Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Any one know of a good way to modify one of these spill proof gas cans to not spill so much gas.

You almost always need to hold the spring loaded nozzle open while you are trying to fill a tank or pour into a funnel. All the while, the you are trying to watch the gas go in the tank at a terribly slow rate. Instead you are knocking over the funnel or pouring the gas down the side of the tank.

I feel like most of the time I am a pretty reasonable, forgiving sort. But I think I would like to see the person that came up with these things tarred and feathered.

What could possibly be the matter with a regular gas can? I can't get mail order, went to PA and Delaware. Forgot to look when I was in NY. Tried to buy a regular spout, doesn't fit the can.

Help.

robmints wrote:
Mints, I assume MD has some funky law requiring safety cans?

What do those suckers set you back??

Emmo,
As I remember a true safety can at the hardware store was about $60-$70 bucks. If we could get one I would buy it.

Yes it is some crazy law. And it is not just MD. These cans are called spill proof. It just seems they spill alot of gas when used properly.

Safety cans were steel and had some jim-crank that held the nozzle open while you were pouring then closed. Nope not them. If I find a good can., I'll mail you this stupid thing I have so you can get a laugh. They almost look like you could use them until you try to put gas in something complicated, like a lawnmower.

Emmo,
I haven't decided yet, but you might be a genius.
When I eshop for these, I don't get a can't ship to MD, PA, CA, DE, ect..

Thanks

Robmints,

My spillproof 1 gal can has a small "barb" on the springloaded part.  When you turn the can upsidedown and put the nozzle into the tank, you press the entire gascan down with the barb against the top edge of the tank.

When it is filled, you raise the can and the flow stops.  It took me a couple minutes to figure it out because the manufacturer didn't give instructions with it.  (The barb is about 3/8 inches long).

It is pretty easy to fill my 3650 with it.  I hope this helps,

Walt

Rob,

I have two 6 gallon plastic fuel containers that I've been using for many years.  I'm trying to find out if this manually pumped gasoline style station type of nozzle will work with my containers.  I'm pretty sure it will.  Maybe it'll work on your container as well.  If so, it may eliminate some of your frustrations.

Ritchie,
I might try, but there is no vent.

Walt,
How do you push down on a funnel? And the barb is about two inches from the end, when it is put in a tank that is three inches deep you can only get it one third full.

Ritchie,
I saw them in Overtons. Might have been less than $20, can't remember.

Rob, I got rid of my cans that used these..........


I went to these that have the flexible tube that is stored down inside the can. I have two 1 gallon and one 5 gallon. The 5 gallon is for the mower and the other two are for the trimmers, blowers etc. I find the flexible tube is much easier to control than those damn spring loaded contraptions that don't bend.

robmints wrote:

I purchased it this morning at Northern Tool for $16.95.  I actually wanted to get one of those larger fuel containers on wheels with the gasoline station type of dispenser nozzles, but they are big bucks.  I decided to settle for this one, same sort of thing except I will just use my existing cans.  I'm sure it'll be fine.

Richie, I ordered the same thing a couple of years ago.  If the can looks like Marshall posted (Blitz), it will work.  I have it on my Blitz 6 gal cans. 

Robmints,

You are correct about the funnel and those safety caps.  I thought about that when I bought it, but I don't need a funnel to fill anything but a beer-bong. 

 I've never tried to dump a full gallon of oil-gas mix all over the place just to test out my new gas can, but if I remember correctly the fuel didn't stop when it got to the nozzle tip of the can.  I don't like them either but I couldn't find the other kind around here.

Marshall,  The kind you bought aren't readily available around here. 

I can see it now,

Sheriff:  Where ya heading so fast son

Marshall:  Oh just out to see some friends in Maryland, PA, and Delaware.

Sheriff:  You got anything illegal in there

Marshall:  Nah, nothing in here but me and these 300 high priced gas cans.

AJace wrote:

Hi AJ,

My container is similar to Marshall's except a bit higher and longer.  It's 6 gallons rather than 5.  I just found out it comes with adapters, so I'll go on the assumption I won't have any connection problems to my present containers.  The only thing I wasn't thrilled about is that it pumps on the upswing not when the plunger is moving down.  Seems if the container was running low on fuel that there may not be enough weight in the container while pumping and it may want to lift off the ground a bit.  Since you own one, do you think it was a good purchase?  My reasoning behind getting it was because I felt it may virtually eliminate spilling fuel, rather than holding a gas can with 5 or 6 gallons of fuel in it steady while pouring in a piece of OPE.  I've had my fill (no pun intended)  of the container neck slipping off the inlet of the fuel tank I was filling.  I hate spilled fuel all over the place.

