Technically, yes, you can siphon gas out of your junk car. Most sellers leave it due to the effort and risk involved. Siphoning gas out of your junk car is not only extremely dangerous, but it is also illegal in some areas if done improperly and can become very messy.
Reasons to leave the gas include:
- Siphoning requires proper equipment
- Gasoline fumes are flammable and toxic
- The value of the gas does not justify the effort
- Junk car buyers factor in the draining of fluids as part of the process
If you know you will be junking your car sooner rather than later, you can always use up as much of the gas as possible, but if you really want to recover the fuel instead, just make sure you use an approved hand pump and store the gasoline in a proper container.
Never siphon by mouth or use makeshift tools.
