oil can spouts.

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You are probably over 50 if you ever used one of these. My dad used to call them guaranteed oil spouts as they were guaranteed to puncture the metal or cardboard oil can and they were guaranteed to leak. When did they get away from cans and go to plastic bottles?? I had an after school job at a grocery store during my high school years 74-78 and when the oil cans always seemed to leak on the shelves and make a big mess. Most were cardboard cans with metal tops, might of had a couple of brands that were all metal cans, but I seem to recall most were cardboard cans at that time and they leaked and if the can spout did not seal well they leaked even worse. I used to have several of those oil can spouts but must have tossed them when oil went to plastic bottles. I am guessing it must have been early 90's when oil went mostly to plastic bottles.
 
I bought one of those spouts when I first started wrenching. I tossed it aside after the first use. They were horrible for DIYers, but maybe okay for the service station top-offs where quick service was needed. A regular can opener worked best for me.

Memory tells me the switchover to plastic bottles was somewhere in the late 70s. I do remember using plastic bottles regularly around 1983. At the time I couldn't understand why gallon jugs weren't used. I thought it was a real waste to throw away so much plastic for one oil change. Later on, gallon jugs started getting popular to the point that that's all I buy now. I used to incinerate the empty cardboard cans. Though they sometimes leaked, I think they were more earth friendly.
 
I always had a problem trying to get that sprout on right without crushing the cardboard on the sides in. finally figured out if you just hit the top of the spout with a rubber hammer, it would work pretty well. Had to be quick and hit it just right.
 
I opened a LOT of oil cans both all metal and cardboard with an opener like that. Well not quite like that, I tried the ones with the rubber "seal" on them, and they always leaked like crazy, so I went back to the earlier type that didn't have the rubber, and they didn't leak. I now have a couple of the old style in my collection of antique service station stuff. I also have one with a long flex spout for atf. And a tiny one for additive cans.
 
I can recall using a spout like that in the early eighties but I think the change over came in the late seventies. Never had a problem with them leaking. Thanks for the memories BJD.
 
My Dad used to just open the ends of those oil cans with a pliers as it was less messy overall.
 
I remember using those to puncture the can and then I would set it aside and just pour out of the can because the spouts were so bad.
 
These always leaked if you didn't push it on just right.
Most of the time I just punched a few holes with a screwdriver and used a funnel if needed.
Back then the valve covers were not covered up with stuff and you could pour the oil in without spilling.
 
A guy told me one station had the attendant put his thumb against the dipstick so it did not go all the way down. You need a QT of oil, you are low, he would say. Stick a metal opener into an empty can and collect an extra $1.00 or so for a QT of oil.
 
Used those many times. The cans were pretty good until around the start of the Seventies. During that time everything was made poorly and just plain junk. The oil cans leaked just sitting on the shelves as the oil can companies switched to thinner cardboard. When the first plastic bottles came out with a screw top it was one of those “why didn’t they think of this earlier “ moments.
 
"SCHLOOOP" that was the sound of inserting the oil spout.
I still have my oil spout, a memento from the past.
They had to be inserted with authority, there was a technique. I never had too much problem with them. You had to check the oil can. Never insert the spout over a dent in the can, it was sure to collapse the can and make a mess. If the can had a dent, you rotated the can and inserted over the non-dented side of the can.
As others said, cans went out of vogue in the late '70s, they were pretty much gone by the early '80s.
 
They usually leaked. I used a can opener to vent one side of the can and to pour from the other side.

VINTAGE-LUBRIPLATE-1-QUART-CARDBOARD-CAN-70s-80s-_1.jpg
 
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