I'm very happy with the Briggs & Stratton Smart Fil I believe it is called. You can find it on the B&S website. I believe it is up to about $27 now but it absolutely works great.

I do remember now that it comes with adapters.  You should have no problem.  To tell you the truth, that gadget found a home in a storage bin in the shop.  I used it for a while and found that it was more hassle than I needed.  You have to put more force forth pumping the gas, and if you don't get it all out of the hose it leaked a little while putting it away.  It has a good plug on the end, and I guess what is left over in the hose will drain when the vent is opened.  Other than that, I'll try using it again.  Thanks for the motivation.

Smitty,
How do you use a a filtering funnel with one of those cans that require pressure?

OK, I had a can cost $22 about 8 months ago. Today I threw the "smart nozzle" away and found a nozzle with a cap that fit my can for $8. Now I need to drill a hole so it will vent. I had two other choices, buy a kerosene can and use that for gas for less than $10, or a safety can for $80.

I did not want to use a kerosene can for about 50 reasons.
So a cheap plastic can ended up costing me $30.
Next time for $80 I will get  the Eagle safety can.

Walt wrote:
Walt LOL! 

Maybe a little home made brew too......  

It can be done by controlling the air am I wrong?

I use the B&S Smart Fil for my snow blower, mower, and wood chipper. "I don't need no stinkin filter " for any of those. I just open the valve and pour, it doesn't spill a drop and stops automatically when the OPE fuel tank is full. To each his own, but I would never use anything else.

 This thread got me to wondering,and I did some searching.  Has anyone ever tried this funnel ? Seems like it might be the answer. ( Of course, I'm an optimist  )

http://www.smallenginebusiness.com/mowerzone/prods/7-05903.html

I hate those new gas can's....   Different thread size so can't use old spouts.  Found that the blue cans for kero  don't have the safety spout and they are the same thread size,  If you wanna mix and match before check out(not actually suggesting that),   or buy two and throw blue one away.  Could buy the blue one and paint it red.   

What I use for my small stuff like string trimmer etc is  one of those aluminum fuel camping bottles. (looks like a thermos bottle cept narrow spout like a pop bottle,  no funnel usually needed) They are made for fuel/gasoline etc.   they vent before opening it,  they come in various sizes up to a quart.  Sure you gotta fill them, but they are easier to fill and you fill it once and you get four fills on the small stuff,  and real quick to top off when you only want a few ounces like when you start out.

Get a couple, oil/mix in one plain in other.  You will be able to pour as fast as the local bartender.  Easy/small enough to use with no funnel.

I have one of those old time safety 5 gal gas cans.  Looks like an old fashioned  milk can from a dairy farm.  They were bout 60/ 70 bucks.  Found it at on old auto parts.  It was on there floor for years , inch of dust.  asked about it, guy said He will give it to me for 12 bucks as it  was his last one and he was tired of lookin at it.  I waxed that baby, (colonite insulator wax) the spout opening is big enough to clean the inside with like a stick  an a rag. (actually big enough to get a good size arm in there, Do not try this at home folks!!) just don't do that. however if you even find an old rusty  one, you could get in there enough to sandblast and coat, (like a por 15 or something. ) (did a couple junky old motor cycle tanks for ones I keep At hunting camp,with that stuff, didn't work too bad)  (haven't clogged the carb yet, 2 years)

Ben07

I had a camping bottle like Ben07 had mentioned.  I looked at it a while back and saw that it needed to thrown away.  Too much rust.  I wonder if gas stations will turn on the pump if you try to fill a blue can with gas.  I don't like metal cans as they rust.  I like plastic, but don't like the style that store away in the can.  Too much dirt can get in there over time.  I like the style that has the spout on the top with a sealed cap on the end.  I only have 1 gallon can like that, and it has a 2 cycle mix in it.  The best alternative to all of this is probably to have a setup like me and Richie do. 

