Fuel can modification

[Mysfyt]

Have you ever had something annoy you to where you get obsessed with fixing it? That's pretty much what happened here. I love this fuel container for adding fuel to my tractor. Set it up on the hood and put the nozzle in and add fuel without spilling. Except pressing and holding the button down while the fuel gurgles in just got to me last time. So I came up with what I thought was a simple solution......adding a cam lever to hold the button down. Well, it morphed itself into drawing the cam up on cad, water jetting it out of nylon and cleaning it up on the sander, milling the thickness to specs, milling the aluminum side supports plus sanding and bead blasting, turning an insert down on the lathe and cutting two spacers. Sheesh! I got annoyed at myself trying to fix something to not annoy me. Well, the good news is it works and all my trouble was worth it in the end. Had a good laugh at my own expense!

 

[Mendonsy]

Nice!! When are you gonna start selling those ???

 

[EddieWalker]

Very ingenious. I use a funnel and unscrew the cap and set it aside. Much faster and easier then anything else I've come across. I have small funnels for my chainsaw and weed eater, bigger ones for my log splitter and Kawasaki Mule.

 

[Mysfyt]

Nice!! When are you gonna start selling those ???

Nobody would be able to afford it. The dxf for the cam is free-just PM me.

 

[MNBobcat]

I use a Jiggle Siphon



I set the can on the hood, stick the hose in and shake the hose a couple times and walk away while the fuel fills itself.

 

[jenkinsph]

Very ingenious. I use a funnel and unscrew the cap and set it aside. Much faster and easier then anything else I've come across. I have small funnels for my chainsaw and weed eater, bigger ones for my log splitter and Kawasaki Mule.

I can easily remember when just about everyone used a tractor funnel to fill their tractors. These modern tractors often don't have enough clearance for the large funnels to fit but if you do removing the spout would be a lot faster. I have thought about trying to find one of the old style funnels since these new fuel cans have come out.

 

[truckdiagnostics]

The liability involved with selling something like that would be huge, case in point why we have the stupid button to push down. I do like it. I use those cans for despising my bulk oil, and hate holding that button down.

 

[Wnc3]

VP Race gas cans are the best I have found.

 

[k0ua]

I use a Jiggle Siphon

View attachment 444897

I set the can on the hood, stick the hose in and shake the hose a couple times and walk away while the fuel fills itself.

How long does the process take from the start (setting the can on the hood) to the finish of the 5 gallon delivery. And how far down does it siphon,? In otherwords how much is left in the can when the siphon stops? as for the jiggle siphon, does it actually fill the hose just by jiggling it up and down? Enquiring minds want to know

 

[Rustyiron]

I can easily remember when just about everyone used a tractor funnel to fill their tractors.

Do you mean those big galv. funnel's that your could "hit" with an open top 5 gal. can without spilling a drop and had various thread combinations on the end that fit the tank on many tractors.
The original no spill pre-EPA method……… that actually worked!:laughing:

 

[ultrarunner]

Love it and would make the perfect Christmas present for my brother... money's no object just to see the look on his face!

He is always have difficulty refueling his Kubota L3800.

You could send it in a plain wrapper with no return address and I promise to never say where it came from!!!

 

[SPIKER]

heck could print them up on a 3d printer by the 100's lol

good ideal

 

[jenkinsph]

Do you mean those big galv. funnel's that your could "hit" with an open top 5 gal. can without spilling a drop and had various thread combinations on the end that fit the tank on many tractors.
The original no spill pre-EPA method? that actually worked!:laughing:

Yes and I found one that will work with my 110 and cab.

 

[Todd727]

VP Race gas cans are the best I have found.

Yep.

Amazon.com: VP 5 Gallon Square Red Racing Utility Jug With Deluxe Filler Hose: Automotive

 

[dstig1]

I have the exact same cans as the OP and the exact same issue. Love the cans, but holding that button down kills your thumb. While I applaud your ingenuity on that, I just drilled a hole across through the 2 yellow tabs, right about where you mounted those screws to it, and stick a 3/16" drill bit through it to keep the button pressed down. Push the button down all the way - line up a spot to run the drill through, and poke the holes. Give it a little slack so it doesn't bind up. A whole lot easier than your method, as long as you have a drill bit handy ( I always fuel up in my shop, so drill bits always handy). I suppose i could tie a piece of steel rod to the can if I really wanted to keep it there all the time...

Only risk is overflowing if you misjudge how much space is in your tank, or a flood of diesel if the can gets knocked over or falls while pouring. Mine stays put nicely, so I can do other things while it fills. Though I always stay close just in case.

 

[ultrarunner]

I was thinking of using a 16 penny nail and then remember one of the nice features of these cans is being able to stop the flow immediately...

 

[Garandman]

Towel on the cowling to protect from scratches - fancy!

Nobody would be able to afford it. The dxf for the cam is free-just PM me.

We could 3D print those parts out for $10-20. My thumb is free, though.

 

[MNBobcat]

How long does the process take from the start (setting the can on the hood) to the finish of the 5 gallon delivery. And how far down does it siphon,? In otherwords how much is left in the can when the siphon stops? as for the jiggle siphon, does it actually fill the hose just by jiggling it up and down? Enquiring minds want to know

Yes there is a ball inside the metal piece on the end. You stick that end into the can and shake the hose for about 10 seconds. It acts like a one-way pump and starts the gas siphoning. I use it to fill the tractor, skid steer, zero turn, etc. It beats having to stand there and hold a 35 pound gas can and pour. It also means I don't care if the gas can has one of those new anti-spill spouts that are a pain in the arse to use. I really love the jiggle siphon.

I've never timed it but I would guess in might take about 3 - 4 minutes to empty a 5 gallon can. It empties all but maybe the last 1/2 inch or so of fuel in the can. You can put the hose down into one corner of the can and sit the can at an angle so that the fuel goes to that corner. But honestly, I don't worry about that last little bit of fuel and usually just add new fuel to the can when I go to the station. If I do want to get the last little bit out, I pour from the can into the tank and since it only weighs about a half pound to a pound or so it still makes easy work of it.

I picked my jiggle siphons up from Mills Fleet Farm. I keep one in the shop and one in the garage.

 

[truckdiagnostics]

I was thinking of using a 16 penny nail and then remember one of the nice features of these cans is being able to stop the flow immediately...

like this idea, tie a string to it leave it with the can.

 

[Sodo]

MYSFYT that looks like fun. I could make that from wood. You could add a vent to speed things up. This $6.25 was the best money spent (for some of my cans).


(5 fuel can vents for $6.25)

I used a Blair annular holecutter to make the 1/2" hole, all the chips come out on top but the plug goes inside the can. I thought of a way to capture after it was too late. They recommend using a hand reamer too. I don't think plastic chips will cause any problem, and are easy to get out of a strainer.

Funnels are OK but you gotta keep them clean such as in a covered bucket. And if you get it dirty it's another little task to clean it for next time. Jiggle Siphons are $7 at Harbor Freight and you gotta keep those clean too. I bought some of those EZ-Pour spouts on Amazon. They work "OK". Main problem is most fuel fillers are kind of horizontal for easier filling, but the EZ-Pour is straight - it needs a "bend". Fuel comes out so fast you don't have 3 hands to get it bent into the filler hole. Maybe it can be bent with steam.

The EZ-Pour does not seal HarborFreight cans very well, you have to be very careful in positioning it or it leaks (on a HF can), it's not worth "making it work" other than to get the fuel out of the can and put the HF can back in the 2nd tier pile. Works well on other cans I have.