# stihl flip gas cap leaking!



## jakedesnake048

hey all is there any special trick to this? i have it twisted and "locked" (or i thought) so i cant pull it off, but it leaks profusely. the o ring is still intact and turning it moves the tensioner up and down. should i just get a new cap and would this be covered by warrantY?


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## jburlingham

You may want to investigate on Stihl's site, or maybe the user manual, they have a how to about those caps, it seems that they take a little getting used to to fit in correctly.


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## treemandan

IT IS! OMG! HOLY CRAP! NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. WHAT IN TARNATION ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

Hold the o-ring in one hand turn the thing backwards til it is all the way unlocked, try sticking it in again, if no go ,replace cap.


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## PA Plumber

Dan, I think you went over the line using the word "tarnation!":greenchainsaw:


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## treemandan

PA Plumber said:


> Dan, I think you went over the line using the word "tarnation!":greenchainsaw:



Did I spell it right?


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## windthrown

Twist a fiddle with it until it locks home. Sometimes they break, and they just do not seat right. In that case, you have to get another one. I prefer the old style Stihl screw-in type caps myself.


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## PA Plumber

treemandan said:


> Did I spell it right?



Not sure it's even a real word. 

Knew what you meant, so it's close enough for me.


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## tomtrees58

windthrown said:


> Twist a fiddle with it until it locks home. Sometimes they break, and they just do not seat right. In that case, you have to get another one. I prefer the old style Stihl screw-in type caps myself.



:agree2: tom trees p.s buy a 1/2 doz of them they brake


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## md_tree_dood

tomtrees58 said:


> :agree2: tom trees p.s buy a 1/2 doz of them they brake




They break too


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## Raymond

tomtrees58 said:


> :agree2: tom trees p.s buy a 1/2 doz of them they brake


Yep my polesaw gas cap petered out today.


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## treemandan

PA Plumber said:


> Not sure it's even a real word.
> 
> Knew what you meant, so it's close enough for me.






:hmm3grin2orange:


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## Philbert

tomtrees58 said:


> p.s buy a 1/2 doz of them they brake



Check with your dealer about buying just the sealing gasket.

Philbert


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## TreEmergencyB

I say we start a petion send it to stihl and get rid of them :censored: caps. They are horriable i mean cant they design somthing better. the ones on the 200T or the worse dont know how many times new guys fill em up dont get the cap right, next thing its on a rope going up the tree and SPILL all over the nice oak tree and "gasp" the brand new concrete sidewalk!!


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## tree md

jburlingham said:


> You may want to investigate on Stihl's site, or maybe the user manual, they have a how to about those caps, it seems that they take a little getting used to to fit in correctly.



When a company has to write a how to in the user manual on gas and oil caps I would say it is a flawed design.


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## windthrown

Philbert said:


> Check with your dealer about buying just the sealing gasket.
> 
> Philbert



The gaskets are typically not what fail. They tend to be fine. Its the twisting mechanism in the plastic caps. The little tangs shear or bend, or the plastic warps. No way to fix them once they are gone. They get loose, and you can fiddle with them for a while, but then they give out, and that's it. I have a few spares that I got from parted out saws. One of my 361s has a loose one now. Have to twist it in there 2 or 3 times to get it to seat right. Time to replace it. I have had those caps not seat right several times, and either dumped gas or oil all over on more than one occasion. Never happens with the screw-in types.

Also the old screw in ones rarely fail. There are several types. They typically get to the point that the slots in them are completely stripped out and the edges are worn down. Then you cannot seat them right. But that takes eons. Sometimes the threads strip on them and they leak, and they have to be replaced. They require a scrench to loosen and tighten in the field though, as compared to the snap in ones. I figure that I need a scrench anyway to keep the chains tight, so may as well have screw in caps. No way am I gonna go with the easy adjuster side plastic dial, as I prefer the tried and true dual bolt bar tightening system.


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## jakedesnake048

ok that sounds like it. because ive had it on there and it sealed the last time i filled up. is there any way that a screw in type would fit this 361 or are they only the quik style? guess i'll have to order a new one once i find out thanks


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## canopyboy

Never had a problem with the caps until I poured all the gas out of my 260 one day and down my leg after filling up and walking back to the tree. I need to make sure that I get it in true and square before giving the final twist, or it leaks like you describe. Not an o-ring problem, just goes in crooked and leaves a wide open hole for the gas. I guess I could try a new cap. My other saws with the same type of cap don't seem to have this problem, but they don't have as many miles on them.


