I recently inherited my grandfather's MSR Model G. Here are a couple pictures of it. My grandfather made the bags for the stove and fuel bottle. The latter has a little pocket on the side to hold the pricker, which he created a fold-out case for. I think he also may have made the pouring cap, as the ones I've seen here have a plastic tube, and this one is copper. There are also a couple of 1 liter aluminum fuel bottles that didn't make it into the photos. The pump is the type with cotter pins, though you can't see them here. Using info I found on this site I took the pump apart to check the condition of the internal components. All of the o-rings were in good shape so I left them. A little neatsfoot oil brought the pump cup back to life. The larger hose had become brittle and snapped off and it was sloshing around in the bottom of the fuel bottle. I happened to have some tubing of the right size so I replaced it, being careful to transfer the little brass bead from the remnants of the old hose to the new one. I'll keep a close eye on the new hose to make sure it tolerates exposure to fuel ok. I can see how there could be a slight chance of things going terribly wrong if that part breaks down. I didn't take any pictures of the stove running, but it works perfectly. Before I found this site I emailed MSR/Cascade to ask about o-ring sizes before I took the pump apart. They took their time getting back to me, and by the time they did, I had already found a lot of good info here and gone through with the pump disassembly/reassembly. The reply from Cascade Designs (after 2 weeks) was simply a request for a picture of the pump and stove. I sent the attached pictures, explained what I'd done, and said I should be all set now. The customer service rep responded within minutes this time. First he pointed out that the pump is obsolete and shouldn't be used anymore because it could potentially be "jettisoned from the fuel bottle while the stove is in use". (Yup, I already observed that something like that could possibly happen, but I think he's exaggerating a bit. I trust myself to keep an eye on the condition of the plastic.) Then he said that my "XGK" has a "stubby" fuel line that should be replaced because the braided jacket covers a plastic tube that can break down... obviously not at all applicable to my stove with its rigid metal tube. Both of these "issues" would normally be remedied by sending the stove in for a $35 standard overhaul that includes a pump upgrade. That alone is a pretty good deal if I wanted to upgrade the pump. Because their repair shop is closed for the next month or so (for the move to Reno, as I've read in another thread here), I was given a one time replacement option to just send the stove and pump in with $35 and get a brand new XGK EX in return. If the stove didn't have the sentimental value of having belonged to my grandfather I'd be pretty tempted by that offer. But it does, and it's working perfectly, so I'm going to hold onto it. If I do someday have an issue with the pump I'll go for the pump upgrade and stove overhaul. -Ben
Nice piece of your grandfathers past . Use it with pride . I would suggest a new pump , keep the old one for display . The hand made items are a good touch .
Use the pump, nothing wrong with it as long as the end of the tubing holds the spring and teflon pip, ball in place. I recently used an original white pump on a two night bp trip. Duane
+1 Make sure at least a small piece of tubing keeps the check valve bits it there, although a newer tube, even a short piece will hold those parts in place. Easy fix to replace the old tubing, even Doc Mark has posted how to do it. I've used a few of my vintage MSR stoves on week long BP trips, it being my only stove. I need to see what is the best fix for my old white pump as the valve stem threads in the pump body are worn badly, I thought all was fine, but a field test is the best test. Duane
A great first post if I have ever seen one. I have a yellow pump, and after some research here and a bit of work, it is an excellent pump IMHO Certainly keep and use the stove/pump. What a history
I definitely plan to keep and use the stove and pump. It occurs to me that replacing that plastic hose with a bit of copper tubing could be a once-and-for-all fix. Maybe drill a couple holes for the drive screws to poke into, and partially close off the top so the spring has a good seat. I may give that a try. @hikerduane - those worn plastic threads do sound like a challenge. If you know someone with a metal lathe maybe they could turn a new valve stem with slightly oversized threads, and a matching tap to cut new threads in the pump body. That seems like it would work better than trying to fill the existing threads with epoxy and re-cut them. That pump may be a good candidate for MSR's $20 upgrade though.
+1 and welcome Well done. I have nothing to add, i just remind you of your own words: "I'll keep a close eye on the new hose to make sure it tolerates exposure to fuel ok." OR acquire hose you know is good, you DO want fuel line and it's out there (e.g. chain saws etc). Sorry i do not have a source to suggest. I checked 1 place but Glen did not mention his source
Well I don't know about the mystery plastic tubing that I used before, but this copper tubing won't be affected by fuel. I drilled little holes in it for the drive screws, so it's locked in there good.
