

good luck

Redtruck-VA · Sep 1, 2014

unixgeek said:
I was replacing the fuel cap (CEL was on) and I saw a nest attached to the fuel door. I don't drive the truck very often, so I guess they made a home. Anyway, I knocked it *away* from the truck, but somehow it ricocheted off the door and went straight down the fuel line. Nothing but net. I just stood there like "did that just happen" for a good few seconds. I got one end of the line loose and I'm having trouble with getting the other end off. We had some bad storms here, so I've had to leave it until tomorrow. Looks like I'll be dropping the tank...

And I thought I was the only person that **** like that happened to.

I use about 6 feet of cheap (green) thin wall garden hose to siphon gas out of the tank. Cut the end off at an angle and slide it into the tank until it hits the bottom then pull it back about a inch in your case and drain the tank. Maybe your luck will change and the nest will be sucked out. Certainly a long shot but at least you'll have the gas out of the tank to drop it. Good luck. No smoking..... just encase your luck doesn't change..

xb1230 · Sep 2, 2014

No worries RED. I have that sort of luck all the time...

You are not alone in that unhappy corner :banghead:

Wasp Nest in Gas Tank

unixgeek

Junior Member

05singlecabHEMI

Senior Member

Redtruck-VA

Senior Member

usaf2006

Senior Member

joeg45

Senior Member

Mega-Hemi

US AIR FORCE '08-'18

unixgeek

Junior Member

MyOhFive

Senior Member

Mega-Hemi

US AIR FORCE '08-'18

dss56

Senior Member

Redtruck-VA

Senior Member

xb1230

Hobby Mechanic

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