Coleman stoves

Does anyone know anything about the old stylee stoves you pump to make work? Mine won't build presure anymore. Tried using a pump rpair kit but it still won't presurize the tank.
Any ideas??
Thanks in advance,
Bill

Hey Bill, what kind of stove is it? Details, please, since there are dozens and dozens of white gas Colemans out there. And pics if you can find 'em.

I haven't seen a Coleman you can't rebuild, in theory. Though sometimes it just isn't worth it. It's a tool first and foremost.

Agreed...I have rebuilt both my stoves and lanterns more than once. I tried the china made repair pump with the plastic cup and aluminum knob to pressurize the tank, but it didnt work.

First, if you have an older model Coleman and the gas tank is empty, and you have experience with working with gas and gas fittings, take the stove outside, pull the pump by removing the C-spring with a longnose pliers, pull out the shaft and leather pressure cup and examine the cup. Carefully, as the old cups are very fragile. If the cup is still intact, lightly grease it and the channel where it slides with vaseline or clean motor oil, reassemble, put gas in the tank, and try it again.

If the leather is split or dryed out and deteriorated, then you will have to replace it....the pump, cup, and plated brass knob assembly itself is repairable. If you can unscrew the cup assembly from the shaft you can repair the assembly.

Go on ebay and type in Coleman stove lantern pump leather cups or variations of those words and get some real leather cups from overseas. They're about a buck apiece.

In the meantime, if you used the china aluminum knob repair kit, go outside, start with an empty tank, pull the assembly as above and grease the channel where the cup rides with vaseline, put in some gas, and try it again.

If you can build pressure, and the stove or lantern still doesn't light properly (big yellow flames) and you have new gas, try cranking the little brass lever on the needle valve. If that doesn't work, you need to replace the generator. On a stove, it is the pencil-sized pipe that sticks out of the top of the tank and goes through the flame of the first burner. Most camping stores sell them.

Be careful, all of this stuff should be done outside and don't tackle it yourself if you have no experience in working with gas or gas fittings. I am an outdoorsman, not a certified repairman, so get advice and instructions from the Coleman Co before attempting repairs. White gas (Napthalene) is highly flammable, and can ignite suddenly.

Good luck and long live the old Colemans.

I puchased one of the kits and it did not work. I have no cork seal in mine.I would have thought there would have been one in the kit if it was needed to make it work. I may just do what people around home are saying and get a new propane model.
Thanks for the help though.
Bill

The most useful bit of what I know about the old style Coleman stoves is that you could get generators that will adapt them to use propane fuel. Retooling my old stoves was a milestone in my progress toward Civilization and True Enlightenment. I have fond childhood memories of dueling with both the lantern and the stove to get them to perform. It could be done, but it always took a bit of fussing.

I am now mostly a gassy kind of guy, either propane in the small canisters or larger bottles, or isobutane for backpacking use.

I'll second what Hikermor said about switching to propane...propane generator adapter from KMart for about $20...bulk 25# bottle to 1# bottle adapter/filler for about the same from ChiCom tool store/internet...I still have a GI multi fuel stove, but for practical use during hurricane season, three 25# propane cylinders, single burner stove, dual burner stove, mantle lantern with a Coleman adapter hose and small bottle fill capacity ... you don't have to worry whether the generator jet is gummed up, and the pump works... now if I can just find a reasonable Aladdin kerosine light to replace the Dietz and table wick lamps...

detailed information can be found at spiritburner.com--that's Classic Camp Stoves over in the UK.

Very cool. I have to be careful though...vintage stove collecting looks addicting and expensive. I have never seen a good vintage stove or, almost as rarely, a good knife at a garage sale.

One thing you have to admit, with napthalene in the tank and in the can, you don't have to worry about a loose fitting or ruptured hose causing your gas to blow away like a f@rt in a hurricane.

Byrd_Huntr...yea, I've been pretty lucky...even during the 04/05 season when three of them came at us, only had 125mph or so gusts, not sustained.. ate cold cuts and only a little cooking on the two burner stove... my power was on by the 5th day... stove was mostly for hot water to shave with... I have a bag of charcoal briquets for a back up...I find the flickering of a paraffin wick type lantern comforting...

Check the seal on the cap.If you are loosing presure spray it with soapy water as you pump it.Look for bubles around cap,pump and seams.If cap is leaking, replace the O-ring or seal.You can even buy new caps.

BOATMAN
John

Thanks for all of the advise guys. I have decided that getting a propane stove to replace a twenty something year stove is the best bet. Might try to rebuild it later on.
Bill