The Coleman Thread

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Worked on the stove and got the check valve unstuck. Well, it unstuck itself somehow as I was taking apart the generator and the fuel was sloshing around inside. Drained it all out the best I could, which is not trivial with the center mounted fill hole, and refilled 1/4 the way. The fuel of unknown age that came out actually seems OK. Got the stove fired up on all 3 burners and let it run at 100% until the tank went dry.

Lantern continues to frustrate me. Can't get the check valve to unstick. I filled up the pump hole with carb cleaner and noticed as I held it at different angles, it would "burp" and some of the cleaner would drain into the main tank. But inserting the pump, there is a lot of resistance when pumping to try and move the valve, like the valve is stuck shut. Before calling it an evening, I drained out the carb cleaner and it is airing out. Will try again. I hope to avoid buying a check valve removal tool.

Now I have the urge to pick up a 200A single mantle and a 400 single burner. Nothing local so far 😃
 
You guys ever come across a Presh-R-Matic before? My mom bought a Sears lantern with one, and didn't know what it did so she just gave it to me.

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It's pretty slick! You thread it on to the tank where the cap would go:

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Pop in an 8 gram C02 cartridge:

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Install the red cap:

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Tighten the cap, which then punctures the cartridge and fills the tank with compressed air.
 
I imagine that when it's time to refuel you lose whatever's left in the cartridge?
 
ive seen those and the modified caps w/ the Schrader valve. both are neat ideas to avoid thumb pumping
 
What‘s the big deal about pumping?? It takes less than a minute & last 3 hours or so.
 
Pumping it up is part of the fun! How else are you going to flex that thumb muscle...?

In truth, I can't remember the last time I had to put more pumps into a lantern after its lit. There's a fair amount of pressure generated from the heat which radiates down from the burner frame onto the fount, which helps to maintain pressure.
 
Continued on my lantern. Got the check valve unstuck. Combination of soaking in carb cleaner and compressed air (~10psi) did the trick. The lantern does "surge" a bit when running; meaning the light level changes between ~80% and 100%. Is that normal? Or should I dig deeper and replace the generator?

Is there a way to replace the plastic cup on the left? The retaining washer seems to be on there for good, and is unlike the retaining washer on the leather cup on the right (from my 426D). Its as if the washer was slid on the shaft, then the tip expanded as a retention method. The plastic cup is working fine but the leather cup seems smoother.
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jht3 said:
Continued on my lantern. Got the check valve unstuck. Combination of soaking in carb cleaner and compressed air (~10psi) did the trick. The lantern does "surge" a bit when running; meaning the light level changes between ~80% and 100%. Is that normal? Or should I dig deeper and replace the generator?

Is there a way to replace the plastic cup on the left? The retaining washer seems to be on there for good, and is unlike the retaining washer on the leather cup on the right (from my 426D). Its as if the washer was slid on the shaft, then the tip expanded as a retention method. The plastic cup is working fine but the leather cup seems smoother.
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Pulsing like that can be insufficinet fuel in the font, insufficient pressure in the font, or a dirty generator. Fill it up till it leaks out its hole, pump it up until your thumb's too weak, and then if it still pulses replace the generator.

Is the shaft on the left pump stem threaded on the outside for that washer to unscrew?
 
williaty said:
Pulsing like that can be insufficinet fuel in the font, insufficient pressure in the font, or a dirty generator. Fill it up till it leaks out its hole, pump it up until your thumb's too weak, and then if it still pulses replace the generator.

Is the shaft on the left pump stem threaded on the outside for that washer to unscrew?
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I pumped this thing up till i thought it would explode. it wasn't a full fuel load though, not even close...maybe less than 1/4 tank. my hunch is a generator but i'll try again with a full tank of fresh fuel. this lantern has probably been sitting for 30 or more years.

And nope, no threads to unscrew the keeper. this is a '84 lantern so i'm thinking coleman removed the serviceability from this era pump.
 
jht3 said:
I pumped this thing up till i thought it would explode. it wasn't a full fuel load though, not even close...maybe less than 1/4 tank. my hunch is a generator but i'll try again with a full tank of fresh fuel. this lantern has probably been sitting for 30 or more years.

And nope, no threads to unscrew the keeper. this is a '84 lantern so i'm thinking coleman removed the serviceability from this era pump.
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I just looked back and saw you're working with one of the modern lanterns with the plastic fuel-air tube. They will not burn stable without a COMPLETELY full tank on lightup. I fought this myself until I realized that all the older (pre-CL/Adjustable era) lanterns with the metal fuel-air assembly and Instant Light circuit will light on any amount of fuel but all my modern ones with the plastic tube will only burn stable if you light them on a **COMPLETELY** full tank.

You just need to fill the tank up all the way before you try any more troubleshooting.
 
You can try taking a mapp gas benzomatic to the generator before replacement. YT vids on how to do it properly if you haven't done it before.
 
Spike Strip said:
You can try taking a mapp gas benzomatic to the generator before replacement. YT vids on how to do it properly if you haven't done it before.
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and this accomplishes what? pre-heating the generator for better combustion? i've watched a ton of YT vids but can't say i've seen this.

but yea, this is a 290-700 or CLX adjustable lantern with the plastic fuel/air tube.
 
Remove the Generator and torch till red hot and let cool, then tap to see if anything falls out. Idea is to ash any built-up crap that's causing the pulse.

It's been some time since I've done that so I don't remember if the squiggly wire has to come out or not.

Of course, a new gen is cheap, so that may just be easier and faster.

This was just the 1st one I found
 
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jht3 said:
and this accomplishes what? pre-heating the generator for better combustion? i've watched a ton of YT vids but can't say i've seen this.

but yea, this is a 290-700 or CLX adjustable lantern with the plastic fuel/air tube.
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Burning a generator removed from the lantern with plumbers torch is a method used to “clean” any of the accumulated crud inside the generator.
If the pricker rod and spring will come out of the generator without prying them out too aggressively, I usually remove them before burning, AND remove the generator tip before burning as well.
Some moderner generators have a crimp/punch on them that makes the coil spring cardboar/asbestos type tube “non removable”.
Older style generators, I will do this “burn/rebuild” to as a last ditch resurrection effort.
Often, it works.
Sometimes, ya just need a new generator.
 
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