Topic: Fuel Cans

I've been trying to decipher the fuel can rule. I see the ones that Lemons offers on their website for sale but when I go to the manufactures website I don't see anywhere that they specify the DOT SCCA or FIA approved.

Is there a list somewhere that I can check to see if my current fuel jugs will work? They are brand new VP racing fuel jugs but I can't locate on them any specifications.

Or are most commercially sold fuel containers DOT approved?

Re: Fuel Cans

VP racing jugs and Hunsakers are the most common fuel jugs used on the West Coast.  If they are 5 gallon jugs designed to hold fuel you should be fine.  They only place I have heard of people having problems is in NJ and that is with the local police.

This and Hunsakers are what we run:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/vpr- … 5sQAvD_BwE

Team whatever_racecar #745 Volvo wagon

Re: Fuel Cans

If you get the VP/Sunoco jugs I highly recommend  a bigger filler tube than the 3/4" one that comes with it.  At a minimum, remove the screen that is in the stock filler neck, it takes forever to pour 5 gallons

1975 Chevy LUV.  1 Corinthians 13:7
1999 Chevy Blazer

Re: Fuel Cans

We have 8 of the VP & Sunoco jugs. We also bring several red lawnmower cans to refill the fast-flow jugs. Comes in handy at tracks where the track pumps don't work and the only gas station for many miles has only two pumps (like CMP last year). We refill Saturday evening. The red cans should solve the NJ issue, I would think, but we don't go that far for races.

Huskar's advice is true. We modded several of our jugs' caps with 1" ID PVC through-hull fittings and vinyl hoses (and fuel-proof sealant), and ported out the inlet restriction in the car's filler neck so the bigger tube will fit.  Used a 3/8" thru-hull for the vent tube in the jug. We aren't at Indy/NASCAR fill rates, but can empty a 5 gallon jug (with 5.5 gallons) into the car in <21 seconds.  I forget the exact formula, but flow rate goes up by about 4x if you double the diameter of the tube, so a 1" ID tube flows way faster than a 3/4" ID. We tried a 1 1/4" ID tube, but found it blocked the air from exiting the tank as the gas went in and actually slowed us down.

Re: Fuel Cans

Now, can anyone prove any of those jugs meet SCCA or DOT?

It's a trick question.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

6 (edited by Guildenstern 2020-07-14 01:59 AM)

Re: Fuel Cans

tlbjornson wrote:

I've been trying to decipher the fuel can rule. I see the ones that Lemons offers on their website for sale but when I go to the manufactures website I don't see anywhere that they specify the DOT SCCA or FIA approved.

Is there a list somewhere that I can check to see if my current fuel jugs will work? They are brand new VP racing fuel jugs but I can't locate on them any specifications.

Or are most commercially sold fuel containers DOT approved?

Most are not DOT approved. DOT requires stuff like flash arrestors and fume control and such. most DOT are $100 metal safety cans.

So far the cheapest Plastic specifically advertised as DOT approved can is the VP Surecan https://vpracingfuels.com/product/vp-surecan/?c=237and the Nospill http://nospill.com/Products.html IF you take the nozzle off and put on a sold separately cap.

Otherwise.....I haven't seen ANY proof of DOT or SCCA approval even from Hunsacker.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Re: Fuel Cans

I'll just add that if you try and use California CARB approved fuel cans you will 1) take forever to fill your car and B) spill more gas than you pour.

Team whatever_racecar #745 Volvo wagon

Re: Fuel Cans

The eagle Safety Cans are CARB approved. They pour fine.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Re: Fuel Cans

The racing dept @ Home Depo sells pre cut 3? ft lengths of 1 1/4 ID- 1 5/8 OD clear vinyl tubing that fits perfectly into a gutted standard screw on type filler neck. 5 gal round/square jug  lids have to be opened up to fit a 1 1/4 in short threaded metal pipe found in the plumbing dept. and you have to reinvent the jug vent but it makes a nice conversion rather then buy new hundsackers.

Warning, I have not read the fuel rules in a long time, this is what we use in the other stockish based series.

Homestead Chump 5th-Sebring 6th-PBIR Lemons 9th - Charlotte Chump  CrashnBurn 9th
Sebring 6th again -NOLA Chump 1st -PBIR Chump Trans Fail 16th
Daytona 11th - Sebring 6th - Atlanta Motor Speedway 2nd - Road Atlanta Trans Fail 61st-Road Atlanta 5th
Daytona 13th - Charlotte 9th - Sebring 2nd-Charlotte 25th broken brakes - Road Atlanta 14 10th-Daytona 14  58th- Humid TT 19th Judges' Choice!

Re: Fuel Cans

Guildenstern wrote:

The eagle Safety Cans are CARB approved. They pour fine.

Interesting design, looks like it would work well.  I am not giving up my Hunsakers though.

Team whatever_racecar #745 Volvo wagon

Re: Fuel Cans

The Lemons tech gods got back to me. According to them any 5 gallon or under can that is sold for the purpose of dispensing gas is ok under the current rules. I'm going to stick with my VP cans as I already have them

Re: Fuel Cans

Team Infinniti wrote:

The racing dept @ Home Depo sells pre cut 3? ft lengths of 1 1/4 ID- 1 5/8 OD clear vinyl tubing that fits perfectly into a gutted standard screw on type filler neck. 5 gal round/square jug  lids have to be opened up to fit a 1 1/4 in short threaded metal pipe found in the plumbing dept. and you have to reinvent the jug vent but it makes a nice conversion rather then buy new hundsackers.

Warning, I have not read the fuel rules in a long time, this is what we use in the other stockish based series.


That is basically what we did with the plastic through-hull & tubing. We found that the larger tubing flowed so well that the car's tank couldn't vent air out against the incoming fuel. We actually lost a few seconds filling every time it burped - or had to slow our pour rate to prevent burping - so downsized very slightly and came out better in the end. Thinking of trying an internal vent tube (3/8" tube inside the big tube) to vent directly from the tank into the can, hoping the suction from gas flowing out will help pull air from the tank (and contain any spitting of fuel back into the jug).

Re: Fuel Cans

rb92673 wrote:

I'll just add that if you try and use California CARB approved fuel cans you will 1) take forever to fill your car and B) spill more gas than you pour.

But they are saving the planet!

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z

Re: Fuel Cans

My preferred utility jug:

https://www.pitposse.com/pit-posse-5-ga … white.html

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z