How safe are those plastic jerry cans?

The fuel tank on the Westie is too small to drive to a trackday , blat around all day, and drive home again, so thinking about using a couple of jerry cans to give a bit more range.

Given that there's no boot, that would probably involve strapping them down in the passenger footwell, and it just feels like its potentially a bit of a stupidly dangerous thing to do - even though it's probably no riskier than having them in the boot of a hatchback/estate.

Thoughts?

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...anything that happens before or after is just waiting...

mate used to strap down the metal cans to the boot of his locost.

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Hmmmmm BO! BO! Chick.............. Chick a chickaaahhh!

No fuel near the circuit?

Are there any legal issues with carrying fuel in the passenger compartment? I'm not sure.

Like you say it would probably be just fine, it just seems like an unpleasant thing to do, they feel unsafe enough on the road as it is without surrounding yourself with plastic tubs of fuel

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and so it begins...

Dan said...

No fuel near the circuit?

Are there any legal issues with carrying fuel in the passenger compartment? I'm not sure.

Better at some circuits than others. At Knockhill, its a good 15-20 mins each way for fuel, which is a bit of a pain.

As far as I can see, there are no legal issues - you're allowed to carry two 10L metal cans plus two 5L plastic ones, but I can't see that it specifies where you have to carry them. As mentioned, the boot of a hatchback doesn't really seem much different to a footwell in safety terms.

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...anything that happens before or after is just waiting...

Curiously I've noticed a lot more people driving round of late with plastic jerry cans on their parcel shelf.

If you're thinking about Friday, a second car will carry them no problem

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[OO=[|]=OO]

As mentioned, the boot of a hatchback doesn't really seem much different to a footwell in safety terms.

Nah, longer term plan. Friday's only a two hour session, so fuel capacity shouldn't be too much of an issue (i'll still take a can, just in case though).

Was actually thinging about it as a longer term issue, as it affects whether, and how, I fit the passenger foot rest.

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...anything that happens before or after is just waiting...

Do people tend to drive around with full ones in the boot of their car? I have an empty one in mine, for use via walking/hitchhiking if needed. Don't full ones tend to leak/smell (even if only a little bit)?

Get a mate to follow you as support vehicle, its what mine does with my mates trackdays. Failing that, a cheap hold all that can carry them perhaps? Mostly to keep them in place in the footwell I mean..

_ said...

Do people tend to drive around with full ones in the boot of their car? I have an empty one in mine, for use via walking/hitchhiking if needed. Don't full ones tend to leak/smell (even if only a little bit)?

i have a large metal one with a lever latch lid and it doesnt leak fumes at all. not noticed any smells from plastic ones either but they only tend to be in the boot for a few miles. not noticed them filling the shed with fumes though.

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cheers,

Harry

Too many old sheds.

Assuming one would fit in the area you have in mind - these:

http://www.msar-safety.com/detail.asp?p=749

...are the superior product for trackday refuelling.

No need for funnels, tubes, pumps siphons or any of that obblocks.

Lift, invert, stick spring-loaded spout into filler neck, open breather, dump fuel in - job done.

I've also got a brand new, unused one for sale Neil

I've seen a few good metal ones split, it's why I fitted a separate locker just for jerry cans for my trip.

If you want just a top up can then it's worth looking at the marine plastic cans as you can get these in odd shapes aswell.

The last thing I would ever want is fuel possibly leaking inside my car after a crash.

Dave!

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I came here to drink milk and kick ass..... and i've just finished my milk!!!!

nefarious_ said...

How safe are those plastic jerry cans?

The fuel tank on the Westie is too small to drive to a trackday , blat around all day, and drive home again, so thinking about using a couple of jerry cans to give a bit more range.

Given that there's no boot, that would probably involve strapping them down in the passenger footwell, and it just feels like its potentially a bit of a stupidly dangerous thing to do - even though it's probably no riskier than having them in the boot of a hatchback/estate.

Thoughts?

Put 3 in the back of the MX5 and drove like a saint. Got back home after the 10minute drive and the boot stunk. The plastic jerry cans are teh ghey for actually holding any petrol in them. Had to air the boot out for the rest of the day. Probably could have died in a fiery ball of death since the battery's in the boot too.

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“If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.”

nefarious_ said...

Given that there's no boot, that would probably involve strapping them down in the passenger footwell, and it just feels like its potentially a bit of a stupidly dangerous thing to do
Thoughts?

It is stupidly dangerous and in your own mind you know it is

Personally, i never bother with plastic jerry cans. You can't beat a traditional metal jerry. I think you can get them in stainless steel as well.

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Never say no to a panda.

Does sound a bit like the motoring equivalent of a danger w*nk.

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Cheers,

Mike.

Hopefully this provides suitable inspiration - could get loads in a similar fieldfield?

The drunk pleb who doesn't stop for the red light, T-bones you and the fuel heads straight for the exhaust

Carry it in a separate motor if you can, failing that ale one empty one and brim the can and the car at the one 20mins from the circuit. Should you run out then use the jerry can to get to the garage, if not just empty the jerry can into the fuel tank at the end of the day anyway and you're only making one short trip with a small amount of fuel.