Do We Have To Keep Making Everything So Complicated?

[Bailey Guns]

With some things, "new and improved" is good. I enjoy a lot of comforts and conveniences provided by modern technology and by the fact I was fortunate enough to be born a citizen of the greatest, most prosperous nation in the history of the planet. But sometimes, can't it be possible to leave well enough alone?

I needed a gas can. A simple container to hold and transport gasoline from a dispenser into a tank attached to an internal combustion engine. Now, I haven't bought a "gas can" in ages...decades maybe. In simpler times a gas can was a simple contraption made of metal with a metal spout. The fancy ones had a flexible metal spout. They were simple, they worked and they lasted a long, long time assuming you took care of it.

Apparently, all gas cans these days (or at least the ones I could find locally) are made of plastic and they're "new and improved" to avoid spills and the destruction of the planet. I didn't realize the few drops of gas that dripped out of my old metal can spouts were destroying the environment, but apparently it's a real problem. For someone.

So I paid almost $20 for a plastic "can", with a "handy, no spill spout" at Home Depot. What they don't tell you is these are like crew-served weapons systems...you need several people to effective operate one and pour gas into your vehicle. And so spill my ass! The slightest amount of pressure applied sideways to the nozzle that's been inserted into the vehicle port results in more gas spilling to the ground than is going into the vehicle. No matter how many times I stopped and reapplied the spout assembly it leaked because of flexing in the mouth of the can. And I need all three of my hands to operate the damned thing.

I guess I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and buy a genuine Made in the USA, modern, metal gas can complete with funnel. Who'da thought you'd see the day you would pay upwards of $40 or more for a freakin' gas can?

[Jamnanc]

Construction supply stores have metal vented ones that actually work.

[68Charger]

One word: California

They required the stupid

[Holger Danske]

If there is a Big R nearly, then check if they have "after market" spout kits to replace the CA compliant ones.

[CO Hugh]

stockpile and sell on craigslist

[theGinsue]

I finally bought a snow blower in January when we that big snow. I'd read up on them and kept seeing how you needed a fuel additive to avoid a common problem with the engines. The guy at Lowes told me as much too and said that Troy-Bilt recommended using Sta-Bil 360 Performance. Okay, why not? But, since I'd use this fuel just for the snow blower I need a new gas can. I bought one, a plastic one with the anti-spill spout, filled it on the way home, & added the Sta-Bil's. When I got home and tried to pour the fuel into the snow blower which required getting a little thing on the spout pushed in by the lip of the gas tank, the damned anti-spill devoce snapped off. Now, to ise the damned thing I have to use oje hand to hold the gas can and the other to manually push up the remnants of the anti-spill device to get the fuel to pour.

Yeah, I agree with you; these "advancements" suck.

[Zundfolge]

See the problem is that you want one of those high capacity, high powered assault gas cans and those are just too dangerous for us proles.

[Bailey Guns]

Construction supply stores have metal vented ones that actually work.

OK. I'll look into that. Otherwise, it's Amazon.


If there is a Big R nearly, then check if they have "after market" spout kits to replace the CA compliant ones.

No Big R. There are a few similar stores in town and Home Depot but they all have the CA Compliant, no spill, no work, POS containers.

[davsel]

Same thing happened to me when I bought a new can last summer. Walmart sells regular nozzles separately. However you still have the problem of no longer having a vent hole in the can.
I assume some government entity (EPA) had to approve of the design of these new "no-spill" nozzles. Likely some paper pusher who has never actually used a gas can in their entire lives.

[Zundfolge]

Same thing happened to me when I bought a new can last summer. Walmart sells regular nozzles separately. However you still have the problem of no longer having a vent hole in the can.

Drill hole, insert screw, profit.

[hatidua]

……..

[Great-Kazoo]

OK. I'll look into that. Otherwise, it's Amazon.



No Big R. There are a few similar stores in town and Home Depot but they all have the CA Compliant, no spill, no work, POS containers.

One of the reasons ID (border state areas) have CA compliant items. Is people driving almost to WY from CA to buy items such as gas cans, lawn mowers, AND... wood burning stoves. In CA they are requiring all new wood style stoves be registered. Yes registered. this way they can verify it's EPA/CA compliant. I may or may not know someone selling CO stoves to CA residents. Better than magazines, so i heard ;)

[ColoradoTJ]

I hear you on the gas cans that are a PITA to fill with. I usually buy enough groceries and gift cards through my local grocery store to get 1.00 off for 35 gallons, two times per month. During the summer when doing construction/ landscaping projects or when the grocery store offers 4x the fuel points it can be more per month. So to get full use of this, I need gas cans at the fuel pump to get my 35.00 in savings x2 per month. My Tundra only has 26 gallon capacity, and I never run it down under 10 gallons, so I end up with usually 15-18 gallons left over to put into gas cans.

