Hello all - my 1987-vintage Coleman Peak One 400A (black version) has served me faithfully all these years, including last week's trip to the Minnesota Boundary Waters. It cooked meals just fine, with its high heat output and simmer. But - I kept noticing a faint gas smell around the stove after meals and the stove shut off. Now at home I have examined it carefully and it leaks (quite prodigiously) from the shutoff valve (the lever with the red knob.) Any suggestions on fixing this problem? Thanks all, Tom
Had the same problem, this fixed it if it is the Schrader valve. http://www.oldcolemanparts.com/product.php?productid=276&cat=&page=1
Tightening the nut was my first go-to; no help at all. Is it possible to fettle the valve, or is replacement necessary? Thanks! Tom
Yes, likely cure with a couple of new O-rings. I stripped a Coleman 442 HERE where I made reference to the valve disassembly and the O-rings. True, yours is a 400A, but I've an inkling that the valve has O-ring seals like the later 442 and not graphite. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Here's a schematic for the 400A
The Valve lever that shuts off the fuel flow to the generator just operates a brass eccentric block inside the valve to depress a Schrader valve inside the fuel air pickup tube. Remove your generator from the valve, operate the pump to pressurize the tank to see if fuel or air is leaking from the top of the valve. If so then you need to find a replacement for the Schrader valve. I had you same problem with my 400A and ended up buying a new valve with F/A tube because I could not find a replacement Schrader valve. You may have better luck that I did.
http://www.oldcolemanparts.com/product.php?productid=271&cat=&page=2 http://www.oldcolemanparts.com/product.php?productid=276&cat=&page=2 The 400 series valve has 2 O-rings. One as referenced by presscall at the lever as shown in the image he posted. The second one is at the top of the Fuel air pickup tube that contains the Schrader valve. Your problem appears to be the Schrader or the o-ring at the top of the F/A tube that holds the Schrader valve.
Yet ... ... in which case, the stove might well not shut off (leaking Schrader valve) or depressurise (air at the top of the tank leaking into the generator past the thin O-ring sealing valve stem to valve body) but surely wouldn't present the symptom of a a fuel leak at the red control lever?
@presscall. I get what you are saying presscall but the Schrader valve and the F/A tube is where I see the issue is. Those 2 items can pass gas into the upper part of the valve causing the presence of fuel or vapors. If it is leaking from the red lever then the only O-ring is where you pointed out could be leaking. But my problem is the valve is shut off so why the leak around the lever? Unless that fuel is bleeding off from the generator? I do not get the impression he saw fuel from the red lever. I understand he was only pointing out the valve assembly in general. What in your observation stops fuel from leaking from around the lever. I see in your image an O-ring around the outer brass fitting that inserts into the valve body and the lever inside this fitting. Is thee another O-ring inside this fitting that makes contact around the lever or is it a graphite packing? IMO it is Just easier to get a new valve and be done with it.
Thanks all for your kind replies. I must explain that it was not a "fuel Leak" per se, but rather what was occurring was a very quick and fast depressurization. Thanks to @presscall's fettling pictures I took courage and got the fuel valve apart. See pic below. Note that unlike @presscall's valve it has no O-rings, but rather a fitting of Babbit-like material as a (?) seal. In my initial testing I used a crude stethoscope-like contraption and could hear no hiss of air from near the valve, but rather from the entire flame ring apparatus. This leads me to believe that the Schrader-valve is the culprit. Am I right in this conjecture? Will replacing that Schrader valve solve my problem, or is there more to be found in the riser tube on the left of the picture? Thanks again for all your help. Tom
Problem solved!! - new Schrader valve installed, tested pressure before mounting generator. OOPS - big spray of fuel! Disassemble, screw Schrader valve firmly into tube (a full turn more), re-test - no leak, no hiss, no spray! Remount generator and assemble stove completely, test-fire. Results- best flame and startup I've had for years!! Thanks to all for your guidance. Perhaps the pic of the 400A valve will help someone else. Found the new Schrader valve at my local auto parts store. Tom
Well done and nice flame! Because you got the valve at an auto parts store, I'll assume it is made for gas. I have seen some try to use any one they have around the house (ie bikes) and that rubber seal won't hold up. You end up with a leak.
Thanks for posting the result @Greeley and what a great result! @HercL4D2 nailed it. Indeed, I was reading the 'prodigious' leak as a fuel leak and not air. Interesting to see that the 400A relied on good-old graphite packing for a seal and not O-rings as in the later models. I know what you mean about it resembling babbitt metal Tom (as used in bearings yes?) but it'll surely be graphite and compressible with the packing nut. So if a fuel leak ever did appear there it'll be a simple matter to tighten the packing nut to stop it. John
@Greeley Nice flame shots and glad you solved the problem. Thank you for the image of the valve tear down showing the innards of the valve and shutoff lever. It will help others with your similar situation and how to fix it.
@Greeley That's an excellent outcome. Must take another look at my 400 (brown one) as it never shuts off completely so I have to blow it out once it has settled as low as I can get it to go. And, despite releasing the pressure once cool, it is always empty when I come back to it after a couple of weeks. I've messed around with the Schrader valve in the past without much success. So it would be irresponsible to let my scouts try it. Pity really because I prefer it to the 442 Dual Fuel because of the control afforded by the second lever. Regards John
Because I have a similar problem, I would like some help. I have a Coleman Peak1 model 400A stove. I have removed part 15 in the above diagram, the shut off valve is now only attached to the tank. When I pump, fuel immediatly starts coming out of the valve (although it closed, my conclusion is a faulty valve). Now here are my questions: How do you remove the valve from the tank, I have tried force, but it does not seem to want to move. And what is a "Schrader valve"? If this is the trouble, where can you get these in Europe?
Not exactly the same thing, but this may give you an idea of what a Schrader valve is. The valve you use to put air in your car tire is a Schrader valve. Inside is a small spring activated valve core that's screwed in or out to replace. Here's a Wikipedia example. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schrader_valve I'm sure someone here will provide a better in context example
It is a litlle embarrasing but this seems to be the sort of valve used in bicycles, something I am familiar with. Now I just have to know how to detach the shut-off valve from the tank. My stove is date stamped 11-86. I bought it in Seattle in June 1987. So it has been my trusty companion for more than 30 years. I do not want to break it now. Maybe simply cleaning the valve is all I need to do or replace the seal. And BTW I have tried tightening the nut, but that has not done the trick.
@JHvW@NL http://www.oldcolemanparts.com/product.php?productid=276&cat=&page=1 Schrader valves are used in a lot of applications. tires and tire tubes, fuel rails for diesel and auto and for A/C applications. Strip your tank of all parts, Place your valve into a bench vise, preferably using 4 blocks of wood to protect the valve from becoming damaged. Turn the tank counter clockwise to break the bond of the seal and remove the valve.
Wow, sometimes force does seem to do the trick. I have now extracted the valve and am going to try and dis-assemble it. I presume that when everything is working fine, the installation is the reverse of removal. This however begs the question, what king of sealant was used on the thread? How do you remove the remnants and more important: what do you use when re-assembling, instant gasket?
