OT gas can flakes

[Robert Zack]

i have a 1 gallon galvanized gas can that i bought new around 1969. it has been stored for a looonnng time. no rust inside but when i shine a light in it it has some white dust & flakes in it . it looks to be galvanized on the inside as well. what would clean out this residue. i had an old outboard gas tank that had some rust on the bottom. i put 2 tubes of daisy bb's in it & let it ride in my truck bed for a month. cleaned it right up but that won't work in this case. here's what i shook out of the can.
photo is of a similar can.

 

[Tall T]

i have a 1 gallon galvanized gas can that i bought new around 1969. it has been stored for a looonnng time. no rust inside but when i shine a light in it it has some white dust & flakes in it . it looks to be galvanized on the inside as well. what would clean out this residue. i had an old outboard gas tank that had some rust on the bottom. i put 2 tubes of daisy bb's in it & let it ride in my truck bed for a month. cleaned it right up but that won't work in this case. here's what i shook out of the can.
photo is of a similar can.

View attachment 160181
View attachment 160182

What I do for similar situations is to put a cone shaped auto paint filter into a funnel held in by clothespins or whatever
and whatever you fill from that can, run it through that strainer.

 

[Ray,IN]

I really like Tall T's suggestion of a paint strainer. Too late for me though.
Oh man_. I've been there done that. I didn't check the inside of the galvanized can. I just filled at a gas station, came home and filled my ZTR mower. The gas was completely clear until the last quart, which was milky white. The strainer in my funnel caught a lot of flakes, but the fine stuff passed through the screen.
That was last summer, and I'm still having carb problems after replacing 7 in-line filters last summer. I replaced the filter again last week because the engine would not start, the filter was plugged but appeared clear.
BTW, these old galvanized cans are selling for $30-$40 ea.

 

[Duner Wi]

I would rinse can out with gas several times and then use it but monitor for flakes using a strainer till confident , problem solved.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

If I'm worried about it, I strain through a coffee filter.
I have used a paper towel as a filter many times as well.
You can buy a large galv funnel with a brass screen. Just lay the material on the bottom of the funnel and pour away.

 

[Robert Zack]

i have a conical wire frame that holds grease filters. i use it to strain melted bees wax. that should work. it's a nice old can. i'd like to save it.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

i have a conical wire frame that holds grease filters. i use it to strain melted bees wax. that should work. it's a nice old can. i'd like to save it.

Always like to see a fellow beekeeper here!

 

[Robert Zack]

old age has taken it'd toll & i retired from beekeeping last year. my oldest daughter took over so i still keep a hand in. i'm also on a lot of swarm capturing lists so i capture swarms & give them to her. 15 years ago i was running 60 or so hives. at this point i'm helping her to manage 18.
i run all my capping wax thru a solar melter 2-3 times. then i melted that wax & run it thru the grease filter where it falls into a bucket of water. sometimes i repeat that part. i have a glass blower & a blacksmith who buy all the wax i produce. and i keep 2-3 pounds stashed for my woodworking projects. the grease filter gets the wax really clean.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

So that we don't stray too off-topic, I want to invite you to visit on Beesource.
We probably won't talk tractors there.

 

[Old Ford Mechanic]

i have a 1 gallon galvanized gas can that i bought new around 1969. it has been stored for a looonnng time. no rust inside but when i shine a light in it it has some white dust & flakes in it . it looks to be galvanized on the inside as well. what would clean out this residue. i had an old outboard gas tank that had some rust on the bottom. i put 2 tubes of daisy bb's in it & let it ride in my truck bed for a month. cleaned it right up but that won't work in this case. here's what i shook out of the can.
photo is of a similar can.

View attachment 160181
View attachment 160182

 

[Old Ford Mechanic]

The white specks look to be the remains of ethanol gas left in the can. If it were mine i would clean the outside of the can and put it on the shelf never to be used again. Then go get myself a new plastic can. Problem solved.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

"Just say no" to plastic cans!
Ethanol has nothing to do with it.
It's "white rust".
Rinse it out and get it back in use.

 

[Robert Zack]

this can was used well before ethanol was even thought about. if there's any fuel residue it's lead.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

Here is what I have used for decades. Comes with a brass screen:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/306375800222?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1K_SxAImSRZ-hiMbr2bkBGw20&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-172297-433301-2&mkcid=4&mkscid=101&itemid=306375800222&targetid=&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=109578&poi=&campaignid=604202310&mkgroupid=1230354565500997&rlsatarget=&abcId=&merchantid=51291&msclkid=d63e1534a17d138150087f49492ed936

 

[Tall T]

Here is what I have used for decades. Comes with a brass screen:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/306375800222?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1K_SxAImSRZ-hiMbr2bkBGw20&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-172297-433301-2&mkcid=4&mkscid=101&itemid=306375800222&targetid=&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=109578&poi=&campaignid=604202310&mkgroupid=1230354565500997&rlsatarget=&abcId=&merchantid=51291&msclkid=d63e1534a17d138150087f49492ed936

I couldn't get your link to work but here's my trusty CLUTHE funnel that I've had for 50 years.
It came with 3 or 4 different sized mesh, snap in screens.
Sometimes a coarse mesh is in order like for straining out old paint bits of skin.
One is super fine for gas.

Tt

P.S.
I might have known; it was too good a product to be available now-a-days.
Mine is also vinyl and most new crap is plastic.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

Do a search for:

Delphos Heavy-Duty 8 Qt. Galvanized Steel Funnel with Center Spout 590

 

[Ray,IN]

Talking about funnels. I have 2 galvanized funnels that have ears that lock into a gas tanks gas cap flange. Too little to lock onto the diesel tank flange, so I have 1 of these.

 

[Robert Zack]

i around 2 cups of 1/8" to 1/4" pea gravel into this can & shook it. made a game of it & let 2 great grandkids shke awhile too. rinsed it with water most loose flakes were gone. then i got the proverbial wild hair & put a product called evapo-rust in in.. didn't have enough to fill it so let it sit a few hours, laid it on it's side & rotated it it whenever i remembered to until all of the inside was covered. rinsed it with water, let it dry, & it came out super clean. super clean. i'll still use a funnel with a filter but i'm glad to have resurrected this old can.

 

[markdtn]

The white specks look to be the remains of ethanol gas left in the can. If it were mine i would clean the outside of the can and put it on the shelf never to be used again. Then go get myself a new plastic can. Problem solved.

I too have given up on metal cans. I do not like the government "no-spill-spout" cans except a 1 gallon one that I use for mixing and dispensing 2-stroke fuel. As far as more liquid volume I carry a lot of water in VP Racing 5.5 gal plastic cans with an offshore spout. Once you get the hang of the pouring sequence, they don't spill from the vent and will actually hold a bit over 6 gallons. They carry nicely and are decently balanced when full.

Evap-o-rust is good stuff but left empty you will probably get flash rust.