Stihl Saws

[brent smith]

I currently own 5 Stihl saws from 011 to 066... 4 of which have the new style gas and oil caps (which I hate) I've been told Stihl went to that style cap because Joe Homeowner couldn't be trusted to carry the adjustment tool with him that was needed to loosen the old fail proof caps... I am so fed up with these new caps failing and not staying closed that I am ready to jump ship after 35 years of faithful Stihl use... anyone have anything to offer in the way of tricks to keep those caps from failing...

[ladylake]

Sure a lot of complaints about those caps, you'd think Stihl would come out with different ones.   Steve

[Woodpulp]

I don't get it.  I have the "flippy" caps on my MS261 and Stihl BR600 backpack blower and have never had a problem with them.  Just need to take an extra second or two to make sure they're seated correctly.  Last I saw, Husky was going to a hybrid cap that screws in but doesn't require a tool to loosen/tighten, which is probably a good compromise. 

[lone wolf]

They do break , either the ethanol swells them up or your helpers break them. If you have them long enough and use them often you will see failure. Not to mention a cap that opens up and dumps oil or gas on you!

Stihl should have made them just for the homeowner saws and left the pro saws alone. Let the homeowners deal with them.

[gspren]

  I have 3 Stihl saws and each has a different style cap. Yesterday I ran and gassed all 3 and I like the caps on the old 041 Farm Boss, just use your fingers and if you over-fill the oil just screw on the cap and the extra leaks out on a block of wood that I'll eventually burn. The flippy caps on the 261 are OK if you never over-fill, and you keep clean, and really pay attention when reinstalling, I've only oiled my boot once  from not getting it on correct. The 044 needs the scrench which I keep handy.

[MidWestTree]

Will those scrench caps fit a newer model saw, if even available?

[lone wolf]

No if they did we would not be talking about the problem.

[msjdgman]

The little 250 was my first Stihl, and at first I hated these darned caps.  Eventually I got used to them and don`t have any complaints about them now.  The oil cap on that 250 did want to stick in the locked position when removed on occasion, until my son borrowed it and broke it.  We put a new one in and end of issue.

[AKDoug]

Your only choice is going to be to change brands. There really isn't any interest on Stihl's part to change back or redesign the caps. Honestly, I sell very few replacement flippy caps in my shop. I own several brands of saws and have no issues with the flippies. Hell, my Cat backhoe uses a similar style fuel cap.

[beenthere]

I hope they keep the flippy caps.
I like them and have had no trouble at all with them.
I didn't mind the screw on caps either, but didn't like the need to use the scrench to open and close that type.

So I am wondering what the problem is with the few that can't get them to work.  :

;D

[clww]

I use Stihl saws with these caps six days a week. Average is at least eight fill-ups a day. Zero problems with these caps.

[trapper]

Once I learned to remember the position of the cap  when i remove them I dont have any problem.  .

[thecfarm]

brent smith,welcome to the forum. Some members don't have the patience that most members have.  :

[JohnG28]

On my 3 saws with them I only had an issue with the fuel cap of my 361. Always wanted to not close. It eventually broke an d since replacing has had no issues. I believe some early ones were recalled.

[AKDoug]

On my 3 saws with them I only had an issue with the fuel cap of my 361. Always wanted to not close. It eventually broke an d since replacing has had no issues. I believe some early ones were recalled.

Flippy caps on just about everything other than chainsaws were recalled. On the chainsaws they did make a new cap with an alignment mark and they were phased in.  I actually sell very few of these caps.

[brent smith]

They do break , either the ethanol swells them up or your helpers break them. If you have them long enough and use them often you will see failure. Not to mention a cap that opens up and dumps oil or gas on you!

Stihl should have made them just for the homeowner saws and left the pro saws alone. Let the homeowners deal with them.

I couldn't agree more about leaving the pro models alone... For you guys that have them and have had no problems, consider yourself lucky... I'm a very meticulous person who takes the extra time to pay attention to the details of how these caps work, and what position they come off in, therefore what position they need to go back on in... my position is that one shouldn't have to be that careful or pay that much attention when dealing with a chainsaw gas cap... I've threatened Sthil in my mind for years over these silly caps and after joining this site and viewing the ported saws from wicked saws the time has come to put up or shut up for me... Sorry Stihl "you lose" I'm gone, I'm one of the ones who "can" be trusted to carry a tool... Craigslist here comes 5 chainsaws and Wicked Saw I'll call you soon... Good day Gentlemen...