Your original post was fantastic. Your one comment definitely caught my attention: YIKES!!! As a member of the 20th and now 21st century I have a respect and dependence and a love/hate relationship with "PLASTIC". Brass and aluminum can be relied upon to last many years and decades and possibly centuries. The same can't be said for plastics. We are all a part of their long term testing whether we like it or not. Nobody knows the lifetime of a plastic. And there must be thousands if not hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of different plastic formulations a.k.a. recipes. Who knows what recipe you've got and what its expected lifespan is. Brass doesn't have an expected lifespan, does it? And if so its easily 50-100 years. Personally, I have seen more than enough various plastics break down over time. I am sure that is true for all of us here. And it often involves the plastic itself literally breaking! Like at the threads where the plastic goes down to zero thickness. I normally share your desire to keep all everything "original" including stove parts. Plus I respect and understand your desire to keep it for the sentimental value from your grandfather. And I thought everyone who commented had valid points and gave you good advice! I thought @Majicwrench had a very nice comment to you and I continue to learn from him. Though everyone had good things to say and had valid points I did not agree with those who suggested you continue to use the pump. I must stress that those who advocate to keep using the pump may well be totally correct!!! I am not saying I am right. I am simply saying I am more risk averse when it comes to plastics being used inside flame belching gas stoves under pressure! I have a healthy dose of skepticism when it comes to plastic. Others don't. Who's to say whose right. But I don't want to be part of their long term testing project for plastic in this particular scenario. I have personally identified in a casual, anecdotal way 4 items that seem to me to lead to plastic failure: 1) UV rays; 2) Heat; 3) Pressure; 4) Age. Your plastic pump deaks with the last three. And time by itself is enough of a reason for a plastic to "gas out"! I agree with advice given by @William Ritchie , @snwcmpr & @bgriffith . That pump may not warrant your trust in this application at this time! In fact, this situation reminds me of metal fatigue in many areas including the airline industry where the part is absolutely strong enough to safely do its job right up to the split second it fails. None of us guys giving opinions know specifically what plastic formulation you have, its recorded attributes and specs, or have done an engineering analysis of that material in an independent lab, etc, etc. On top of that the company that does or did have access to all those technical readouts of that material seems to be jumping up and down to get you to realize that they are aware of possible to probable structural failures with that material and are being generous beyond reason at no small expense to themselves to proactively protect you from what they feel is an impending accident. ALL I KNOW is when people are pounding on my door repeatedly at 3 am in the morning screamin warnings at me that my house is on fire, the least I can do is to get up out of bed and open the door to listen to them. But as they say, "HEY, THATS JUST ME!". Does that include x-ray analysis of the threads screwing into the bottle or whatever part got, "jettisoned from the fuel bottle while the stove is in use". Egads! It still makes me wince to say that! If not, then this strikes me as possibly just as important as kicking the tires before a 1500 mile road trip. Of course, I hope I am wrong and am just a nervous nellie. In my own way I am expressing concern for your safety! Ron
Use the pump. Like many other things in life, you need to be observant of condition of equipment. Even metal pumps have failed when the NRV or C/V failed to hold. Read up on all the NRV failures for Oprimus 111B stoves. MSR is protecting their corporate butt, could or would happen. Duane
@bgriffith , I apologize in advance, my intent is only to help and to avoid possible damage to yellow pump. re your: "copper tubing won't be affected by fuel. I drilled little holes in it for the drive screws, so it's locked in there good." Solid tube extending from the bottom is not what LP had in mind. As shown with copper tube, you have added a stress point, i try to make this point: have in mind your copper tube vs soft flexible fuel line Any outside force applied to tube (bumped, dropped, while stowing away etc), with the copper tube the weak point is "now" the plastic end of the pump (pump end more vulnerable). vs soft flexible fuel line (mnfctr spec, by-design), the weak point is the tubing. (pump end less vulnerable) note 1, i defer to others note B see note 1. but i am of the opinion you can use your "locked-in, copper fix" (will outlast fuel line fix and outlast plastic pump) THAT IS IF you make it so the copper just barely extends past the bottom of the pump (you will be back to no additional stress) and i thought it has been shown on this site that extension of hose is not needed? IF that's the case badda bing badda boom you may indeed have your fix in-hand. Jus tryin to be helpful, happy holidays peace out
Ron has some good thoughts above, there are soooo many things that could, and do, fail. This is not the safest hobby. Has anybody had, or heard of, a pump "jettisoned from the fuel bottle while the stove is in use" ? Just googled it, only hit is this post
I have never heard of that. To me it is along the lines of the Swedish hand grenade (123). All I ever saw was a candle flame on the SRV, and the fuel was boiling when I took the lid off. (Long story on Mt Adams in Washington State in the 90s)
that is a great point. I just replace the flexible hose with another flexible hose. These tend to hard due to fuel exposure in time
