Update: a stuck gas cap on my mower ate 3 hours of a Saturday and it was all one stupid click
I spent 3 hours last Saturday trying to get the gas cap off my mower because it just spun and clicked with no grip, and I almost drove to the shop in town to buy a new one. Turned out the cap has a tiny push-and-turn lock that only lets go if you press down hard while twisting, which I only found after digging through a 6 year old forum thread. Three hours, one cap, and my hands still smell like gas. The clicky twist caps on small engines feel nice but the click gives you zero clue about whether it is locked or just spinning, which is a real design flaw. Has anyone found a cap that actually tells you when it is seated right, or am I just bad at mowers?
Check the cap again, most of those click caps don't need a push, the click is just the ratchet slipping once it's tight. Pressing down hard might actually be why it felt locked, so skip that next time and just twist till it clicks.