Gas Cans in New York State....

G-Mac

G-Mac

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Well, I finally decided it was time to replace a few of my old, faded, red plastic gas cans.

I threw three of my old ones in the dumpster.

No problem, right?

Wrong.

I went to every local auto parts store...Advance Auto, Auto Zone, Pep Boys, etc. It seemed that they all carried one type, of the same brand...and all had some new-fangled "safety spout" with on/off levers, spring-loaded spouts (I think), etc.

Looked way too complicated...all I wanted was some simple gas cans with regular spouts.

Finally, at the last store I went to, I asked the counter man. I thought maybe he might have some "out back". He said yeah...these new ones are CRAP! But...that's the kind that are being sold in New York....told me if I wanted the old style...I had to go to Pennsylvania!

Now I was wishing that I hadn't tossed the old ones!

Good excuse for a road trip on the Sportster...unless some forum member in Pa. wants to ship me a couple...;)
 
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Yep, the new ones suck.

The Wedco Nato style are NLA at regular prices; only at a serious premium.

Some of the older NATo cans can still be found. Just takes looking.
 
Spring loaded wizardry

I think you're gonna find the same junk in Pa.I have a kerosene poly can with the spring loaded spout that every time I use it I swear I'm going to use it for target practice so I don't put myself through the aggravation again.Just another example of gov't.making us suffer because of EPA regs and believing we are all incompetent fools.
 
like that in ohio too, whoever designed that spout never cut any grass
 
All the plastic 6 gal cans in Indiana are ventless. I have no idea why or how that is safer or more environmentally friendly but about 3-4 years ago the vented cans were banned. No springs or levers but no vent either. Makes pouring a steady stream hard. My way of beating the system is to drill a 1/4" hole on the under side of the handle.
 
Have you tired looking in a motorcycle/ATV/off-road shop?

Most gas cans are worthless these days. I believe the safety features actually make them unsafe, but what do I know? The fuel jugs for off-road motorcycles with the permanently attached hose (with screw-on cap) are very nice. Mine are white in color (see-thru-ish) so I can see the fuel level at a glance.

Link to example
 
Come on down to Louisiana and drive I-20 for a few miles. You can pick up those red plastic cans to your hearts content. I see them on the side of the highway all the time. Last week I had to make a 40 miles round trip on I-20 and likely saw a5 of them along the way. Maybe they blow out of the back of all the pickups we have down here. Or maybe they are so plentiful, people only use them once.

If you want new ones, just visit any drug store, hardware store, auto parts or discount store or even a convenience store. Seems like everyone sells them here.
 
My gas can story was trying to get on a WA State ferry with a couple of red cans in the back of the truck. I spent alot of time in the SW desert so I used two 5 gal. cans to carry water.
The ferry guy said I couldn't carry gas cans onto the boat. I told him it wasn't gas but water. I even offered to drink out of them. He got snotty and said if I wanted to carry water I would have to get blue cans.
I told him if I wanted to carry gas I would get blue cans.:D

(Needless to say, I didn't make the ferry.....:mad:)
 
The law requiring the use of the new cans was passed here in CA after heavy sponsorship by the company that manufactures the cans. The spout, which seems to require three hands to use, ensures gas spilling on the ground. Another triumph of environmental legislation....
 
I got one of those spring loaded cans about a year ago. I figured it out, sorta (still needs a vent in it).

Dad had come down one weekend and tried using it. He asked me "Where the H3// did you get that gas can? It doesn't work worth a flip".

You really can't help but spill gas with them, in my experience.
 
Your local, state and federal guvmint knows best what is good for you and safe for the environment. That is why there are so many law schools and lawyers on guvmint payrolls. They are there to keep you safe, happy and to protect the enviroment. That is also why we pay full time politicians to sit around and think up new ways (laws) to keep us safe from ourselves and to protect the environment.
 
I've got a few (six or so) of the plastic vented cans. I use a fair amount of gasoline around the farm in weed trimmers, lawn mowers, and an old gas-burning 600 Ford tractor. I also remember two years ago when gasoline supply got a little iffy in Georgia. There were some storms in the Gulf, and at least one of the Gulf refineries shut down for a while. Things got so tight that there was a chance the UGA-Alabama game in Athens would be cancelled. I decided to get a 55 gallon drum of gasoline and store it. I bought four "new/reconditioned" tanks and a rotary type pump from a wholesale gas/oil/diesel dealer, filled one of the drums on the truck, took it to the farm, and transferred the gas to another of the drums on some blocks. I put some fuel stabilizer in it, vented the drum, and left it in the inconspicuous spot.

All this might seem a little paranoid, and my wife did roll her eyes when I told her what I was doing, but the fact is that there are only eight places in our county that sell gasoline. Two years ago, there were a couple of times that my gauge got down to one-quarter tank before I could find gas locally. I will rotate the gas out in a month or two, and get some fresh gas. Call me a hoarder.
 
Vented mine by drilling a small hole at the rear of the handle. Use a golf tee as a plug. Works good.
 
I went through the gas can search this summer too. Found one that was the new style spout similar to the one I was replacing.

Fortunately, it had the same style nut that holds the spout on. That's all I needed. My old one had cracked. The old can rides again!

I agree. The new style cans are as convenient as the Mumps!!! :eek:

rags
 
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