Gas can frustrations

[Jamie Buxton]

I spent a good fifteen minutes today wrestling with a new-fangled gas can. The thing is mandated by the government to be child-proof and spill-proof. Unfortunately it is adult-proof. I eventually removed the spout and poured directly from the can into the weedwhacker. I spilled a bunch too. Grrrr.

Anybody have a solution which works as well as the simple straightforward cans we all grew up using?

[William Lessenberry]

Google "gas can retrofit". Lots of options.
BillL

[roger wiegand]

I keep a big funnel with the can. Fast pouring and no spillage. Even in the days of free flowing flexible spouts the funnel worked better and faster.

[Lee Schierer]

I have one of these (https://www.scepter.com/products/consumer-products/smartcontrol-gasoline-can/5-gallon-smartcontrol-gasoline-can/) and really like it.
500936
You place the spout into the tank opening, there is a small black lever that you push down with the palm of your hand as you wrap your fingers over the green push button and squeeze. The valve opens easily and gas flows into the tank. When you release the green push handle or the gas level reaches the lower end on of the nozzle the gas flow stops. Once you get the hang of it it works really well. Reading the instructions did help.

[Dave Fritz]

We have one of these. https://www.amazon.com/TERA-PUMP-Automatic-Advanced-irregular/dp/B010GNM7H4?th=1 We keep it in the shed with the tractor and 4 wheeler in the summer but bring it in during the winter to save on the batteries. It's just too hard for us to lift a full can anymore.

[Zachary Hoyt]

The only small engine I have now is an old Stihl 021 which doesn't get used for months sometimes. I've still got one of those old gas cans with a regular spout. I feel your pain about the new cans being tough. The only thing harder to pour from neatly in my experience are those old metal military 5 gallon cans with no neck. I hate those.

[Jim Becker]

You can generally buy replacement spouts on Amazon and other sources to reconfigure a fuel container to be easier to use. I did that for my current gasoline container (kit added a vent, too) and if I replace my diesel container, I'll do the same.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I have my trusty old 5 gallon can and spout from the 1970s.
When I die, I'll pass it along to my son.

[Jamie Buxton]

Google "gas can retrofit". Lots of options.
BillL

Have you bought one? Does it work well? Brand name?

[Tom M King]

I like the kind with the yellow spout in the picture below for small equipment. They don't make them anymore, but I keep them out of the Sun as much as possible, and have found several backups.

The spout on the 5 gallon can is sold periodically off ebay by an individual who makes them. There is an aluminum machined part that fits inside of the stock screw on cap, a length of hose, and a machined aluminum stopper. I like the ones he makes for Midwest 5 gallon jugs because the seal gasket slips over the big machined aluminum part, and is captive.

I used to install the plastic flapper vents, but they leak after a while, so I switched to the bolt in tire valve type. I put two in each one I use for diesel.
https://www.amazon.com/Metal-Replacement-Leak-Proof-Exhaust-Faster/dp/B09NVHYJRK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=S3ZSAR54XWY&keywords=gas%2Bcan%2Bvent%2Bcaps%2Bscrew%2Bon&qid=1683561354&sprefix=gas%2Bcan%2Bvent%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-1-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzSFFWNVNIMkZMVEhXJ mVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDY4NDg3MlNRME9FM05MNkxFVyZlbmN yeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDU1MDEwMkxCMEgwWUJKWks2TSZ3aWRnZ XROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05 vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1

Both are much easier to not spill from than any of the current crop of manufactured ones.

edited to add: I just checked ebay, and they're up right now. Make sure you get the correct one for your type of gas can. If your jug is old, or you need to get one, buy a Midwest. Tractor Supply often has them on sale. The machined part he makes works with the Midwest stock seal, and is the best design. The Midwest cans have the two handles on them like the one in the sideways picture.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?item=134463449518&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m3561.l2562&_ssn=webwings

[Edward Weber]

I use these
https://nospill.com/
Similar to what Lee posted

[scott lipscomb]

I buy the simple gas can caps on amazon-no spout or anything-just caps, and take the spring loaded ones off. I use them a lot for work and always have a long funnel.

[Rollie Meyers]

Does anyone like those CARB compliant gas cans? There were some You Tube videos on modifying them to make them usable, I look at estate sales for decent ones.


CARB = California Air Resources Board.

[William Lessenberry]

Have you bought one? Does it work well? Brand name?
Not personally, but a friend got one and is happy with it. No idea what brand it was, but it came in an Amazon box and the nozzle is yellow.
BillL

[George Yetka]

I find the more "safe" they make the cans the more gas I get on myself. The one I have now builds a ton of upper body strength as it drains the can at about a cup or two a minute

[Tom M King]

I never spill a drop with either of the "illegal" types I showed pictures of earlier. Not only do they not spill, but are easy to operate. You can see what you're doing, and lower the can when it gets close to full to slow up and stop pouring.

