stihl 1/4 turn caps controversy

   / stihl 1/4 turn caps controversy #21  
Every now and then a story makes the news about some guy blowing up the house, putting his greasy clothes in the washing machine, with gasoline!

I guess, as always, common sense goes a LONG way.
 
   / stihl 1/4 turn caps controversy #22  
I wouldnt think of opening a gas cap on a hot or cold saw with embers around, but that's just me.
 
   / stihl 1/4 turn caps controversy #23  
I had a MS230 and never had this problem but it was stolen from me. It's replacement was a MS251 and I've noticed recently it has the pressure in the gas tank problem.
The saw rides in the back of the truck when going to my property which is about a 600' elevation gain over a 2 hour+ drive. It often resembles the release of a beer bottle. That saw has been super erratic lately and then one day it will run fine. I was starting to wonder if there is a vent plugged. It is interesting to find this is not some weird phenomena with my saw. One time is sprayed a few drops out at me so now I release slowly and have my gloved hand covering it.
 
   / stihl 1/4 turn caps controversy #24  
I was going to object to the low intelligence thing, but opening a fuel container with hot embers around?

If you're a sawyer on a fire crew working in a burned area ("mopping up" a fire) there's often nowhere near by where there aren't embers. I've seen those guys cut down snags that are still burning. I'm glad I didn't do that when I was a fire fighter. It's super dangerous even without fuel geysers.

I expect that they'd refill hot saws that still had fuel in them fairly often. You don't want to run out of fuel with a tree 90% cut down.

This isn't a problem for most of us amateurs. We're not working in a fire or under the same kind of time pressure.

Stihl should see if they can modify the design to let the fuel vapor out more gradually.

So far I've not had a fuel geyser on my flippy cap Stihls. But after reading the USFS warning last year I take care to open mine gradually and keep my face away if I'm refueling a hot saw. Other than that potential problem I like the caps, especially how they positively lock in the closed position. I've had a screw fuel cap come loose and drench me with an entire tank of fuel. Yea it was my fault but that didn't make my private parts feel any better.
 
   / stihl 1/4 turn caps controversy #25  
My truck gas cap says to release slowly to prevent fuel spray...I'm sure the idiot to not ratio is higher in vehicles than chainsaw users, but Stihl may be forced to cover their asses for the 1%.
 
   / stihl 1/4 turn caps controversy #26  
My stihl is over 20 yrs old, so maybe they changed.
 
   / stihl 1/4 turn caps controversy #27  
I have never run into this with several Stihls. Interesting. May just be my cutting habits.

BTW, if you want to make this a controversy you have to call them "flippy caps". Now we'll fit in with all the other google search results.
 
   / stihl 1/4 turn caps controversy #28  
My old Stihl 025 has the threaded cap. The cap is not stripped. I hand tighten it and occasionally have to use a screwdriver to get it open. NO problems. BTW the saw was bought in 1996 and except for a new carb, fuel line and chains/bars it's still going strong.

My newer Farm Boss has the flippy cap. I don't like it. I guess it's me but I sometimes have trouble getting it to close properly. And once it lost all the fuel, another time most of the oil. Again, that was me not getting it latched right and starting to work. But the screw cap was not a problem that needed fixing.

Overall I still like Stihl products. Two saws, one string trimmer and one backpack blower (also from about 1996-7).

I use Startron in the mix with premium fuel and only mix 1 gal at a time and use it up fast.
 
   / stihl 1/4 turn caps controversy #29  
There is a aftermarket flippy cap replacement for those over designed stihl caps. Lot of folks really like them better. Shown on this 440 I set a guy up with.

They should have designed them like the husqvarna flippy caps. Screw in but flippy. That way you can chose which cap you want to use.
Also if you happen to break one. They have a flat screwdriver slot to remove them also. :cool:

s440caps.pnghflip.pnghflippysmalllg2.jpg
 
   / stihl 1/4 turn caps controversy #30  
There is a aftermarket flippy cap replacement for those over designed stihl caps. Lot of folks really like them better. Shown on this 440 I set a guy up with.

They should have designed them like the husqvarna flippy caps. Screw in but flippy. That way you can chose which cap you want to use.
Also if you happen to break one. They have a flat screwdriver slot to remove them also. :cool:

View attachment 609045View attachment 609046View attachment 609047

But do they prevent pressure build up for the Forrest Service?
 
 
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