Metal Gas Can Quasi-Restoration

[MM54]

A little over a year ago (man, time flies) I picked up a couple old metal military gas cans from a friend who was cleaning out a late family member's garage. Of the 6 there, I picked the two in the best shape and took them home (another friend took another two, the two worst ones became scrap - they were pretty well trashed). I also got a spout, which hopefully won't leak like a sieve.

Anyways, these have been sitting around empty for a year because they needed a little work. While the ones my other friend took got sanded and repainted, but the inside ignored, I'm taking the opposite route because I'm more concerned with being able to use them than them looking nice. It is a gas can, after all.

As you can see above, there was some surface rust starting inside, but nothing major. The other one was similar, maybe a little better. Having recently (okay two years ago... crap) dealt with a similar problem in my RX7's gas tank, I knew what I wanted to do. POR15 makes a gas tank liner epoxy stuff, and the process starts with a strong caustic wash and then acid etch. This is what, in the background, I did most of the day.

The process was both a pain in the butt and successful, so once the cans fully dry out inside (and inevitably flash rust) I'll coat the inside with the epoxy, then they need like a week to dry - but it's progress.

I also have new rubber gaskets for the caps, which is good because the ones on there are hard and cracked. I've no intention to do anything with the outside appearance.

[beefchips]

@mm54 Yeah keep that patina on the outside! Some time ago I used POR15 on a moto fuel tank, worked like a charm. Hopefully your project comes out just as successful

[VincentMalamute]

@MM54 Did you consider the electrolysis rust converting technique someone else recently posted here? If you did, I'm curious what caused you to go with this method?

[frinesi2]

Neat project! There was an old metal gas can (but a round one, not rectangle) in my garage when I moved in. If it was the type you have, I'd have cleaned it up and used it, but it was dented and had a few failed spot welds on the handle, so I didn't bother and recycled it.

[MM54]

@beefchips said in Metal Gas Can Quasi-Restoration:

@mm54 Yeah keep that patina on the outside! Some time ago I used POR15 on a moto fuel tank, worked like a charm. Hopefully your project comes out just as successful

Thanks! I'm very happy with how this same product/process worked out in the RX7 so it should be good for cans, too.

@vincentmalamute said in Metal Gas Can Quasi-Restoration:

@MM54 Did you consider the electrolysis rust converting technique someone else recently posted here? If you did, I'm curious what caused you to go with this method?

This takes less than a day (most of which I can be off doing other things), $30 in materials, and is a process I've done before with good results.

@frinesi2 said in Metal Gas Can Quasi-Restoration:

Neat project! There was an old metal gas can (but a round one, not rectangle) in my garage when I moved in. If it was the type you have, I'd have cleaned it up and used it, but it was dented and had a few failed spot welds on the handle, so I didn't bother and recycled it.

The round ones are cool but if it's falling apart, probably not worth hanging on to. I like these because I can actually pour out of them

[VincentMalamute]

@mm54 ah, so easier and faster. Do you have any sense if electrolysis gives better results for the time invested?

[MM54]

@vincentmalamute Not sure - I've never done it. It would take a lot longer, and I suspect since the spout of these cans is below the highest point, it would not be possible to remove the rust from anywhere above the spout (whereas with the chemical process I can put the cap on and shake it / lay it on all sides to be sure the whole inside has been treated).

Either way requires an epoxy lining, since both the chemical and electrolysis process would remove any galvanization in the can or it would rust again very quickly. The por15 epoxy I have used specifically calls for the acid etch in their instructions, which would be redundant to do after electrolysis. There may be other brands with different recommendations, but I have had good experiences with this product (following their instructions, which is unusual) so I've stuck with it.

[VincentMalamute]

@MM54 Thanks. Just curious in case I ever need to resuscitate a gas tank. I bet I'll need this info some day.