Fixing jerrycans

[Goots]

Hi all,
I have alot of old metal Jerry cans at home that appear rusty and beat up. I personally love the appearance. I'm going on a trip soon and want to use them instead of buying new plastic ones but they appear to be flakey on the inside and some have old old diesel/petrol(one looks like oil?) in them just a bit at the bottom. Anyone know a way to fix them up cleaning the inside?

Provided they dont leak =P

Cheers,

Goots

[Blknight.aus]

stick in a handfull of washed 5mm bluemetal some water and some sodium bicarbonate.

now shake em to death turning regularly.

empty em out wash them out with clean water and a little detergent, rinse them with hot water and then air dry them (put in a hose from a clean warm air source in leaving room for it to exit). Put in a cup full of diesel shake it around and them empty it out.

after youve filled them with petrol and then emptied them do the thing with the diesel again but leave just a little in the bottom to keep any air and moisture at bay.

alternatively fill your jerry, keep it full then when its time to refuel empty the jerry into the tank then fill it then the tank at the servo.

While you've got the jerry empty it may be worth brazing a stainless bolt onto it somewhere so you can use it to attache an earth clamp. some places can be a little pedantic about filling jerrycans without earth strapping.

[Goots]

I've never heard of an earth clamp or earth strapping? Early you said drop in some blue metal, whats that? and for air dry should i just leave them in the sun tie them upside down or literally just sit it wherever till its dry?

Cheers,

Goots

[vnx205]

I've never heard of an earth clamp or earth strapping? Early you said drop in some blue metal, whats that? The gravel that is usually mixed with tar when roads are sealed. and for air dry should i just leave them in the sun tie them upside down or literally just sit it wherever till its dry?

Cheers,

Goots....

[crash]

Blue metal if I am correct is like a course gravel mostly a blueish colour found in driveways - or use a bunch of nuts and bolts.
If you have a pin hole in one a safer option of brazing / welding would be to purchase a motorcycle tank liner kit from POR15. Would be enough to do two or three jerrys - may be worth considering since a new metal jerry is worth around $60.00 now.

[Blknight.aus]

you need to circulate some air through the can, I usually use one of those 12V mattress inflators on a bit of hose.

Ive had a couple of places want an earth lead on the jerry cans, particulalry if youre filling up in a trailer...

IMHO its about the same level of risk as filling your car or having a mobile phone/2 way on while your filling up. Everyone cares about the .25w or 25w signal thats coming from the phone/two way but I havent had one mention of the multi hundred amp sparks that happen in the startermotor when you restart the car.

[Goots]

Ok cool, i guess things are different down south with this earthing bizzo. I'll prepare them as directed none are leaking got about 6. For the ones i want to use for petrol do I still rinse with diesel first, then rinse with petrol or just petrol? I figured i mightnt need to rinse with petrol after diesel cos their supposed to be more tolerent to bad fuels anyway right?

Thanks

[Blknight.aus]

nahh you rinse with diesel as it leaves an oil residue in the can which will help protect it from rusting. (just a cupfull and that will do all 6 jerries if you tip it from one to the other) you could use pretty much any oil you like.

[Bushie]

Don't be too fussed about the blue metal, 18" of old chain works just as well, cleaned a few tanks out that way over the years.

Martyn

[Davo]

Apparently aircraft fuel tank sealer is good - probably like that POR15 stuff.

I wouldn't worry about the different fuels going through the one jerrry can. I don't know where this whole business came from where you hear about how someone put petrol in a diesel jerry and suddenly the can is no good or something.

[Blknight.aus]

probably from someone who mixed diesel and petrol in 50/50 and found that it wont run well in a petrol and it'll blow the pots inside out in a diesel.

[C00P]

Whatever you do, don't try to weld anything if it has previously had fuel in it.
Had a mate try to weld an aircraft fuel tank after filling it with water and emptying it numerous times, then filled it almost full and tried to weld a spot near the filler hole. There was a loud "POP" and a jet of blue flame from the filler hole, which just missed taking off his eyebrows and cleaned out all of the spiders in the garage ceiling...
Old fuel containers can be very surprising!

Coop

[Goots]

Haha thanks C00P not much of a welder anyway! All very helpful. Can i use the same procedure for rust? One is rusty as opposed to just dirty/full of old black engine oil.

Cheers,

Goots

[Davo]

With enough shaking of the blue metal or nuts and bolts that should loosen it up. After that, I'd be inclined to use some rust converter. But rust is a bit harder to get rid of as opposed to something like oil, which can be washed out.

[DeeJay]

I use one of these, I've given up on expecting clean fuel out of the metal Jerries, mine are mostly dated 1950's :eek:
You are left with a half cupfull of fuel, I usually pour the cleaner portion back into the Jerry.


F8C MR FUNNEL FUEL FILTER FUNNEL WHEN YOU NEED PURE FUEL KEEPS OUT WATER & DIRT | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/F8C-MR-FUNNEL-FUEL-FILTER-FUNNEL-YOU-NEED-PURE-FUEL-KEEPS-OUT-WATER-DIRT-/251000568543?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a70ccbadf)

[Blknight.aus]

fogot to mention. even tho they may not leak now, invest in a couple of the seals for the neck and some spares for the pourer.

[flagg]

Whatever you do, don't try to weld anything if it has previously had fuel in it.
Had a mate try to weld an aircraft fuel tank after filling it with water and emptying it numerous times, then filled it almost full and tried to weld a spot near the filler hole. There was a loud "POP" and a jet of blue flame from the filler hole, which just missed taking off his eyebrows and cleaned out all of the spiders in the garage ceiling...
Old fuel containers can be very surprising!

Coop

I've seen people weld fuel tanks successfully by running them full of exhaust gas for a while before hand, and then during the welding.

No Oxygen = no ignition. They didn't even clean them, or run water through them. The gentlemen was a very experienced diesel mechanic and fireman.

[Blknight.aus]

I purge them with compressed air for at least an hour then run the exhaust from a small 2 stroke genny through them OR if at work use the nitrogen purge gear.

[Bushie]

probably from someone who mixed diesel and petrol in 50/50 and found that it wont run well in a petrol and it'll blow the pots inside out in a diesel.

The army don't seem to have too much of a problem with 50/50 diesel/petrol - refuelled a few trucks that way for them in the past :D:D:D. Don't know how they went though.


Martyn

[Goots]

fogot to mention. even tho they may not leak now, invest in a couple of the seals for the neck and some spares for the pourer.

Would i get something like this from like repco/SCA? didnt even know they had seals

Cheers,

Goots

[Davo]

The seals are easy to get, though quality seems to differ. Look in the lid of any steel jerry can and there's the seal. (Or SHOULD be!)

[Homestar]

Whatever you do, don't try to weld anything if it has previously had fuel in it.
Had a mate try to weld an aircraft fuel tank after filling it with water and emptying it numerous times, then filled it almost full and tried to weld a spot near the filler hole. There was a loud "POP" and a jet of blue flame from the filler hole, which just missed taking off his eyebrows and cleaned out all of the spiders in the garage ceiling...
Old fuel containers can be very surprising!

Coop

Used to frequent an exhaust centre who regularly welded up fuel tanks and jerry cans - trick is to not just rinse and fill with water, but to use detergent in the mix - breaks the surface tension of the fuel and gets into all the nooks and crannies. He never lost an eyebrow doing it that way.