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## windthrown

jakedesnake048 said:


> ok that sounds like it. because ive had it on there and it sealed the last time i filled up. is there any way that a screw in type would fit this 361 or are they only the quik style? guess i'll have to order a new one once i find out thanks



The twist and snap type caps are all you can get on the newer saws. They are not swapable between styles (snap to threads or threads to snap). 

Note that sometimes they just do not seat right, even when they are OK. Usually when there is too much oil in the tank they will not press in. Unlile the screw-ins, where they screw in even if they are overfilled.


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## jdog

TreEmergencyB said:


> I say we start a petion send it to stihl and get rid of them :censored: caps. They are horriable i mean cant they design somthing better. the ones on the 200T or the worse dont know how many times new guys fill em up dont get the cap right, next thing its on a rope going up the tree and SPILL all over the nice oak tree and "gasp" the brand new concrete sidewalk!!


 i have to totaly agree with you on this the ones on the ms200t really suck!!! the design just straight up sucks!!!


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## HorseShoeInFork

*I hear Poulan Wild Things have real nice gas / oil caps.....*

:monkey:


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## Raymond

HorseShoeInFork said:


> *I hear Poulan Wild Things have real nice gas / oil caps.....*
> 
> :monkey:


Please...


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## jakedesnake048

id rather stick with a handsaw over that thing


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## windthrown

With all the Husky phreaks around here, the WildThing should have a big fan club!


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## HorseShoeInFork

I couldn't resist.

oke:


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## TreeClimber57

Personally, I prefer the older screw caps, but that is only because I used them for many years. They do fail with age, doesn't everything!! 

On the flip side, I have not yet had a newer one fail, even though I do not like them as much. I do think you need to be a little gentler with the new ones though, or something will give, and failure will occur more quickly.


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## ozzy42

I don't like the flip style either.'
Too many drenched pants legs from a cap that was supposed to be secure.
Never had that problem with the old ones.


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## jakedesnake048

went and got a new one today...definetly the problem. the new one is semi hard to turn, and the old one turned with no trouble at all. just wore out i suppose. thanks for all the help


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## chevytaHOE5674

I for one like the new caps. I make sure to get them in properly and that the caps are in good shape and I've never had one pop open on me. I like not needing a scrench to get the caps on and off.


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## TreEmergencyB

chevytaHOE5674 said:


> I for one like the new caps. I make sure to get them in properly and that the caps are in good shape and I've never had one pop open on me. I like not needing a scrench to get the caps on and off.



It will come

all down ur leg


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## chevytaHOE5674

TreEmergencyB said:


> It will come
> 
> all down ur leg



Been using them on multiple saws daily since they came out however many years ago now.


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## TreeClimber57

I have found if the guys using the saws are careful, and double or triple check them (almost like your lanyard when climbing), then there are few if any issues. Rush them, and you will be fooled!


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## TreEmergencyB

TreeClimber57 said:


> I have found if the guys using the saws are careful, and double or triple check them (almost like your lanyard when climbing), then there are few if any issues. Rush them, and you will be fooled!



right!..well sometimes who wants to spend 5 min closing your caps ive been at it for a while now and sometime will try 6 times before it sets right yea, you can do it but it a :censored: design and waste of time


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## ropensaddle

Friends I used to like stihl before they started the gadget syndrome it was the day I found husky kicks never looked back as I don't want a rubix cube I want a saw.


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## andosca

i love those caps especially on pole saws. my wife doesnt so like them so much, she wants to know why the whole load of wash smells like gas. i think they make them to humble people. how smart can you really be if you cant put on a gas cap?


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## Raymond

ropensaddle said:


> Friends I used to like stihl before they started the gadget syndrome it was the day I found husky kicks never looked back as I don't want a rubix cube I want a saw.


