AAR: My Not-Quite-A-Bugout

[3ACR_Scout]

Great start to another very information discussion, E5W. Glad you and your family made it through off of this and had the chance learn some valuable lessons. I've been reading a lot of Harvey feedback like this and have started to plan some additional improvements to my limited preparations to date.

If you want air/water tight jugs for transport inside a vehicle. The Scepter MFC are nice but are ~$100. Scepter MWC are ~$40.

Has anyone tried the newer commercial version of Scepter's fuel can?

Scepter Jerry Gas Can — 5.3-Gallon, Model# 05086

The price is right, but I suspect they're not as heavy duty as the MFC. I'd still like to get a couple just because of they're even half as sturdy as an MFC, they'll be better than the normal plastic cans you find at Sears and other stores.

I have one MFC that I got off eBay years ago and want to get a few more, but as Bob said, they can be really expensive. Apparently the EPA banned fuel containers with large mouths like the MFC because they will spill too quickly if they tip over, which is why the price has shot up on the cans that are available.

[Bob Sacamano]

Junk. Costco had them for a while. VP is a much better can for the price.

[3ACR_Scout]

Thanks a lot for saving me the trouble! I'll keep an eye out for reasonably priced MFCs.

[CRAMBONE]

It still has the CARB nozzle! That in my opinion is what makes it a no go. You can order replacement parts for MFC and regular old school gas cans online though. Maybe buy those when my MFCs die and replace that shitty nozzle.

[itsnotjon]

Great AAR, a lot to think about.

[TwitchALot]

Great start to another very information discussion, E5W. Glad you and your family made it through off of this and had the chance learn some valuable lessons. I've been reading a lot of Harvey feedback like this and have started to plan some additional improvements to my limited preparations to date.


Has anyone tried the newer commercial version of Scepter's fuel can?

Scepter Jerry Gas Can — 5.3-Gallon, Model# 05086

The price is right, but I suspect they're not as heavy duty as the MFC. I'd still like to get a couple just because of they're even half as sturdy as an MFC, they'll be better than the normal plastic cans you find at Sears and other stores.

I have one MFC that I got off eBay years ago and want to get a few more, but as Bob said, they can be really expensive. Apparently the EPA banned fuel containers with large mouths like the MFC because they will spill too quickly if they tip over, which is why the price has shot up on the cans that are available.

I've been using Eagle metal gas cans with good success for longer term storage/occasional use. It's fairly priced and comes with a funnel, and for gas, I prefer metal to plastic.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[SeriousStudent]

It still has the CARB nozzle! That in my opinion is what makes it a no go. You can order replacement parts for MFC and regular old school gas cans online though. Maybe buy those when my MFCs die and replace that shitty nozzle.

I know, I hate those stupid nozzles, they take forever to fill a tank. You have to do surgery on the can and add vents, it's such a pain.

[echo5whiskey]

Junk. Costco had them for a while. VP is a much better can for the price.

I have to echo this statement. I did get a VP can on my way back from picking up the family. It was glorious. Not a single spill! My Suburban finally smells like a normal vehicle.

[City Rat]

Glad that you and yours are safe. Thanks so much for posting. I find the information in this kind of thread much more practical and useful than the normal zombie based fare.

I am a big fan of diesel, have owned both Cummins and Toyota diesels. When I lived in the tropics I ran a gallon of Wesson veg oil in every tank. The Toyota diesel just purred. Can't do that here because temps are colder and gel point of veggie oil will freeze gum up too quick. So here I add two stroke oil to every tank with the Cummins. In terms of diesel based fuel flexibility, in addition to veggie oil and biodiesel, you can run home heating oil in an emergency and a buddy who worked at a nearby airport ran JP5 in his every other month.

I went another way in the Jerry can debate. Jerry cans are exposed, people can see them and know that you have a commodity that they need and that makes you a target when things get desperate. Add to that the safety issues of having fuel cans in the passenger compartment and I decided to just add a second fuel tank under the truck. All you need to do is find the space measure it and head to the salvage yard find a tank with no rust that fits the space. There are kits for the switch in the cab and also for plumbing in the second tank. Toughest part was getting someone to fab up the tank straps to hang it. Once you get it plumbed in fill both tanks before SHTF and now you are rolling with anywhere between 10 - 25 extra gallons of fuel and no one knows a thing. No loss of storage space, nofuel fume build in the passenger compartment with the kids. Just a thought.

[echo5whiskey]

Glad that you and yours are safe. Thanks so much for posting. I find the information in this kind of thread much more practical and useful than the normal zombie based fare.

I am a big fan of diesel, have owned both Cummins and Toyota diesels. When I lived in the tropics I ran a gallon of Wesson veg oil in every tank. The Toyota diesel just purred. Can't do that here because temps are colder and gel point of veggie oil will freeze gum up too quick. So here I add two stroke oil to every tank with the Cummins. In terms of diesel based fuel flexibility, in addition to veggie oil and biodiesel, you can run home heating oil in an emergency and a buddy who worked at a nearby airport ran JP5 in his every other month.

I went another way in the Jerry can debate. Jerry cans are exposed, people can see them and know that you have a commodity that they need and that makes you a target when things get desperate. Add to that the safety issues of having fuel cans in the passenger compartment and I decided to just add a second fuel tank under the truck. All you need to do is find the space measure it and head to the salvage yard find a tank with no rust that fits the space. There are kits for the switch in the cab and also for plumbing in the second tank. Toughest part was getting someone to fab up the tank straps to hang it. Once you get it plumbed in fill both tanks before SHTF and now you are rolling with anywhere between 10 - 25 extra gallons of fuel and no one knows a thing. No loss of storage space, nofuel fume build in the passenger compartment with the kids. Just a thought.

That's a thought, but in my current configuration, I don't have enough space for a tank that would really make that much of a difference. I'd still have to carry cans, just maybe not as many. I know enough of the backroads around here, that I can keep myself out of the main travel-ways if I need to.