Tank removal and a sickening moment - Optimus 99

A cautionary tale: Picked up a 99 at the thrift store last week. Test burned it and it wouldn't keep a strong flame after a couple minutes. tank smelled like solvent and the wick couldn't be seen. Disassembled and couldn't get the tank off. Tried a 10mm wrench. Tried heat. Tried leverage and... *snap!* the little brass tube snapped neatly off right at the nut on the tank.

Should've used a line wrench and penetrating oil, I suppose. RIP, little 99!

 

Welcome, @brassfan.

Can you show us some photos - it may be reparable.

Tony

 

Thanks for the welcome, and certainly!

 

It's repairable, but it will require the hex to be removed from the tank, and the brass fuel tube to be brazed back together.


[Source: CCS; @Spiritburner]


Tony

 

We often have a necessary item in our tool box. Patience.
I do hope that you can learn the skills to sibraze the pieces back together.

Welcome to CCS

 

.

 

No post included in the post.
Is that a Bruce Lee post?
Posting by not posting?
But, if you look closely, you can see the 'point' that you made.

 

@brassfan
With sympathy - I have an OP 8R with exactly the same where I tried to service it in the field.
Do you realise that the Op 99 and the 8R have the same tank and burner assemblies? You might find a decrepit 8R in a sale with a rusted case or missing parts. So long as that tube is intact, you would have a fair chance to make 2 into one. You could even have it as a multi choice stove: 8R one week and 99 the next!

 

You could have a chat with this company - to see if they’d be willing to maybe split up spare part #2004

Originele Optimus onderdelen reserve onderdelen en accessoires - Qvist Outdoor Cooking

 

I'm personally unconvinced the penetrating oil would have made any difference.

Can anybody with a knowledge of physics/chemistry greater than mine, explain how the presence of fluid between the threads of brass components can possibly reduce the amount of torque required for the initial break-free? Once it's moving, yes, fair enough (although penetrating qualities are much less important as soon as there has been movement).


Chris, either daft and confused, or doesn't fall for the massive multi-million pound worldwide penetrating oil scam.

 

That's repairable

Alec.

 

@Blackdog

My best penetrating solution - though it may take a day or two - is a 50:50 mix of Acetone and Transmission fluid. The Acetone gets in everywhere and seems to drag a bit of transmission fluid with it.

 

@Harder D. Soerensen Thanks, but I wasn't after recommendations for penetrating oil, I find dirt cheap heating oil (kerosene) or diesel to be as good as anything, but add it after the initial break-free has occured and wait a minute if that. Any oxidation/rust/dirt buildup will then be disturbed and allow a free and easy path for the liquid to penetrate.

My point is, in the case of brass fittings, I cannot believe that adding a liquid between tight fitting brass threads makes them easier to undo.

Likewise, how can a penetrating oil reduce the initial break-free torque of a rusted steel fastener, unless it includes acids to dissolve iron oxide?

Well marketed rubbish in my view.

 

Glad that you are (un)convinced.

I did an Enders with Time, Penetrating oil, Heat, and Patience.
Multiple other times I have used the 50/50 mix to loosen metal to metal bonds.

Patience is the key.
Then a touch of "Oh, not too hard now. Add more penetrating oil and come back in a few days and try again".
Brute force is not the solution.

 

I still can't see. physically or chemically, how the metal to metal bond could be loosened by a liquid.

Psychologically, maybe...

If the liquid was dissolving deposition buildup from the fuel, then yes... but then it would be needed inside the fitting where said buildup originated.

 

Yeah, you're correct.

 

@Blackdog I don’t believe it’s as impossible as you say for a fluid to penetrate threads or seized components. Threads have ‘tip’ clearance, creating a helical passageway for fluid. A weld, solder, braze metal bond is impervious to liquid and gas, but a metal-to-metal or rust-bound bond is inherently porous - given enough time for thin fluid to penetrate - which is only too obvious when trying to get fuel tanks to seal if a solder joint has failed.

 

stovies my experience with penetrating oil, which i have used from time too time sometimes it works other times it don't, i have had to leave things for days before i have had luck with it.

Very good point there John for instance if a filler cap has no washer or it's gone hard with time no matter how tight you screw it down it will never make a seal.A time when
I would be surprised though if it worked on a conical thread for instance on a Primus 71 etc,
My over all opinion is, if you have some penetrating oil it's worth a try

 

No Ken, In response to your post. I made a post about me not having that tool in my tool box. Then decided I didn't want to get off the subject. So seeing that I couldn't delete it I just edited it. .

 

All good.