Gas Cans

[rick25]

Does anyone recall what would be the correct style gas can to use with my 1967 M38A1CDN2?

I'm looking for something that would have been in use from 1967 to the early 1970's.

Thanks,
Rick

[Jon Skagfeld]

Metal, usually of US manufacture.

[maple_leaf_eh]

To pour the fuel from the metal jerry can, you need a spout, metal, flexible. Commonly known as a horse co(C)k. If you are looking at an assortment of jerry cans, watch out for internal rust, big dents, bulged bottoms and bad threads on the screw cap. I found a small country surplus store in Quebec with many jerry cans for sale. Eventually I found one which contained someone's old engine oil. No internal rust! The other ones were almost all quite decrepit. But, I suppose you could have yours steam cleaned and coated like a car gas tank.

[rick25]

So the correct can would be a US can? Are they stamped US or?

[chris vickery]

They are stamped USMC and dated on the bottom. Usually they have US stamped on the sides near the top as well.
BTW, USMC is not United States Marine Corp as many incorrectly think.
I believe it is United Steelwares Metal Corporation.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi

Here are just a few of the websites on the subject of Jerry Cans.

http://ww2jerrycans.com/

http://olive-drab.com/od_mvg_jerry_can_markings.php

Or you can do a google search be warned it is just like east peanuts you will not stop at one.

Cheers Phil

[Lynn Eades]

Chris, if you look on the bottom of your Jerry can, the date reads "20-5-45"
That actually means;
20 litres (or) 5 U.S. gallons (or) 4.5 imperial gallons.
If it were the date, they would all have been made on the same day, at the end of the war. A BIG job!

[lendlease]

Are you sure about that, Lynn? If so, then what do the other nu,bers mean? Just curious...

[chris vickery]

Hate to disagree Lynn but I have plenty of gas cans that use the format you indicate but showing actual dates, not capacities.

[Ed Storey]

I own a few US Jerry Cans. Perhaps this CONCO example holds 5.3 Imperial Gallons?

[Scott Bentley]

Great post.

I was staring at my "US" marked 5 Gal. Gas Can the other day wondering if it was the correct piece for my 151. Low and behold, this topic pops up

Gotta love MLU.

[Lynn Eades]

Ed, Chris, A quick google found "Olive drab .com". It seems I was a little bit wrong.
The last number is the year of Manufacture. The first two numbers, (20-5) are litres, and gallons, as stated.
A lot of us have learned something today.

[Ed Storey]

Scott, you are OK, here is an image of a M151A2 from RV81. The plastic fuel containers did not start showing up until about 1984/85ish.

[chris vickery]

Over on the G503 web forum there is a whole category dedicated to those with an interest in gas cans. A whole other hobby right there.

[Lynn Eades]

Lendlease, Do you have a name?

[motto]

Better tell him Ross.

Dave

[Scott Bentley]

Originally Posted by Ed Storey

Scott, you are OK, here is an image of a M151A2 from RV81. The plastic fuel containers did not start showing up until about 1984/85ish.

Thanks Ed. Sums that up.

[Frank v R]

Hi Rick, I have over 50 cans in my collection from POL to Scepter , a steel 5 gallon U.S. can with the 50's dates or 70's dates would be correct for your vehicle, I have not seem many in CF service with 60's dates, there are a large number of makers, also cans that were stamped out during WW 2 but never assembled until the 50's, these have the original maker with date then also the assembler (Russtakof) plus the date assembled, Scepter (plastic) cans use a different can carrier due to their larger size ,the carrier is squared, there are also books on the steel Jerry can that are well done, hope all this helps
regards Frank

[rob love]

There was also an earlier commercial type version of the gas can. I think they were made by reliable or maybe scepter. These came out in the early 80s, but did not have the ability to attach the horsecock, rather they had that little orange extension inside the filler cap. They did not last long until the proper mil-spec scepters came in. They would, however, be correct for a Cdn2 or Cdn3 jeep.

The changeover to plastic was of great benefit to the mechanics. The older metal cans were lined with some kind of beige lining or paint. When the full cans would get dropped from the top of the 5 tons to the ground, the cans would bulge a bit and the paint would come loose. The chips would plug the quick disconnects on the fuel lines of the M113A1s. Once we went to the plastic cans, along with the refuelling pods, the plugged quick disconnects became a thing of the past.

Of course, none of that prevented operators to filling their tanks with anything from antifreeze to hull sludge from the new cans. But that is another story.

[Frank v R]

I have one of the plastic 5 gallon cans with the small spout in my collection, can is light green not OD the spout is the same size as all the little red ones , Rob how about motor oil in the master cylinder or naphtha gas in the fuel tank ? as one of our regt. v-techs I was not happy,
regards Frank

[Ed Storey]

Those early commercial containers are even applicable to M151A2s.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Frank v R

I have one of the plastic 5 gallon cans with the small spout in my collection, can is light green not OD the spout is the same size as all the little red ones , Rob how about motor oil in the master cylinder or naphtha gas in the fuel tank ? as one of our regt. v-techs I was not happy,
regards Frank

The cause of motor oil in the master cylinders was more often the 1 gallon cans that the stuff came in. Of course, you cannot get a 1 gallon can into a position to pour the brake fluid into the hidden away master cylinders of the m-series vehicles, so the operators would go get a pour can. Any traces of oil would cause the brake cups in the master cylinder, combination valve (5/4 ton) or the wheel cylinders/calipers to swell up. The more trace of oil the quicker the disaster.

Why a 1 gallon can of brake fluid? No idea....perhaps to prevent pilfering of the smaller size.

As to the naptha, I was guilty of that once myself. End of ex, and I needed to get enough fuel into the 5/4 ton to make it back to base for a fill up. I grabbed a gas can (or so I thought) out of the POL pit, poured it in, and headed off to base. When I got to the pumps, I shut off the truck, went in for the clipboard, and when I got back to the truck, it was still dieseling. Oh well, nothing another 120 liters of fuel couldn't fix.

[Scott Bentley]

On the topic of Gas Cans, I'm going to scuff and repaint mine. Which color should it be?
Semi-Gloss OD, Flat OD, or Flat Field Green?
Also, for what it's worth, on the bottom it's marked:
ICC-5L
NESCO
20-5-52

[Frank v R]

Hi Scott , a can with that date should be semi-gloss od, the cans seldom were painted again,
regards Frank

[Scott Bentley]

Originally Posted by Frank v R

Hi Scott , a can with that date should be semi-gloss od, the cans seldom were painted again,
regards Frank

Thanks Frank

[Scott Bentley]

Gas Can is all spruced up in 24087 SG OD. Decided to do the pioneer tools as well. I did it on my lunch break. Felt like a typical sunny July day as a Sapper in the Regt sharpening shovels and painting tools