[beenthere]

That'll straight'n 'em out. 

[jhellwig]

Take a deep breath and calm down when you install them.  They only break if you force them when they aren't in the right place. Try not to overfill and gently twist the cap till it falls in the hole.  If you do over fill just gently push the cap down and let the excess oil bubble out before you lock it.

I like the flippy caps.  It is nice not having to use the scrench to get the caps off.

[Yatt]

Flippy caps is one of the reasons I switched to Huskies XP's and have never looked back.

The other day  I picked up a MS362 and MS261 and couldn't help wondering why anybody would want a saw this bulky/heavy let alone the anti vibe system. :

[brent smith]

beenthere, I'm under no illusion that I'm going to "straighten Stihl out", to many homeowners out there to sell their flippies to... and jhellwig, I couldn't be any more calm and breathing just fine when dealing with your beloved flippies, you guys that think the only thing that goes wrong with those caps is pilot error are dead wrong... its a mechanical cap made by humans and both fail... this whole thing boils down to homeowner and pro, if you make your living or run your saws all day then carrying the tool to adjust the chain tension with you is a must anyway and you would never be without the tool to loosen the "foolproof" gas and oil caps... Its really that simple. 

[ely]

I hated the flippy caps when they came out, I broke several of them, I do now pay more attention to the caps and how they are oriented, and I have less problems with them also... my fix to the problem of breaking the flippy caps is after several trips to the shop to purchase another one... I bought seven of them at once, then I have not broken one since. keep in the glove boxes of several trucks just in case.

[SawTroll]

No if they did we would not be talking about the problem.

Likely true! 

[H 2 H]

A wise man once said

"You have to be smarter then the flippy cap"

[JohnG28]

Brent, of all your Stihl saws listed that you have I don't see any that would have flippy caps?  ??? Either way, if you decide you are selling all your Stihls send me a pm, I like em. ;D

[beenthere]

At the Stihl dealer today, and looking at their blower. Had a fuel cap that unscrewed.
So...
Tried it and realized how much easier and quicker the flippy cap came off (for me). Just sayin.....

[bill m]

I have 2 saws with the flippy caps and, other then replacing the o ring last week on one of them, have never had a problem.

[Al_Smith]

Now come on now ya'll .Don't be throwing the baby out with the bath water again .

The problem is simple ,the Buna-n o-ring swells up then it's easier to shove 10 pounds of potatoes in a 5 pound sack then get the danged cap closed .Did Stihl mess up,yes .Will they ever admit it --no .Now they might have fixed it but the remedy  is simple .Instead of buying flippeys by the gross just change the o-rings .

It's OEM part number 9645-948-2470 .It has to be cheaper than an 8 dollar flippy .I've found them on line from 33 cents to 2 bucks .It's generic size metric M 23 by 3 .

[jhellwig]

beenthere, I'm under no illusion that I'm going to "straighten Stihl out", to many homeowners out there to sell their flippies to... and jhellwig, I couldn't be any more calm and breathing just fine when dealing with your beloved flippies, you guys that think the only thing that goes wrong with those caps is pilot error are dead wrong... its a mechanical cap made by humans and both fail... this whole thing boils down to homeowner and pro, if you make your living or run your saws all day then carrying the tool to adjust the chain tension with you is a must anyway and you would never be without the tool to loosen the "foolproof" gas and oil caps... Its really that simple.

It has been said time and time again that if you start ramming around the flippy caps you have problems but if you take your time and pay attention they work just fine.  It isn't rocket surgery.  It is just a cap that you put in the hole, turn it a half a turn and flip the tab down.

You can get mad and yell and scream about them all you want but apparently they are working for a lot of people otherwise they wouldn't still be using them.  If you don't like it, fine, but don't get mad at people that are just trying to help you not have a problem with them.

[Al_Smith]

 :D New ones go in easy .After they get some age they get stubborn .Kind like my wife says about me .--people in glass houses---

[Lanternguy]

i really like the flippy caps i have them on my MS361, 600 Magnum Blower and recently bought a stihl Hedge trimmer HS46 c-e and one of the reason for choosing Sthil over Echo was the "flippy cap thing", i hate having to look for the tool, cant tell you how many times I've used a big flat head screwdriver because i cant find the tool or forgot to bring it.   

