The XGK EX™ stove burns a variety of fuels by using two different Jets.
1. The GK Jet is used for white gas, kerosene, unleaded auto gas, and aviation gas.
This Jet is preinstalled in your stove.
2. The X Jet is for jet fuel, and diesel. This Jet is included in the parts kit with your stove.
Hi, Jerry,
Well if that isn't the oddest thing I've ever heard. I don't have my XGK to hand or I'd check it myself. I'm going to have to head over to the storage unit and have a look.
The "G" in the XGK name has always stood for gasoline (white, unleaded, aviation, etc.) and the "K" has always stood for kerosene (K-1, diesel, jet fuel, JP-8, etc.). That's just plain weird that they're saying to use the same jet for white gasoline and kerosene. Just plain weird. Maybe they figure good quality K-1 grade kerosene is closer in its characteristics to white gasoline than nasty, stinky diesel?
I'd still be tempted to run kerosene using the jet for diesel, but that's me.
In general, here's what's going on: the heavier the fuel, the smaller the jet size. Gas jets tend to be the largest, then gasoline, then kerosene. If you look at something like a Primus Omnifuel, which burns pretty much anything, the jet sizes are as follows:
gas 0.45 mm
gasoline 0.37 mm
kerosene 0.28 mm
Now, the difference between a gasoline and a kerosene jet in this example is 0.09 mm which might seem so small as to not matter, but stove manufacturers spend a lot of time getting the air-fuel mix right, and these tolerances, albeit small, do matter.
So I'm DANGED surprised to here them lumping kerosene in with gasoline class fuels. That's just plain weird. I've got to look into this!
I have not tried to remove the surge damper since it is sometimes broken on removal when they are stuck in the body. Mine is stuck - probably from 30 years of sitting.
With MSR stoves in general, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Certain things like easily accessible "O" rings really should be inspected and replaced if needed, but for things inside the valve, the burner, or the pump, in all seriousness I don't recommend that they be serviced until needed. I've seen too many broken valves, too many broken pump tabs, etc. on MSR stoves. If the stove is working, I wouldn't mess with the surge damper.
Thanks for your thoughts on the yellow pump. I was kind of planning on keeping it, even if I have to use my spare duraseal for field work (I don't think I will though, the yellow it trouping along like they always did). As you pointed out, the air tube is broken off. It is the pinned in type.
All of the yellow pumps that I have seen are pinned at the bottom where the air supply tube exits the body of the pump. The pins I was referring to in my earlier post hold the pump collar and pump rod to the body of the pump. Later versions of the yellow pump have tabs and slots built into the pump collar and the body of the pump, respectively.
If it were me, and I were going into an area where I'd be in a real fix if my stove weren't working, I'd bring both pumps. The pump is definitely the Achilles heel of MSR liquid fueled stoves. A spare pump, particularly if you're traveling by vehicle or something where weight isn't quite as critical, is peace of mind, as is an expedition service kit. I don't always travel with two pumps and a full service kit, particularly for backpacking, but if all the weight isn't on your back, why not carry the "insurance?"
The 123's are great stoves, I probably will go back to the 123 for day hiking and trips where I want to cook, not just boil water.
I had my Svea 123 out this past weekend. It's the version from before Optimus bought the rights to the Svea name from Sievert in 1969 and redesigned the stove, creating the Svea 123R. It's a great cooking stove. It's never given me a lick of trouble, come rain or shine. And, despite its being brass, is in the same weight class as a MSR Whisperlite. If memory serves me correctly, a Svea 123 is actually lighter than an XGK. It's certainly quite compact. Did I mention I really like the Svea 123?
The 111b was the favorite stove of many of my cold weather friends and almost everyone I knew in canoe country. Mine works fine, although I do intend to rebuild the pump as soon a I break down and buy a wrench. It is a wondereful stove where weight is not critical, it is HOT and it simmers well. Although I have heard of the pump problem, none of my user friends (8 or 10 of them in the last 40 years) has ever had the problem. Most of them had a wrench and rebuilt the pump every few years though.
The 111 is a great stove. I prefer the 111 without the "B", the original 111, which was designed to run on kerosene. The "B" in 111B stands for benzin which is the word for gasoline, thus a 111B is a 111 modified to run on gasoline, a modification made for the American market. The only problem with the 111B is that there is a rubber "pip" in the non-return valve inside the pump. If that pip hardens (and it will with age), then gasoline can start leaking around the valve inside the pump. If you ever see the pump rod rising of its own accord, SHUT THE STOVE DOWN QUICKLY. If gasoline escapes around the valve, it can ignite, and you will have a flamethrower on your hands. It hasn't happened to me personally, but I do know people to whom it has happened. Don't run an old 111B without servicing it. That being said, the 111 series, whether 111, 111B, 111C, or the much sought after 111T, is an excellent set of very reliable stoves. Before the MSR revolution of the early 1970's, mountaineers used to carry 111's to high altitude. Can you
imagine lugging something as big and as heavy as a 111 up the side of a mountain. It's that good. There were mountaineers who were willing to lug the beast up the face of a peak simply because the 111 was such a good stove.
HJ
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