Originally Posted by
Andrew Pitonyak
I believe that the new cans are not allowed to leak fumes. It seems that as things heat up, the cans do not vent, so they expand. There are now numerous reports of what I like to call "premature can failure" because the can expands and contracts. I saw many reviews for one of these cans where multiple people were complaining about cracked spouts because of this. If you do not vent the can before using, you may propel the gas out of the can under pressure. Giving how much some of my plastic cans deformed, I was actually afraid that one might burst and spew gas all over everything.
My favorite gas can is an older model that does not do this. I will admit, however, that I have a metal five gallon can that I like very well, and I am not afraid that it will burst.
After a little incident with my new 1.25 gal no spill can, I now leave the lid loose, except to pour.
I have a couple other older cans that I don't have any problems with, but my chainsaw was running poorly and I wanted to get some fresh gasoline to see if that would help. I stopped at the big box store on my way home from work to get a new can. I live 25 miles from the nearest gas station, so I wasn't going to drive all the way home to get one of my old cans, then turn around and go all the way back to the station.
I can verify that the no spill cans absolutely do not vent. I went to fill my chainsaw one afternoon (it was a warm day), put the spout in the gas tank, pulled back the release mechanism, and gas exploded everywhere! The gas shot out of the spout under so much pressure that it hit the bottom of the gas tank on the chainsaw and shot out of the opening directly onto my face and arms. My face and head were drenched along with my arms and my shorts were soaked. I immediately went to the hose to flush it out of my eyes, but I can say gas in your eyes stings!
So now I never store it with the lid screwed on tight, so much for reducing vapors. The day was warm, but not hot, I live in the Phoenix area and in the dead of summer I can imagine the pressure building enough to explode the container.
"If it is wood, I will turn it."
vor-tex: any activity, situation, or way of life regarded as irresistibly engulfing.