Oil & Fuel A quick 5 gallon fuel container rant

[RobJ]

Just about the price. HD sells the blue kero jugs for about $8.00. The Red and yellow jugs are $16. It just me and one tractor so yes I have a blue jug. The atvs get the red jugs.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

And how do you like the new and improved ventless design. It is a good workout as I have to hold the can up at least twice as long as I used to.

 

[Bird]

the new and improved ventless design

Wouldn't "Gurgle & Splash" have been a better name than "Ventless"?

 

[RobJ]

hehe, my BIL brought one of those after them came out. I went over to his house and he was complaining about nothing coming out. Of course first thing my BIL did is drill a hole in the top, problem solved! For grins I showed him how they work.

Slow yes but the little rim hook on the spout helps. It'll rest on it. But my little L only uses 1/2 gallon per hour and holds about 7 gallons. I don't have to refil that much.

But I guess that blue dye is expensive!! Half price does not make market sense, usually items that don't sell in high volume are higher priced!

 

[mlauk]

Remove the spout and pour into a big funnel. Really speeds thing up.

 

[JSR LLS]

My wife thought I was nuts going store to store in search of a yellow jug that didn't cost a fortune. I didn't see any blue ones and I already have two red ones. In the end, it probably cost me more in gas in my vehicle than just buying the first I found. I am going to cry ignorance on this one. Is there a right way to fill up and not have it take forever? Bird nailed it with the gurgle and splash! Rob, what about the rim hook? I can't find any idiot directions on the jug, so I usually just wait it out.

 

[Bird]

I guess you ain't supposed to admit it, but like RobJ's brother-in-law, I've drilled holes in the tops of the two gas cans I have and keep a screw in each of them except when I start to pour gas into the lawnmower or string trimmer. The funnel idea is good except for small engines, you can't see when it's getting full. And the new can worked fine without the hole drilled in it when I was using it for a ZTR mower with gas cap bigger than either of my Kubotas had, but not on a walk behind mower.

 

[RichZ]

I was in K-Mart the other night, and noticed that they had the 5 gallon red gas cans for $8, and they weren't even on sale. That's the cheapest I ever saw them for. If I didn't already have a bunch, I would have bought some.

 

[NFA Fun]

I did the same thing as JSR...running around looking for a yellow can that was not crap. Finally found them and good ole Wal Mart. 8 bucks!

 

[RobJ]

Rob, what about the rim hook? I can't find any idiot directions on the jug, so I usually just wait it out.

Here is the best pic I can find...actually from Amazon and the red Blitz are $6.75, yellow about a buck more.

Anywhoo, the little clip that holds the yellow sealer cap on doubles as a hook to help hold the jug over the hole. Doing this you can still see the fuel rising and it only takes one hand to balance it.

They do make attachments for these Blitz...I got a replacement top with a twist shut off at Walmart. It has a flexable clear hose. Runs faster to. It works best for my walk behind mower.

I have lost a few of the yellow sealer caps.

And if you wanna get totally Blitz on fuel cans...

Blitz USA: Fuel Containment and Accessories

 

[RedRiver]

I hate that they don't have the flexible hoses on them anymore also.

 

[Barnboy]

I hate fuel cans! I have a blitz and i will say the spout on the bitz is one of the better spouts i have used. Just the other day the blitz spout started leaking like the rest of the spouts. You would think the EPA would force the can manufactures to design a leak proof spout over a vent-less can. I get fired up every time i fill the mower and get more gas on the floor than in the tank. It would very dangerous if i was filling a hot engine and i think it could open a law suit for some money hungry people. I always fill with a cold motor for saftey and the JUNK cans.

 

[ctjstr]

Every time one of the kids annoy me, I just send him or her out to fill everything with an engine. I get my moment of revenge; they get to do the engineering on how to get the can up to where it needs to be. Problem solved.

p.s. if they're using diesel, they can't come in the house til they scrub off.

 

[davitk]

Every time one of the kids annoy me, I just send him or her out to fill everything with an engine. I get my moment of revenge; they get to do the engineering on how to get the can up to where it needs to be. Problem solved.

p.s. if they're using diesel, they can't come in the house til they scrub off.

That's what my dad used to call slave labor.

Why use a spout? I am way to impatient, take it off, pour it into a big funnel, get back on and drive.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

bought 2 of the yellow ones today at TSC for $6.85 each. They really aren't that bad, actually work better than the older ones with the vent plug.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've been having the same problems in California...

Last week I was at the Honda mower shop and bought a HONDA brand EPA gas can... the spout design looks like an improvement of the garbage that is being sold now.

I haven't given it a try yet and will report back when I do...

 

[JSR LLS]

I did the same thing as JSR...running around looking for a yellow can that was not crap. Finally found them and good ole Wal Mart. 8 bucks!

Thats funny because one of my red ones came from WalMart and I only use it if I absolutely have to, it is the worst. Your store probably carries different cans.

Thanks Rob, I use my other red and now yellow can with the "rim hook" do hickey the most. In fact that is why I shopped around for the yellow. My red can (from WalMart) that I try not to use has a "collar" around the spout that slides around too much. My wife is a biologist/science teacher. I mentioned the drill and screw in the top of the can. She thought maybe the twisting of the screw on the plastic might possibly in a freak instance built up static, and in an even more freak event, a spark. Not sure if she's right, but am sure that if there's a chance of it happening, I don't want to be the one it happens to. Gee thanks Rob for needing to rant this morning, it has turned out pretty informative!

 

[powerstroke444e]

New to the forum but would have to say the best money I have spent on fuel cans is when I spent $35 per can on OSHA approved Metal cans with removable funnel. A little pricey but had them for several years & they don't leak or spill.

 

[RobJ]

They really aren't that bad, actually work better than the older ones with the vent plug.

The main problem IMO with the vent plug is it usually broke off. I do like jugs to seal. I have taken some of the new ones full inside the surburban with no smell (careful filling of course). But even in the back of the truck I don't care for spillage...at these prices. Gas wasn't to bad...diesel will stay there with the oil. A real mess!

 

[GV40U]

I agree with all who write about problems with gas cans but the biggest problem for me is that 5 gallons of anything is heavy! I transfer gasoline from a 5 gallon can to 2 gallon cans to accomodate the young lady in my life (hint...we've been married almost 39 years) who likes to mow the small patch of lawn around the house with a walk-behind. Can't say I mind doing the transferring because some of the small tanks (wood splitter, walk behind tiller, camping generator etc.) are also easier to fill with a small cans. I think the last small can I bought was about $2.50 on sale. I gave up lifting fuel cans for tractors long ago after having a gasoline related accident while refilling a cultivating tractor on my father's farm. For that reason, I have a 50 gallon tank with a hand pump for the diesel. Even though the amount of fuel I use doesn't justify the expense of the tank, the fact that I don't have to lift and balance a can and the drip free (If I'm careful) fueling do justify the expense.