[Brian Elfert]

They still make metal safety gas cans without the extra. I saw some of them at Menards the other day when shopping for something else.

I have several 5 gallon gas/diesel cans with no vent, but they just have a cover that slides over the end of the spout. I also have a diesel can I bought for an emergency that has one of those stupid valves that is almost impossible to open. I never use that can.

[Myk Rian]

Those so-called engineers that design this crap, probably never used a gas can in their lifetime.

[Cameron Wood]

I have a couple of these. They come with a funnel which has to be cleaned if you haven't used it in a while.
Solid, no screw threads to struggle with, doesn't tip.

501059

[Bill Dufour]

Go to Nevada. Buy something that works. Do not tell the fruit inspectors.
Bill D

[Larry Frank]

I use the No-Spill ones that were linked above.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Still using my trusty WEDCOs from the eighties. Have several, and need to order some more spouts and vent caps. Squirrels love to chew on vent caps, till they get a hole thru and get a snort of gasoline vapors. Every time I see one in thrift store, or yard sale, I snap it up.

[Jamie Buxton]

I followed William's suggestion, and bought a replacement nozzle off Amazon. The nozzle came a collection of parts. There was a nozzle, two collars of different thread pitches to hold the nozzle on the can, and a bunch of gaskets and small parts for the pressure relief opening. The parts and the kit are completely anonymous -- no name or logo. My gas can now performs well.

[Alex Zeller]

Adding a vent helps. I've seen some sold on Amazon but I just use valve stems with the core removed. I just unscrew the valve stem cap when I want to pour. I get the idea about not wanting to spill MTBE but that hasn't been used for some time now. I haven't bought a new gas can in a very long time and with the new flame mitigation device standard coming this summer I don't see myself buying anything any time soon but if I did it would be one of the race car style cans that don't have to comply with all the nonsense (yet).

[Jim Koepke]

Go to Nevada. Buy something that works. Do not tell the fruit inspectors.
Bill D

I don't think the fruit inspectors care about gas cans, firearms or even bodies in the trunk.

Last time I drove into California a hip looking young man asked if I had any fruits or vegetables. I told him no. He said, "welcome to California."

He didn't ask me if I had any live plants. I was carrying a couple lovage plants that were propagated by seed. The seeds came from propagations of plants originally grown in my garden in California.

jtk

[Bill Dufour]

They do not rally care about the plants. What they care about are the bugs in the soil or fruit. Plants in soil is how the metal chewing termites made it into the LA area. They will chew through a metal termite guard to get to your house. They also eat into buried wires and pipes.
Bill D.

[Dave Lehnert]

I have one of these (https://www.scepter.com/products/consumer-products/smartcontrol-gasoline-can/5-gallon-smartcontrol-gasoline-can/) and really like it.
500936
You place the spout into the tank opening, there is a small black lever that you push down with the palm of your hand as you wrap your fingers over the green push button and squeeze. The valve opens easily and gas flows into the tank. When you release the green push handle or the gas level reaches the lower end on of the nozzle the gas flow stops. Once you get the hang of it it works really well. Reading the instructions did help.

I just purchased this can. Got home and read the reviews with people saying how horrible it was to use. Almost took it back. Used it for the first time and had no problem. People just need to read the directions or watch a video on how to use it.

[Jim Koepke]

Sadly we live in a world where some idiot can be pouring gasoline into their lawnmower while lighting a cigarette and then find a lawyer who will get a court to make the gas can manufacturer pay for the plaintiff's stupidity.

That is why you pay more for today's gas can and no longer purchase a simple gas can to do a simple job.

Let us all take a moment to offer our thoughts and prayers to idiots and the lawyers who love to take their cases.

jtk

[Brad Chenoweth]

I've been using the Stens No-Spill can a couple people have linked to for my 2 cycle stuff for a couple of years, and a 5 gallon steel Eagle
UI-50-FS for the mower. Best cans I've found!

[Bill Dufour]

My uncles first real job after graduating, with a degree in chemistry, was designing flame arrestor vents for oil tanks. He graduated around 1930 so not exactly cutting edge tech today.
Just put some metal wool in the vent pipe to soak up any heat. the scienc was to make sure the metal would not react with the chemicals or corrode in air and decide how much mass was needed as well as pore size.
Bill D

[Tom M King]

No frustrations with these after I changed the vent types on the 5 gallon cans. This doesn't show the ones for diesel. It takes a lot of plastic containers to maintain the Ponderosa.

[Roger Feeley]

I have two nospill cans. Both work great. They used to be hard to find. I got mine many years ago in Kansas City at Air Parts. I think the guy that invented it lived in the area. It took a while but I see them all over now.