AJace wrote:

HiAJace.  Those camping bottles as far as I have ever seen are made of aluminum.  Not saying they never made some out of steel which can rust, I just never seen one, Mine are 10 year old vintage,  Have looked at what is out there today, like at Dicks sporting goods, they are aluminum also.  And keep in mind they are only good for small stuff, small tanks and top offs,  Usually the situations where I can spill most times

Ben07

Well, I meant alimum cans.  I also used it for 2 cycle mix.  It had sat dry for several years until I finally decided to throw it away.  Maybe the oil helps it from rusting.  All I know is that it didn't look good inside.

I understand completely

While your here who is that runnin the snowblower up to their hips in snow, on the pic in your posts,  One of your pic's  or just a borrowed pic.  Great picture whoever's it is,  The photographer must have been wearing snow shoes to get all the way out there for the shot.

Ben07

It is someone testing the Ariens blowers as hard as they can.  I understand that Ariens does this regularly, to make sure that their machine are up to par. 

Here is larger one

I guess he just startedb into a drift or something cause don see any trail behind him,  unless he slept there

Just kidding of course

Ben07

Thanks for the blow-up looks like there may be a trail,  just that he may have came into the pic on a hard left hand turn,  looks like a trail on the right

That will teach me not to be a doubting thomas

Ben07

He got there somehow...lol

He came up from the tunnel in his driveway so as to not put any foot tracks on his drive before clearing it                             

                    18 degrees

Received the Han-D-Pump today.  It fit right onto my 6 gallon plastic fuel container.  None of the extra pump adapters
were needed.  I only had a little fuel left, but I was able to test it, worked great  Nice to be able to
leave the container on the floor for a change  Good flow rate too.

richie,
 
i dont think you ever met a toy u did not like.

in one of your posts u refernce your hobby,. what is it?

i 'd bet 20$ that your car has a remote starter (mine does)

Riche, that thing is really cool. Is that for pumping gas out of a bucket or barrell?

Hi Rick,

Actually, I've been trying to cool out a bit with the toys, but I actually slipped a disc in my lower back some months ago, so I really need to watch myself.  BTW...if this was 10 years ago, I would have a remote starter in my car.  My hobby is building life-size animated figures that you would see on TV or the movies.  Just completed a museum perfect replica of the Lost in Space B9 Robot from the 1960's TV show.  I can send you my website link in a PM if you feel you need to see my creations.

Terminator, yes, the instructions say it can be used to syphon fuel or oil from one canister to another.

like  brian brown in FX?  Very cool.

Richie wrote:

Hi  Richie...

Looks good !

What's the hose length and lift height for this ?
Gallons per minute ?

I'd like an easier (non-electric) way to transfer diesel fuel from a 5-gallon container on the ground up about 4' into
the tractor's fuel tank...


Thanks,

 Dave...

Hi Dave,

It's designed to pump gas, diesel, antifreeze or liquid fertilizers, although I just checked and it is not for oil.  It will easily handle a 4' reach.  It isn't rated for GPM, so I couldn't say.  The instructions note it can also be used to remove fuel directly from an OPE fuel tank at the end of a season.  Seems like that would be somewhat awkward, but good to know.  If the short clear siphon hose is reversed with the black hose that connects to the nozzle, they say you can use it to drain fuel from a cars fuel tank into something else.  I suppose if you have a gas generator, and you know how much gas they can use, a feature like that could come in handy.  Hope this helps. 

Thanks Richie...


4' reach is not enough for my application...

...maybe it would handle a longer discharge hose... probably would... since I need more lateral distance...
...4' lift...

Thanks...

Dave...

Dave___in___CT wrote:

It's just 1/4" inside diameter hose.  If this is something you want, I don't see a problem adding some extra length of hose to it. 

Richie are you going to make a dolley for you gas can? 

We need to pump oil too. Too bad its only for gas and diesal.

Hi Richie  When you get a chance .  check the specs on that pump and see if it gives you the maximum height difference it is capable of raising those fluids.   (not lateral length of hose)

No hurry , thx in advance

Ben07 

Ben07 wrote:

Ben,

There are no specs for the pump.  As it is, it fills my gallon fuel tank quickly.  I also made one of those funnel holders that someone else mentioned to the club.  Makes the process easier.

AJ...I won't be making a dolley, I'm not crippled just have to be a little careful.

Rob,

The Walmart here sells 2 types of Blitz gas cans.  One is the type we all hate (no spill).  They also have another type that has a vented nozzle, (without the usual vent in the back of the can. ) The latter doesn't have a shutoff or anything, and it also fits on the Blitz 5 gallon cans.

I hope this helps

Walt