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Two Letters Re: Military Surplus Gasoline Cans--Questions on Cleaning Procedures and Venting
Hi Jim,
I've restored older cars as a hobby for about 24 years (Ford is my
preference. I was delighted to see [late 1960s vintage] Broncos, F250s
and Mustangs in your novel "Patriots".)
I have a suggestion for cleaning older gas cans that works very well
for me. Most recently I dealt with a 50,000 mile 1969 Buick Riviera.
[JWR Adds: Ah, the roar of a 454! I once owned a
1970 Buick Electra 225. What a ride.] The deceased prior owner had
stored the car indoors
since 1983. The gas
tank was
full
of vile
liquid
that
at
one time
had been
leaded
gasoline.
After draining and removing the tank (I disposed of the fluid properly)
I was able to remove the gas gauge sending unit and peer inside. Initially,
it looked like the tank had rusted, but it was simply a heavy coating
of dark orange varnish. I tried a few different chemicals and even
steam cleaning to attempt to remove the varnish but to no avail.
I use Berryman
Chem-Dip in a 5 gallon pail to soak/clean disassembled
automotive carburetors prior to rebuilding them.
This fluid is some nasty stuff (wear chem resistant gloves!), but it
works. (However, I can't speak for their [special]
Kalifornia kompliant formula). It came to me that what was in the gas
tank was the same
residue in
a
dirty
carburetor, just in greater quantity. My Chem-Dip pail was a little
low and needed replenishing anyway. I bought two gallons of Chem-Dip
replenisher (Berryman part no. 0901, about $15 a gallon in my area)
and poured it in the Buick's gas tank. I sloshed the Chem-Dip around,
then let the tank sit on one side, sloshed it again, let it sit on
another side, until I had soaked the entire inside surface of the tank.
After two days of soaking/sloshing I drained the tank back into the
original cans, filtering the fluid through a fine metal screen. I let
the tank dry, then used a pressure washer for a final cleaning, drained
the water, then used a heat gun on the outside of
the tank to expedite drying time. [JWR Adds: Use extreme
caution when applying heat to a gas can or to any part of an automobile
fuel system!]
The end result
was a beautiful (to a mechanic, anyway) shiny factory galvanized
internal
tank surface
with
only a
hint of
surface rust. Later, I used the cans to replenish my 5 gallon pail.
My point is I believe this technique would work just as well with a
military gas can. If the Chem-Dip is filtered it can be used again
- it doesn't seem to lose its cleaning strength for some time. In a
survival scenario, I believe Chem-Dip will even have some significant
value in bringing some older pre-1980 non-computer [presumably EMP impervious]
vehicles back to operational service.
I heartily agree with SC's assessment of the durability of the German
gas cans. I secured a quantity of the German cans from SOG International
about seven years ago, just prior to Y2K. The cans had already been
cleaned, given a rust preventative/chemical resistant internal coating
(to resist
rusting from condensation of water in the air trapped in the can) and
then painted. They've held my storage fuel on many trips, the internal
chemical coating is still adhering, no leaks. (The weak point would
be the rubber cap seal - replacements available from Major
Surplus and Survival and they have endured outside storage in
the hot southeastern Texas climate very well. I keep them as
full as possible to
minimize condensation. (It is very humid where I live.)
I've seen some similar, if not identical, Euro military gas cans at
currently reasonable prices. The lowest price is at Major
Surplus and Survival (2 can limit? - can't be sold in Kalifornia.)
The Sportsman's
Guide has Swiss cans that are a little higher and no apparent limit on quantity. Though
I don't think the cans currently being offered have an internal protective
coating, one could be added after they were cleaned out, like this
product:
Kind Regards, - M. Artixerxes
James:
Regarding gas cans, I purchased a number of [used] US mil-spec cans
and had them cleaned and "red lined" at a radiator shop. The red
lining
would
keep the inside of the cans from rusting. They also replaced the
rubber seals on the caps with ones made out of inner tubes and they
worked fine. The process was expensive ($20 per can), but they
are still in very good shape some 15 years later. - Ron A.
