My experiences...I don't care a wit for them. Today I replaced the oil flippy on a 260. I believe this is the fourth in 8 yrs +-. Doesn't sound like much, but compare it to a screw in cap that would probably still be original issue.
Am I breaking them? I don't think so.
And your perception of those that don't like them, I think, is wrong. I bet you those 7 people you mentioned and myself being no. 8, are actually bright enough to "figure out how to use them" Oh yeah, I had to scratch my head a bit and cy-fer it out, but I think that by Gwaud, I mastered it.
I have had them break, and I have had them, like the one today, just become a nasty, obsessive, little critter, that would seal - IF - you could get it to turn in correctly. (Yes, I is a-where of the swivel screwing up.) So, since it musta been the reason that I have not slept well in years, I de-duced that I would be better off changing it. See...I has smarts.
I would snap up some kinda conversion to the old type caps. I do think it would serve two purposes, one being the topic on discussion, and the second - since it would raise the actually cap up a little - perhaps it would make it much easier to clean off around the cap before opening.
I have 4 Stihls at present, and usually have to take pains to keep the crap outta the tanks. And no, I do not obsess about the crap, just the cap.
Sorry its been that hard on you. I find that the speed saved by the caps have overwhelmingly offset any issues I have ever had with them. They have never shut down a job, they have never caused me mental stress, I have never had to project evil thoughts in their direction, if I would have never been on Arboristsite, I would have never known that people existed that couldn't operate them or that they actually caused people to have bad days.
That said, as usual, AS'site has made me more aware of risky environment that I have been living in all this time, and that by owning so many flippy caps and using them in a professional manner for years, I'm not really sure how I have escaped peril of some sort, just damm lucky I guess.
As usual with the flippy cap threads, I will continue to count my blessings, as to date, I have had more fluids leaked by the fewer screw caps that I have owned 8 to be exact than the 18+ flippy caps that I have owned.
Statistically, I'm not sure what conclusions to draw from those figures, but here is an attempt:
1. My workers and myself are either --- Smarter than some other flippy cap operators.
2. My workers and myself are either --- Dumber than some screw cap operators.
3. My workers and myself are either --- Simply Lucky.
4. My workers and myself are either --- More evolved mentally, therefore the advanced technology "meshes" with our more complex minds.
5. There is nothing inherently wrong with the flippy cap design and there is always going to be a certain percentage of failures in any design.
6. There is nothing inherently wrong with the flippy cap design and there is always going to be a certain percentage of people that can screw up an anvil.
7. Out of the millions of flippy caps that have been produced when you have one fail, go buy a new one, same as with screw caps, and then move on with life, don't let it get you down.
8. Don't use Kliens or other tools on the flip cap .... there are other much more simple solutions.
Who knows?? but I do find it humorous how in a cross section of enthusiasts you can have a "standard" and get such left to right opinions and experiences from it, I mean some people literally hate Stihl because of a "cap", LOL, and yet others such as myself, can't even conceive that they are anything, but handy as heck and save me time and trouble.
If nothing else its interesting.
Sam
Never need a scrench, just give em' the old two hand pop and get back to cutting. I hate taking the time to refuel when I am pushing on a job, flippy caps just make it easier.