[Fatcougar]

Love my flippy caps on the new 461, wish I had them on my 026!

[Grimmy]

Got the flippys on my 441c and love em.  Have the screw ones on my ms660 and always have to dig around for the wrench to open em.  Just have gotten used to it, but I'd prefer the flippys.

[MidWestTree]

Now come on now ya'll .Don't be throwing the baby out with the bath water again .

The problem is simple ,the Buna-n o-ring swells up then it's easier to shove 10 pounds of potatoes in a 5 pound sack then get the danged cap closed .Did Stihl mess up,yes .Will they ever admit it --no .Now they might have fixed it but the remedy  is simple .Instead of buying flippeys by the gross just change the o-rings .

It's OEM part number 9645-948-2470 .It has to be cheaper than an 8 dollar flippy .I've found them on line from 33 cents to 2 bucks .It's generic size metric M 23 by 3 .

Common issue with e-gas blends, it takes a pair of channel locks to get a box store Poulan screw in fuel cap back in or out of the hole after the plastic threads and cap seal are exposed to ethanol blended gas. The only thing that really seems to like corn likker is Mason jars and possibly myself on a rare occasion.

I'm replacing all my orange saws with new Stihls the minute they bring the FI technology out with them, and I'll surely keep new seals in the saw box and change them out on a regular rotation so the caps work as designed.

[CTYank]

Don't understand the comments about having to use a scrench to remove caps on non-stihls. I've never had to do that. I run 89 octane E-10. A friend, who used his scrench to tighten the caps on an Echo, also had to use his scrench to remove them, with resulting damage. After telling him "hand tight will do" no more probs.

About this flippy stuff, there's much in Waiblingen that I'll never understand.

[Al_Smith]

Wow we agree on something.I don't get it either .They crank down on the caps like they are holding back sea pressure or something .

Those tree trimmers have them so gnarled up you have to use a set of channal locks to get the caps off .

Now this flip flap thing again .I took the liberty of lookng at flea bay and found packages of 50 m3 by 23 ID o-rings for $4.05 with free shipping .Meaning you could buy 100 for about the price of one cap .I have about 20 myself so I don't need any at the moment .Now just how cheap is that I ask you .

[trapper]

I use premium with no ethanol in all my 2 cycle equipment.

[Al_Smith]

Well I suppose people like me would have a choice .Either buy av gas or drive 95 miles lake Erie to find pure gasoline .

Ethanol is not going to go away ,we're stuck with it .The farmers thought it was great until the bottom fell out of the corn market but the price of seed and fertilizer didn't budge an inch .Nor did the price of diesel fuel as far as I know .

So you just get real good at rebuilding things and arguing over the internet so it's not a total lose .

[shootingarts]

I hated the flippy caps when they came out, I broke several of them, I do now pay more attention to the caps and how they are oriented, and I have less problems with them also... my fix to the problem of breaking the flippy caps is after several trips to the shop to purchase another one... I bought seven of them at once, then I have not broken one since. keep in the glove boxes of several trucks just in case.

This is the cure to all issues! I can be having something fail several times a week. Get fed up and buy a bunch of spares and that will cure the problem, I'll still have all or almost all of the spares ten years later!  ???  Not sure if it was the same or the reverse true stocking things at my business. Start selling two or three of an item a week so go ahead and make a bulk purchase . . . and instantly go to selling two or three a year!

Gonna check the seals on my screw on caps that take a gorilla to get them back off, I suspect the O-rings are the cure for that.

Hu

[M_S_S]

I don't have a problem with the flippy caps as I run all Husqvarnas. I had Stilhs years ago, before flippy caps and liked them. Five or six years ago I moved north and gave my Stilhs to my son, bought Huskies cause there was a dealer close(25miles) to me. I do agree with Brent though, if you make a living with your saws you *DanG sure carry a bar wrench with you. ED

[Yatt]

A wise man once said

"You have to be smarter then the flippy cap"

I use my neighbors Stihl pole saw frequently and all flippy caps are not the same.  The ones on this saw cannot be replaced without 60 seconds of putzing with them.  Don't tell me I don't know how to seat them either. 