That's how I felt when I checked out the huskys the other day.
More switches than thumbs.:hmm3grin2orange:


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## ropensaddle

Raymond said:


> That's how I felt when I checked out the huskys the other day.
> More switches than thumbs.:hmm3grin2orange:



Hmmmmmmm a choke separate of the kill switch is the way a saw is supposed to be I hate the stihl design and on off is all I want click ; click not which click is warm up man I forgot where did the full choke set hmmmmmmm now wth is run but then even once you get the biotch running it is lacking power and then the friggin air filter clogs yup shoulda got a husky.


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## chevytaHOE5674

TreEmergencyB said:


> right!..well sometimes who wants to spend 5 min closing your caps



If it takes you 5 minutes to close a cap, well then you need some practice. My girlfriend who uses saws 1 weekend a month if she is lucky, has no trouble getting the flip top caps seated correctly, in _farrr_ less than 5 minutes.


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## super3

ropensaddle said:


> Friends I used to like stihl




Did everybody hear that? Holy :censored:


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## ropensaddle

super3 said:


> Did everybody hear that? Holy :censored:



Yep back when the moon was bigger,they had screw on lids and a choke separate of the kill switch! Ya know back in the days they had the commercials of the saw falling out of a pu going two miles down a cliff and nothing hurt lmao.


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## bushinspector

I think we should start the " I hate the new fuel caps fan club". Our membership should exceed husky vs stihl. Also the new caps just acts like a funnel to inject dirt and wood chips in to the tank.


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## ropensaddle

bushinspector said:


> I think we should start the " I hate the new fuel caps fan club". Our membership should exceed husky vs stihl. Also the new caps just acts like a funnel to inject dirt and wood chips in to the tank.



Yup noticed that too on Ms 200 t been wondering how long before maintenance costs will start putting me in the poor house?


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## jakedesnake048

i put water instead of oil in my bar oil resevoir. is that bad?


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## ropensaddle

jakedesnake048 said:


> i put water instead of oil in my bar oil resevoir. is that bad?



Lol lmao rolfl


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## newb

I was talking to a Stihl rep at the last TCIA show about the caps. At first he was giving me the surprised look about how he had never heard that there was a problem. I told him to level with me, I can't be the only guy that has a crew that doesn't like them and has trouble with them. His answer then floored me, " Have you ever tried to tell a German that he made a mistake". Now when I get an oil bath, I laugh. Pete


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## jakedesnake048

haha thats godo stuff...i talked to my stihl guy and he says "we dont have any problems with them" i thought ya right...you must not ever have people that use your saws then after all the stuff i've heard on here


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## ropensaddle

jakedesnake048 said:


> haha thats godo stuff...i talked to my stihl guy and he says "we dont have any problems with them" i thought ya right...you must not ever have people that use your saws then after all the stuff i've heard on here



Thats the reason many have moved to the orange side of life. Stihl has the big head,they don't listen to the sawperator's and get rid of those pesky caps and choke bs switch and for once they did listen and air injected at least so who knows they may be learning. I think the dealers want them built to need parts,filters and generally repair jmo.


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## Raymond

*For the ones having trouble with the STIHL caps not going on and staying*

I too hated these caps at first. Why it's usually just the oil cap only is beyond me.

I took these pics of a gas cap just now, so I wouldn't get oil all over my fingers.

One day after getting pissed off about it. I thought...OK let's check this out, something is wrong here and it ain't crap in the threads or over filling.

*Here it is guys...*

*The cap should look like this when you put it back in.*






*When it is giving you trouble, look at it and you will see it will look like this.*





One counterclockwise turn holding the top and bottom will snap it back together and it will go right in.

Now my help and I know what to look for and never have a problem with them.

When you do get it to go on right, it's because without knowing it, it popped back down in place.
Hold the cap with both hands and turn it and you'll see what it's doing and what I'm talking about.


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## ropensaddle

Raymond said:


> I too hated these caps at first. Why it's usually just the oil cap only is beyond me.
> 
> I took these pics of a gas cap just now, so I wouldn't get oil all over my fingers.
> 
> One day after getting pissed off about it. I thought...OK let's check this out, something is wrong here and it ain't crap in the threads or over filling.
> 
> *Here it is guys...*
> 
> *The cap should look like this when you put it back in.*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *When it is giving you trouble, look at it and you will see it will look like this.*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One counterclockwise turn holding the top and bottom will snap it back together and it will go right in.
> 
> Now my help and I know what to look for and never have a problem with them.
> 
> When you do get it to go on right, it's because without knowing it, it popped back down in place.
> Hold the cap with both hands and turn it and you'll see what it's doing and what I'm talking about.



