Gas cans with new style pour spout...

OnTheGo · 03-23-2013, 07:25 AM

It appears the new gas cans are another example of a product that has been "improved" to the extent it is no longer useable for its intended purpose.

I haven't bought one yet, but the reviewers are saying there is a valve on the spout that's ackward to use so they spill gas, some don't open far enough to get good flow, and they are removing the spout and using a funnel.

Last night I went to buy one at a large hardware chain and they didn't have any other type. I asked the store rep if I had any other options because I didn't like the valve on the spout. She said no other options, most customers don't like them, and she wouldn't buy one either.

Doug · 03-23-2013, 07:52 AM

X2
I bought a new gas can last year.
I couldn't believe the design of the new spout.
After you get used to it, it's workable but still awkward.
It's basically spring loaded to shut unless you have the spout in the opening of a gas tank and then push the spring loaded spout to the open position.
If the opening of the gas tank is wide mouthed, you have to try to grab the edge of the lip or use a second hand to push the spout open.

Bad design for sure

**Crabman** · 03-23-2013, 07:53 AM

This saftey valve is a genuine PITA and renders the spout nearly useless, and they break after only a few uses.You also have to hold your finger on the trigger the whole time. We tried a couple for hauling gas to our boats and quickly discarded them. I went on ebay and found some of the old style gas cans with no valves and bought 4 of them reasonable. But that was 2 years ago, I suspect they would be hard to find now. From what I understand the good old govt got involved and mandated the new valve system.

chipper · 03-23-2013, 07:53 AM

Another example of new govenrment regulation that don't work.

I bought Six, 5 Gal. gas cans, with the new spout. I didn't like them.
I replaced the spouts with the EZ-Pour. Click here.

drfife · 03-23-2013, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chipper

Another example of new govenrment regulation that don't work.

I bought Six, 5 Gal. gas cans, with the new spout. I didn't like them.
I replaced the spouts with the EZ-Pour. Click here.

The EZ-Pour spouts are great.

I bought a few extras.

I suspect it won't be long until they are forced off the market. Better order soon. I don't have any interest in the company.

tinlizzie23 · 03-23-2013, 08:33 AM

I heard that one company, I think somewhere in Georgia, that manufactures plastic 5 gallon gas jugs, has been forced out of business because of the cost of equipping them with spark arrestors mandated by gov't desk jockeys. They were selling at close to cost already, and the extra just wouldn't allow any profit at all. Over 110 people therefore lost their jobs.

Some years ago, when metal cans came out with gov't mandated "safety" spouts with spring-loaded caps, I found the number of the gov't dept that mandated them, and called them on the phone. After a brief discussion of why I thought they were in fact a safety hazzard to businesses like mine (auto repair), I gave the man my name and location (about a hour from his location), and told him that I would give him $100 cash if he could come to my location and empty a full can of gasoline into another container without spilling any gas from his "safety" spout. He declined to even try.

OnTheGo · 03-23-2013, 08:36 AM

Thanks for the link Chipper. I don't like the extra expense, but I don't like talking to gas cans either. And DW doesn't care for my language when I do.

Edit: I have a AA battery with instructions on it that say "Do not swallow". Different subject; same mindset.
(For the record: I wasn't going to swallow it anyway.)

Quote:

empty a full can of gasoline into another container without spilling any gas

...I hear you tinlizzie23

TX_Arvee · 03-23-2013, 09:03 AM

here is the story on Blitz: http://www.ibtimes.com/blitz-usa-shu...ometown-734478

troutslayer · 03-23-2013, 09:32 AM

First time I used the new design I had to hold open the spout and got fuel all over my fingers. Now THAT'S safety!

Explorer03 · 03-23-2013, 11:17 AM

I just purchased one three days ago with the new spout. There were not other options available. I filled the container up and used it yesterday. Just like the other posts; it is awakard to use and manages to get gas all over your fingers just like troutslayer stated. How I long for days of the past where things were much eaiser to use.

clutch · 03-24-2013, 04:51 PM

Check this out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyJcG_gW1xw

Easy way to make the cans useable.

**Crabman** · 03-24-2013, 05:23 PM

In my humble opinion these were the best cans ever made, they were manufactured by a company called Chilton, were very stable and thus hard to turn over, and the spouts worked nicely. They were bought out by Blitz a number of years ago and this design was scrapped. It came in 6 gallon sizes as well as 5.

zkeys29 · 03-24-2013, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crabman

In my humble opinion these were the best cans ever made, they were manufactured by a company called Chilton, were very stable and thus hard to turn over, and the spouts worked nicely. They were bought out by Blitz a number of years ago and this design was scrapped. It came in 6 gallon sizes as well as 5.

Agreed.

My dad still has one of these, it is great!

Zack

OnTheGo · 03-24-2013, 05:58 PM

Double agreed. I have one of the smaller ones (1 1/2 gal) and I never thought twice about how good it was until seeing the new style. I sure never thought of it as unsafe.

... another case of the cure being worse than the disease. We seem to do that quite a bit lately.

Denise · 03-24-2013, 07:14 PM

Those are the ones we also have in our barn

mcfarmall · 03-25-2013, 04:09 AM

Right on Crabman!! I have 6- 6 gallon reds, 1- 2.5 gallon red, 2- 1 gallon reds, 1- 6 gallon yellow...and NO they aren't for sale!! My FIL gave me a blue one with the push-to-pour spout that I use for diesel occasionally.

OnTheGo · 03-25-2013, 04:13 AM

mcfarmall, I like to vacation in Michigan, and I like to think of myself as an honest man. But don't leave them out where I can see them.

edatlanta · 03-25-2013, 04:45 AM

I originally had six of those tanks and they are great. One I gave away years ago and I lost another one, but I still have 4 and I'm guarding them with my life.

**Crabman** · 03-25-2013, 04:48 AM

They are selling on ebay for 60.00 or more if in good condition. Even the blitz cans with the older open spouts are bringing good money. I don`t want any more that badly yet. I really did like those 6 gallon cans, in the old 2 stroke outboards a pint of oil to 6 gallons of gas was the ratio so the 6 ers were nice for that.... We used them for so many years the spouts would break, but at that time you could buy replacement spouts cheap and the can itself was still good...

tslarson · 03-25-2013, 08:22 PM

One of the things the EPA is concerned about is evaporative emmsions from gasoline (hydrocarbons). These are the vapors that waft from your gas tank when filling your vehicle at the gas station. All gas cans now have to be self closing, including the vent. During the diurnal cycle the gas expands and contracts pushing out hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, this is no longer allowed. Thus the event of the difficult to use gas can. I bought my first one unknowingly last year, broke the fancy spout already. The problem with just buying a old style spout is that the tanks themselves no longer have a vent, it will be hard to pour without one. Wait until you buy a new boat or outboard motor and see all the new fancy fuel system parts attached to it.

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