I just cannot fathom why a screw in cap with an O ring needs to be improved on. 

Also as another poster said, I never use a scrench either on my Huskies, just finger tight and they are fine.

[Al_Smith]

Nobody knows why they went to flippy caps .Just Stihl being Stihl I guess .Like I said it's just something you have to live with .Shucks I once had an 034 that had a 360 Bottom handle .Half flippy half screw .

I'm sure they thought it was a grand plan but in the long run annoys a lot of people .I just deal with it .I'm telling you though it's the danged o-rings .Take my word for it or fight with them .Eventually you'll break a cap no doubt .I only broke one until I figured it out .

[deerslayer]

I detest flippy caps, to the extent that it prevents me from buying a newer Stihl. I have a number of Stihls and they are my preferred brand but none of my regular use saws have the flippy caps. the only MS series I have is a 660 and fortunately they didn't violate that model. I do have flippies on my pole saw and one of my brush cutters so have some experience with them. Never broke one but not sure why they went from a simple and effective cap to a more complex and expensive cap? I rarely have to use a scrench to loosen an old style cap. Just twist it off like I twisted it on. glad some people like them, I'm just not one of those people.

[NH4000]

Nobody knows why they went to flippy caps .Just Stihl being Stihl I guess

When everyone loves them, Stihl will change them. Just play along.

Repeat after me
Ich lieb mein flippenkappz.  Ich lieb mein flippenkappz.  Ich lieb mein flippenkappz.  Ich lieb mein flippenkappz. 

[beenthere]

Ich lieb mein flippenkappz.  Ich lieb mein flippenkappz.  Ich lieb mein flippenkappz.  Ich lieb mein flippenkappz.
:D


I be sayin that all along...   ;D

[bandmiller2]

Weekend homeowners have done a great disservice to the chainsaw industry,seems everything now is dumbed down to their level. Frank C.

[treefireguy]

I own four Stihl Saws from a 192 to a 440.  All have those flippy caps.  I sorta kinda like them for the most part, but always carry an extra in my truck because they do break.  The worst is when you just can't get them to seat right.. uughh.  In fact the one on my Kombi Trimmer head fell apart yesterday.  Definitely not an issue of leaving the trusted Stihl brand over I must say.  I am hoping that the bigger saws might get the old caps again.   If I had a choice I would choose the old style however.

[turnkey]

I currently own 5 Stihl saws from 011 to 066... 4 of which have the new style gas and oil caps (which I hate) I've been told Stihl went to that style cap because Joe Homeowner couldn't be trusted to carry the adjustment tool with him that was needed to loosen the old fail proof caps... I am so fed up with these new caps failing and not staying closed that I am ready to jump ship after 35 years of faithful Stihl use... anyone have anything to offer in the way of tricks to keep those caps from failing...

What "tool to loosen the ...caps?"  I have had many saws, Husky, Stihl, JohnnyRed, Poulan, Homey.  NOT ONE needed a tool to either tighten or loosen the cap.  Anyone who applies a "tool" to a screw-on cap is abusing the equipment.

As for flippy caps.  I have currently 4 saws with them, first one was the 310 in the early days of those caps.  I have NEVER had a problem with them failing.  Fogetting to put them on and not getting them seated correctly occasionally.  About the same number of times I had the same problem with screw ons.

That said, I do not know what Stihl was thinking they were accomplishing with them.  They didn't solve any problem I am aware of and are no faster to put on/off than a screw on.  I had to laugh when I got the 182T.  The devoted FOUR!! pages to 'how to operate the flippy caps'.  One would think if it takes 4 pages to that subject, the engineers would have taken a step back and asked themselves what they were doing.  .

Harry K

[JohnG28]

I wonder why Husky is coming out with their own version of this cap if it is such a terrible idea to so many people? I personally don't see the issue, but that's just me....

[beenthere]

Ich lieb mein flippenkappz.  Ich lieb mein flippenkappz.  Ich lieb mein flippenkappz.  Ich lieb mein flippenkappz.

;D

[shelby78]

I just read thru all this and I'm sure I will get flamed but here is my opinion.... I'm a professional tree cutter that does it 8 months a year and 5 days a week. We only use stihl saws. We have flippy caps and standard caps. All our saws are pro models.