Ummmmmmmmmm can't wait for lunch with all that oil on my hands lol what about the issues of the hole funneling dirt into the tank?


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## Raymond

ropensaddle said:


> Ummmmmmmmmm can't wait for lunch with all that oil on my hands lol what about the issues of the hole funneling dirt into the tank?


:dunno:


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## bushinspector

The point is I NEVER had to hold up the old screw cap to see if it was going in right or not. Just close my eyes and screw the dam thing on and go!!


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## TreEmergencyB

bushinspector said:


> The point is I NEVER had to hold up the old screw cap to see if it was going in right or not. Just close my eyes and screw the dam thing on and go!!



:agree2:

i think they could just make a better design and no it really doesnt take me 5 min to get it on the point is it should take 2 secs


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## Rowan Gliori

jakedesnake048 said:


> i put water instead of oil in my bar oil resevoir. is that bad?



Um... Yes, yes it is


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## Philbert

ropensaddle said:


> . . they don't listen to the sawperator's and get rid of those pesky caps and choke bs switch . .



I like the 'Master Control Switch' on Stihls. I also like that it is consistent across all of their saws. I dislike the new 'pull-out-then-up' switch on Husky consumer saws.




Raymond said:


> I took these pics of a gas cap just now,



Raymond, appreciate your effort, but the photos are a bit fuzzy. The difference is the space between the upper and lower parts of the cap?
Thanks.



TreEmergencyB said:


> i think they could just make a better design



+1

Or, as I suggested before, someone should design and sell an adaptor that gets epoxied into the flppy cap holes, and accepts a regular screw thread cap.

Philbert.


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## superjunior

those caps are the worst thing stihl ever did.. Went to an equipment open house and gave the stihl rep an earful.. He said to me "get used to it cause they're here to stay.." and gave me a new cap. No sir, I'm not going to get used to it.. not at all.. After 23 years of running stihls I think I'm gonna give husky a try


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## Bobbh

jakedesnake048 said:


> hey all is there any special trick to this? i have it twisted and "locked" (or i thought) so i cant pull it off, but it leaks profusely. the o ring is still intact and turning it moves the tensioner up and down. should i just get a new cap and would this be covered by warrantY?


I just went out and spent $7.00 for a new Gas cap for my STIHL MS 391. I compared the two gas caps and they appeared to be exactly the same with no damage to my original gas cap. My gas cap problem was the cap needed to turn another 3/8 inch more so it would lock down and quit coming loose dumping gas down my leg. So I decided to add a little oil under the O ring and around the gas cap locking mechanism. I worked the cap a few times then the old cap started working with no problem.


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## blades

newb said:


> I was talking to a Stihl rep at the last TCIA show about the caps. At first he was giving me the surprised look about how he had never heard that there was a problem. I told him to level with me, I can't be the only guy that has a crew that doesn't like them and has trouble with them. His answer then floored me, " Have you ever tried to tell a German that he made a mistake". Now when I get an oil bath, I laugh. Pete


 Similar to dealing with Japanese engineering teams - they will make a comment that the loose translation is " round eyes knows nothing" That was ten years of fun ( not).


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## Griff93

Bobbh said:


> I just went out and spent $7.00 for a new Gas cap for my STIHL MS 391. I compared the two gas caps and they appeared to be exactly the same with no damage to my original gas cap. My gas cap problem was the cap needed to turn another 3/8 inch more so it would lock down and quit coming loose dumping gas down my leg. So I decided to add a little oil under the O ring and around the gas cap locking mechanism. I worked the cap a few times then the old cap started working with no problem.



I used an MS362 when I was first getting into tree work professionally. It literally filled my pocket with premix. It drowned my phone. I said never again. I haven't purchased one stihl chainsaw since. I refuse to use the flippy caps. It's a shame cause I like their saws other than that and my closest saw shop is a stihl dealer that I really like.


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