Leaky Coleman Stove

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Tigerstripe40

Tigerstripe40

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I had a 78 era coleman white gas stove years ago. It was purchased new by my parents back in 78. I had the stove in my 4Runner when it was broken into one evening back in 2006. The beloved stove was taken and never recovered.

Knowing how well these stoves last, I purchased a new one. Unfortunately, it did not seem to be made as well as the older one. The steel was flimsy, though otherwise, the stove worked fine.

Until it started leaking.

The stove leaks white gas at the junction between the generator and the tank. Feeling that this was a quality issue, the stove got put on a shelf and I purchased a Camp Chef Denali stove. This stove worked well for about 2 years. Now it is having some problems.

I am planning on trying to repair the coleman white gas stove. Can I use teflon tape to reseal the manifold or will the white gas be aggressive with the teflon tape? Is there an o-ring that can be replaced here? I am not able to find any o-rings or things like that on Colemans site.

Any help?
 
Just to clarify, is it leaking where the valve tree threads into the tank, or where the generator threads into the valve tree? If the latter then just use a pair of channel locks and tighten the generator tube connection until it stops leaking. I just went through this with my 1976 stove.

There are no o-rings, these are just brass and steel fittings, so use regular pipe dope, it is better than teflon for this application. Teflon will work but it's not the best. Coleman themselves use a pipe dope.
 
Coolerman said:
Just to clarify, is it leaking where the valve tree threads into the tank, or where the generator threads into the valve tree? If the latter then just use a pair of channel locks and tighten the generator tube connection until it stops leaking. I just went through this with my 1976 stove.
Click to expand...

Its where the valve tree threads into the tank.
 
Then remove the valve tree using a large adjustable wrench on the "flats" of the valve tree. It will be very tight if it has never been removed.

Make note of the number of turns to remove it as you will want to put it back to roughly the same place.

Drain the tank. This prevents fuel from sloshing up onto the pipe dope and washing off into the tank when reassembling.

Remove any remains of the factory applied sealant from the valve tree threads.

Using any type of plumbing pipe dope LIGHTLY apply it to the threads but DON'T get any on the first couple of threads. (This will keep the dope from getting into the tank and clogging the FA tube. (Part that sticks down into the tank).

Tighten it back up, let it sit for a bit then pump it up 50 times and light it off. It will take about a minute of fuel flowing through the valve tree to see if it's going to leak.

Good luck!
 
Update: I wound up getting a camp chef propane stove from their mountain series. Unfortunately, this stove wasn't built to the standards I would expect from Camp Chef (it was made in china, not Logan, Utah) and it has for the most part fallen apart. It is getting taken to the desert, used as a target, and then will be recycled in an environmentally friendly manner...

SOOO... I am back to repairing my Coleman stove.

I un-threaded the generator assembly from the tank and applies some Rector Seal #5 to the threads like Coolerman had suggested. I then put it back together and fired it up... Fired is the correct term... Turns out it wasn't the interface between the tank and the valve assembly, but the nut behind the knob. I got on it with a wrench and tightened it a bit until the leaking stopped and then gave it a little bit more of a turn (maybe 1/16 of a turn) for good measure. The valve is not binding up.

However, when I turn the valve to the full 'off' position, the stove does not shut all the way down. It still runs with a little bit of flame on the burner. I can blow the flame out and then when I remove the tank/generator assembly from the stove, I can hear it blowing fuel. Its not a really big deal because I can blow it out but I'd rather make this 'right'.

I think I might not have tightened something properly when I pulled the valve and generator apart.

Any clues here?
 
Coleman stoves do that. There is still liquid fuel in the generator that is vaporizing and "burning" Give it a min or two and the flame will go out.

Subtle differences between a white gas stove and propane. Propane goes out immediately. WHite gas tapers out slowly.
 
I agree with Mace. That's totally normal. Even after shut down, the generator is full of liquid fuel. Since the gen is still hot, it continues to vaporize and burn, heating the generator.

It's only after the generator is empty of liquid that it stops vaporizing and then the stove goes out.

If it leaks at the valve packing, you can usually get it to seal by tightening it up a bit like you did. If not, there is a graphite valve packing in there that's available from Old Coleman Parts for $3. Here's a rebuild tutorial you may like:

http://www.oldcolemanparts.com/resources/re_stove.php
 
I've used white gas before. Typically, the flame burns out in 30-45 seconds.
This is not what the stove is doing, though. It will continue burning until either the fuel runs out or the tank looses pressure.

I used the stove this weekend, and the sheetmetal of the stove is beat to hell (I put the stove n the bed of my truck and drove over a rough road). The stove is going in the trash, along with the camp chef denali.
 
Head to your local flea markets, I always find them there, usually the people who have them have an assortment of them, and usually for between $50 and $100.

I haven't gotten around to picking one up yet, but I snag my Dad's everytime I go camping. Love the thing.
 
The Machinist said:
Head to your local flea markets, I always find them there, usually the people who have them have an assortment of them, and usually for between $50 and $100.

I haven't gotten around to picking one up yet, but I snag my Dad's everytime I go camping. Love the thing.
Click to expand...
Yard sales are even better, usually under $20 for a stove or lantern.
 
50 to 100?? Holy cow, 5 to $10 is my limit..
 
Mace said:
50 to 100?? Holy cow, 5 to $10 is my limit..
Click to expand...

Once you have 1 or 2 you can be choosy.

I go to $20 for 3 burners. Last one I got was 2 miles from me, perfect condition 426D for $10 and it included another stove stand and a tank full of fuel.

Tigerstripe40-Your experience is odd. These stoves are known for their ability to run regardless of condition. Maybe you had a bad one, but normally, bouncing around in the bed of a pick-up is the design norm for these stoves.

Craigslist has been a reliable source for me. I probably have 8 2 burners and 5 or 6 3 burners picked up off Craigs list for small $$, and I won't even look at the dirty/burned ones.

The early 3 burners are the best, you can pack a 200A or 242 Lantern inside the stove, along with a stove stand.

If you are back looking for 2 burners, any 413 will be awesome and last until the end of time. The mid 60s ones are the best, in my opinion.
 
Tigerstripe40 said:
I've used white gas before. Typically, the flame burns out in 30-45 seconds.
This is not what the stove is doing, though. It will continue burning until either the fuel runs out or the tank looses pressure.

.
Click to expand...


I understand now. If the valve gets shut off too hard, it will damage the sealing cone of the valve screw. Then it won't seal and shut down. You may have done that if you tightened the gland nut without loosening the valve.

If it's being trashed, save the tank and the valve. You never know when the parts might come in handy.

While that part is available from OCP, it is likely easier to go shopping on Craig's and find a better stove. Coleman made something like 40 million of them and very very few are still being used, so lots of surplus to choose from.

I'd find a 413G and run that. Earlier and later ones are still excellent, but the 413G in all it's variations was rock solid.

If you get a 3 burner-a 426D is the same stove as a 413G just with an extra burner.
 
Cruiserdrew said:
I'd find a 413G and run that. Earlier and later ones are still excellent, but the 413G in all it's variations was rock solid.

If you get a 3 burner-a 426D is the same stove as a 413G just with an extra burner.
Click to expand...

The 413g is exactly the stove that got stolen out of my 4Runner ~ several years ago.
I am still mad about that...
:mad:
 
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