Had not heard about using the coke bottle, will have to remember that one. Have tasted gas before too, it's something to avoid.

Have one of these and it empties a five gallon jerry can in around a minute,

http://tinyurl.com/2fojdw

But you do have to have the can higher than what you are filling.

And the fix for the California cans is a hacksaw and a cork, at least that is what i see on the back of some of the lawn maintenance trailers around here.