This by far has been the best way to fuel up or store gas by far. I used these when I rode MX.

http://www.vpracingfuels.com/containers

I have seen these on ebay, four of them 56.00 with lids. All you need is one lid that has the fill neck. On my setup, I have a PVC isolation valve installed on mine. Can't count how many times these VP racing cans have fallen over and not leaked any fuel. This makes fueling very quick and easy.

[ColoradoTJ]

This picture shows the valve installed on mine...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Pk-VP-5-Gallon-WHITE-Racing-Fuel-Jug-Gas-Can-Jerry-Container-Shut-Off-Hose-/190781613954

[XC700116]

Get yourself a 5 gallon "utility Jug", put a hose on the end of it of your choice, and have a gas can that actually pours quickly, vents correctly, and doesn't spill all over hell.

I have 4 of them, and just got an extra cap to leave the filler hose on. When I want to fill something up, I swap to the cap with the hose, dump the fuel in, then put the regular cap back on the jug to make sure it stays sealed up.

Jug

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=2558&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=2558&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=paid_search_google_pla&scid=scplp11656402&gclid=CjwKEAjwq6m3BRCP7IfMq6Oo9gESJACRc0bNYREPo6gi pgzK9yU62LLNc2eA9r5AD54PNVI3yB_QkBoC7K3w_wcB


Filler hose

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=729

[davsel]

Thanks for the tips.
Best deal I found:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VP-Racing-4-Pack-Red-Square-5-Gallon-Racing-Fuel-Jug-Gas-Can-Cap-Filler-Hose-/331352634558?vxp=mtr&hash=item4d2627f4be

[Bowtie]

Garage Sales. The old guy that doesn't mow his lawn any longer couldn't understand why I was so quick to my wallet when I saw his old style gas cans for $5 and $2 apiece.

[Irving]

I have metal ones and they leak all over during transport. I'll have to look into those Pegasus ones.

[Bailey Guns]

One of the reasons ID (border state areas) have CA compliant items. Is people driving almost to WY from CA to buy items such as gas cans, lawn mowers, AND... wood burning stoves. In CA they are requiring all new wood style stoves be registered. Yes registered. this way they can verify it's EPA/CA compliant. I may or may not know someone selling CO stoves to CA residents. Better than magazines, so i heard ;)

I figured it was because we border NE California...aka Oregon.

[O2HeN2]

...and the bottom-feeders that put Blitz out of business back 'round 2012 did nothing to help:

http://www.facesoflawsuitabuse.org/2012/12/the-last-week-how-lawsuits-doomed-an-american-icon/

O2

[MAP]

"Pre ban" spout

http://ezpourspout.com

[68Charger]

There are also youtube videos on how to mod some of the spouts to be more user-friendly

I believe these were all conceived from requirements by CARB... and they're sooo damn important their shitty ideas must be forced upon people outside the PRK

[Dave_L]

I HATE those new gas cans. That's about all I can add to this.

[Gman]

This makes me happy to know that I own 'pre-ban' cans. I didn't know these stupid spouts even existed.

[Martinjmpr]

When I got my RotoPax cans a couple of years ago they had the awful "CA Compliant" spouts. But then I noticed that the old, "non compliant" (i.e. regular) spout from the blitz can in my garage would work on the RotoPax cans just fine. So now whenever I go anywhere with the cans I just put the extra spout in a zip loc bag and keep it in my truck.
.
As others have said, you can also buy non-CARB compliant spouts from a variety of places.

[Bailey Guns]

"Pre ban" spout

http://ezpourspout.com

Thanks! Just ordered 2 of the Hi Flow spouts from Amazon. Screw that CARB compliant crap.

[MAP]

Thanks! Just ordered 2 of the Hi Flow spouts from Amazon. Screw that CARB compliant crap.

Glad to help.

[ClangClang]

Drill hole, insert screw, profit.

Make sure to do this BEFORE you fill the can with gas

[Fire][Fire][Fire]

[StagLefty]

Make sure to do this BEFORE you fill the can with gas

[Fire][Fire][Fire]

Well there goes the you tube challenge !! [Sarcasm2]