Locking Gas Caps: Love 'em Or Hate 'em?

[StihlRockin']

Who here uses locking gas caps on their equipment? On the surface it sounds like an intelligent idea, but I've only heard of them, not actually knowing anyone who uses them. !!

I thought of this mainly to protect the gas from sabotage, but also thinking about one of my trucks a couple of days ago. I don't remember, but thought I recall one of my trucks having more gas in it from the time I last drove it. I couldn't help but think it was siphoned, but don't know for sure.

Are there any issues with locking gas caps people should know about? Are there any drawbacks or disadvantages to them?

If you use locking gas caps, how do you like them? I'm thinking of placing them on my equipment.

StihlRockin'

 

[gremlin]

Its a good idea to use them as fuel theft is a big deal. Were having to put surveillance cameras and fences up at our dealership. But know this. At least once a month we have a customer come in asking us if we would remove it for them because it just wont unlock or they have lost the keys. I have run into several of them that just stop working. The mechanical device inside just decides to give up the ghost. Mostly with off brand caps. Stant IMO is the best but we still have problems with them. Just not as much. One other thing. Newer vehicles have an evap system that is very acute. The smallest leak and you will have a check engine light on. Most of the locking gas caps do not seal good enough for these systems. If the check engine light is due to the cap the dealership is gonna hit you with a diagnosis fee even if the vehicle is under warranty.

 

[treemandan]

Who here uses locking gas caps on their equipment? On the surface it sounds like an intelligent idea, but I've only heard of them, not actually knowing anyone who uses them. !!

I thought of this mainly to protect the gas from sabotage, but also thinking about one of my trucks a couple of days ago. I don't remember, but thought I recall one of my trucks having more gas in it from the time I last drove it. I couldn't help but think it was siphoned, but don't know for sure.

Are there any issues with locking gas caps people should know about? Are there any drawbacks or disadvantages to them?

If you use locking gas caps, how do you like them? I'm thinking of placing them on my equipment.

StihlRockin'

You would have to be pretty slick in your method of siphoning gas out of a newer car but its not impossible. Equipment, on the other hand you can just stick a big hose in there and in no time pump it dry. Automotive tanks have a very complex filling and venting system which makes it tough to get the siphon to the fuel.

 

[gremlin]

You would have to be pretty slick in your method of siphoning gas out of a newer car but its not impossible. Equipment, on the other hand you can just stick a big hose in there and in no time pump it dry. Automotive tanks have a very complex filling and venting system which makes it tough to get the siphon to the fuel.

yes they do but crooks are smart folks. we caught one back home to had a piece of 1/4 in tube rigged up to a pump. tuble slid right by the valve. took a little time im sure but it did the trick

 

[treemandan]

yes they do but crooks are smart folks. we caught one back home to had a piece of 1/4 in tube rigged up to a pump. tuble slid right by the valve. took a little time im sure but it did the trick

Let me guess, the tube was still stuck in the fill neck.

 

[treemandan]

And yup , that's what you need. some small dia. tubing and a little pump. Sometimes I could not get the tube down on some cars. Sometimes I could get it down but not back up.

 

[gremlin]

ya they tend to stick. with a little patients and luck it will come back out

 

[treemandan]

ya they tend to stick. with a little patients and luck it will come back out

Its a check ball valve right? so when the car goes over it closes, like on a shop vac.

 

[gremlin]

Its a check ball valve right? so when the car goes over it closes, like on a shop vac.

thats right

 

[pdqdl]

Lock 'em!

If I park a truck outside our gates, the gas goes away. We adapted the old fashioned screw-in brass fuel caps on our frame mounted tanks with a homemade lock.

We bolted (or welded, depending on the cap) a plate of metal onto the center of the cap, then riveted (non-removable pivot point) a second bar onto the first bar permanently mounted to the fuel cap, with holes in both bars to allow insertion of a padlock. The pivoting bar is built with an L-shape so that when padlocked, it prevents rotation of the cap by turning into the side of the tank. When padlock is removed, the bar is raised enough to allow removal.

The biggest benefit to this cap over commercial units is that if we loose the key, or the lock fails, we can still get past the padlock with a grinder or big bolt cutters. Use of cutting torch NOT recommended!
:hmm3grin2orange:

So far, the padlocks have never been removed by the thieves.

 

[gremlin]

Lock 'em!

If I park a truck outside our gates, the gas goes away. We adapted the old fashioned screw-in brass fuel caps on our frame mounted tanks with a homemade lock.

We bolted (or welded, depending on the cap) a plate of metal onto the center of the cap, then riveted (non-removable pivot point) a second bar onto the first bar permanently mounted to the fuel cap, with holes in both bars to allow insertion of a padlock. The pivoting bar is built with an L-shape so that when padlocked, it prevents rotation of the cap by turning into the side of the tank. When padlock is removed, the bar is raised enough to allow removal.