We have no issues with flippy caps and have never broken even one. We end up with different help every season and lots of the time multiple different help every season. Both our 201t's use flippy caps and get filled multiple times daily.

It's easy to see why they went to flippy caps if you use saws daily and use a stihl bar wrench to open them...On a 66 660 or 066 (same saw just different years) if you use the stihl bar wrench after even a few times you start to dig sideways into the slot if it got overtightened even a bit. The more slop you get the more slop you make. Then as it gets sloppy it starts to make the wrench slide up and you make it more sloppy. After its too loose you start to have to push harder down while turning to stop the wrench from sliding up. At this point you can push so hard to eventually push thru the bottom of the cap.

All this doesn't happen overnight but when you use your saws heavily/daily you see a pattern. We don't use a stihl bar wrench to open gas caps as the standard head on it is too small. We use a large head standard screwdriver for the caps only.

[lone wolf]

Well that explains what stihl was thinking! I dont know why people need the squench to open the old type if you dont crank it too tight it will open by hand! I still say flippys fail and open up and dump oil or gas on you it is just a matter of time !

[cheeves]

No if they did we would not be talking about the problem.

Hey good Buddy!
How yah doin' in this wind and cold? Still bowin' like crazy up here on old Watson's Hill!  Wind chill 1 degree!

[pwheel]

Don't see what the fuss is all about. I have 5 Stihl saws and never have a problem with flippy caps. Oh, wait, the 10-yr old ms440 developed a small gas cap leak last week; $7 for a new one. Must be junk; should I sell it?

[hoyboy1970]

i've owned Stihl saws for over 20 years. all my current ones have flippy caps. i have never had a problem with them. newer ones have an alignment arrow stamped on the cap and case/housing. a little patience is all i have ever needed.

[JohnG28]

Don't see what the fuss is all about. I have 5 Stihl saws and never have a problem with flippy caps. Oh, wait, the 10-yr old ms440 developed a small gas cap leak last week; $7 for a new one. Must be junk; should I sell it?

Yeah, you should sell it. I'll give you $100! :D

[David-L]

Jonsered has the old basic caps and they need no tools. I had an 026 Pro and had issues with the multiple caps i had to buy. I no longer run Sthil. Except my old trusty 044 with old caps.

                                      David l

[treechopper40]

ive had 6-7 stihls with the flippy caps and im a logger not a weekend warrior they were using over 2 gallon of fuel a day and never had a problem with one of them I still have a 460 magnum with them caps the saws going on 4 years old with the original caps still on it

[Red Good]

Bizarre part is the only flippy cap I have problems with is the oil , 4-5 times i have filled it and walked back into the woods and all the oil is on my leg . That sucks large . Gas never had a problem . Red

[CRThomas]

Sure a lot of complaints about those caps, you'd think Stihl would come out with different ones.   Steve

I always run my saws out of fuel. But this time I was in a hurry and had to leave in a minutes notice. I only use Gas and bar oil from my Stihl dealer i begone for 30 days will I have trouble starting my saws I have SWtihl 180 261 362 love them

[CRThomas]

The little 250 was my first Stihl, and at first I hated these darned caps.  Eventually I got used to them and don`t have any complaints about them now.  The oil cap on that 250 did want to stick in the locked position when removed on occasion, until my son borrowed it and broke it.  We put a new one in and end of issue.

No proble if you don't over fill

[CRThomas]

On my 3 saws with them I only had an issue with the fuel cap of my 361. Always wanted to not close. It eventually broke an d since replacing has had no issues. I believe some early ones were recalled.

Flippy caps on just about everything other than chainsaws were recalled. On the chainsaws they did make a new cap with an alignment mark and they were phased in.  I actually sell very few of these caps.

You a dealer ask a Question I always run gas out of my saws do to a minutes notice had to leave. So my saws still have gas in them They are Stihl 180 261 362 i only use gas and oil from my Stihl dealer it cost more but its simple. Will my saws be hard to start after 30 days.I don't fool with gas cans and mixing gas any more. i carry a little can of regular gas to wash around the cap to clean saw dust off with my little paint brush

[SquareG]

DanG, took 3 pages for someone to mention how much dirt the flip style gets in the tank every time you fill it, because the seal is below the top rim.  I wrecked my 460 real bad a couple weeks ago, bought new 660 partly for the old style caps.  Never have used the wrench on it or 028.