Board logo

Washing out an old jerry can
bi22le - 4/5/11 at 01:39 PM

Hi all,

Following on from my wanted post Russ on here has given me a 20L jerry can.

Problem being is that it has not been used for 10 years or so!!

I have had a mop around inside with my finger and it seems non rusty and good to use. Problem being is that i don't really want to drain off about half a litre of burnie burnie stuff just for a swoosh out and tip away, especially with the current costs!!!

So what else could I use?

Meths, thinners any thing else cheaper??

Cheers

I am bouncing of the Walls with excitement of my track day tomorrow, wish me luck all!

Biz

flak monkey - 4/5/11 at 01:41 PM

Hand full of gravel, some petrol. And shake...

Rinse it out after to get the grit out.

ashg - 4/5/11 at 01:54 PM

use petrol then stick it in the mower

02GF74 - 4/5/11 at 02:10 PM

I rinsed out a Land Rover underseat tank (had sand in it from whe it saw service in the desert) and a Z1000 tank (bits of rust) using petrol - I reused the petrol by filtering it trough toilet paper several times; the petrol was clear of debris so just used it as normal.

Be careful of doing it in this hot weather as you will get lots of petrol vapour that is highly explosive.

britishtrident - 4/5/11 at 02:30 PM

Old MODspec metal jerry cans are best avoided they are notorious for causing choked fuel systems, they were painted on the inside with red primer it peels off and floats around in the petrol

BenB - 4/5/11 at 02:57 PM

If you've got a fuel filter in your car personally I'd just bung it in that If there's any crud it will get caught in the filter....

jack_t - 4/5/11 at 03:27 PM

fill it half full of that cheap cola from the supermarket the homebrand stuff ( 30p ) stuff
leave it right way up for 3 days then other way up for 3 days then empty out the crap and then rince with some petrol

britishtrident - 4/5/11 at 03:45 PM

Passing it through chamois leather lined funnel is the traditional way to filter contaminated petrol.

bi22le - 4/5/11 at 04:06 PM

I have an online filter and a crap catcher on the funnel I'll be using to get it in the tank. I don't know how old the tank is but it does not look painted on the inside.

I think I'll use half a litre of fuel and give it a swoosh. I'll see what that fuel comes out like then go from there.

I don't like the idea of reusing it unless it looks super clean.

Thanks for the advice.

Biz

Neville Jones - 6/5/11 at 11:11 AM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
Old MODspec metal jerry cans are best avoided they are notorious for causing choked fuel systems, they were painted on the inside with red primer it peels off and floats around in the petrol


That's why the ex MOD spouts sold to attach to the ex MOD jerrycans have a filter in the end! A well known problem from the first day they were made,(according to a family member who served as a fitter in the tank regiment) but never redressed.

I have two, and both are still shedding their interior coatings after many years. No problem with the proper spout attached.

Cheers,
Nev.

[Edited on 6/5/11 by Neville Jones]

owelly - 6/5/11 at 11:33 AM

Use red diesel or paraffin to rinse out your can. If theres any left in the can, it'll make no difference in a tankfull.