The biggest benefit to this cap over commercial units is that if we loose the key, or the lock fails, we can still get past the padlock with a grinder or big bolt cutters. Use of cutting torch NOT recommended!
:hmm3grin2orange:

So far, the padlocks have never been removed by the thieves.

great idea for equiptment

 

[md_tree_dood]

Are trucks don't use gas, they use fuel

Sorry, I couldn't resist

 

[pdqdl]

Are trucks don't use gas, they use fuel

Sorry, I couldn't resist

Ok, I have to be a wise guy here: The fuel cap locks in the fuel vapors, which are by definition, a GAS. So there ! :jester:

I didn't say gasoline (which by the way, IS a fuel ), although we put our special locking cap on gasoline AND diesel fuel tanks. Heck, I'll put it on my waste oil tank, if the thieves start getting in there.

 

[Davey Dog]

Love 'em... Have them on everything from the chipper to the wifes car.

 

[GlennG]

Sorry I thought this thread was about the Stihl locking caps. I hate those with a passion.

I don`t have a problem with fuel theft because my business is based at home where someone is always around and we have motion lights.

 

[clearance]

Sorry I thought this thread was about the Stihl locking caps. I hate those with a passion.

So do I. So do I, the 'tard that invented them should be flogged.
My mechanic showed me he could open the plastic locking gas cap on my truck by sqeezing it by hand, I could do it as well. My truck is behind a gate nowadays.

 

[pdqdl]

Sorry I thought this thread was about the Stihl locking caps. I hate those with a passion.

Are you talking about the little flip lever caps on a MS200t ?

I prefer those to the stupid little-bitty caps that made you get a screwdriver to remove. The slot would wear out, then you needed pliers to open the damn thing.

 

[clearance]

Are you talking about the little flip lever caps on a MS200t ?

I prefer those to the stupid little-bitty caps that made you get a screwdriver to remove. The slot would wear out, then you needed pliers to open the damn thing.

Yes I am, I remember when the ms 200T replaced the 020. You must have weak hands, the only time the caps got holes was when the groundsman were too weak to twist them on and off and they used a bar wrench. Sorry, but that is the consensus among the guys I know.

 

[pdqdl]

Yes I am, I remember when the ms 200T replaced the 020. You must have weak hands, the only time the caps got holes was when the groundsman were too weak to twist them on and off and they used a bar wrench. Sorry, but that is the consensus among the guys I know.

Hey, keep it nice here!

No my hands are not weak. Maybe all our caps had bunged up threads, or some other problem I failed to detect. Maybe it was the groundman forcing the cap IN with the scrench. Who knows?

I personally have been forced to hack the old style caps off with cutting implements because the slot in the cap broke off before the damn thing would come off the saw. This happened several times, and was one of my biggest complaints against Stihl. Cap completely destroyed to get it off, now drive to the dealer and buy another cap so that you can put something back in the tank.

Apart from not needing my flimsy, girly-grip to open the cap to the oil tank, what have you got against the new style? Is it NECESSARY for an oil or gas cap to be difficult to get off the saw?

They cover the port better than the old design, and you are less likely to get any contamination in the tank from the sawdust piled up around the hole on the casing. The hole is bigger too, as I recall, leading to less wasted gas and oil.


Speaking of girly grips, who else do you know that climbs trees and runs a MS-200 "one handed"...that only has three fingers. Yep, no thumb, no first finger. I hang on with the last two, trigger with my "flip-off" finger. Really though, I can't hold it very well when the saw is turned on it's side. I use two hands to get it started, then hang on after that.

Funny thing is, back when I was having trouble with the earlier style caps, I had all my fingers, so my lack of fingers now really isn't any part of the argument.

 

[GlennG]

Hey, keep it nice here!

No my hands are not weak. Maybe all our caps had bunged up threads, or some other problem I failed to detect. Maybe it was the groundman forcing the cap IN with the scrench. Who knows?

I personally have been forced to hack the old style caps off with cutting implements because the slot in the cap broke off before the damn thing would come off the saw. This happened several times, and was one of my biggest complaints against Stihl. Cap completely destroyed to get it off, now drive to the dealer and buy another cap so that you can put something back in the tank.

Apart from not needing my flimsy, girly-grip to open the cap to the oil tank, what have you got against the new style? Is it NECESSARY for an oil or gas cap to be difficult to get off the saw?

They cover the port better than the old design, and you are less likely to get any contamination in the tank from the sawdust piled up around the hole on the casing. The hole is bigger too, as I recall, leading to less wasted gas and oil.


Speaking of girly grips, who else do you know that climbs trees and runs a MS-200 "one handed"...that only has three fingers. Yep, no thumb, no first finger. I hang on with the last two, trigger with my "flip-off" finger. Really though, I can't hold it very well when the saw is turned on it's side. I use two hands to get it started, then hang on after that.

Funny thing is, back when I was having trouble with the earlier style caps, I had all my fingers, so my lack of fingers now really isn't any part of the argument.

New style Stihl caps are the reason many folks here prefer Husqvarna, Dolmar and Jonsered