Thanks to the help on my last post I was able to free the checkvalve. The pump produces pressure and the filler cap holds pressure and I've filled it with whitegas...when I pressurize it I can hear it hissing when I open the valve, but little to no gas comes out and it can't be lit. It doesn't seem to run for too long before it needs to be pumped up again. At times it will "spit" a little and produce a flash of flame, but most of the time it's closer to a pinhole air leak then a jet flame. My lanterns always sounded like a mix of air jet and fuel sputter, this is making almost 100% air noise and no fuel sputter. I took the jet off the top and cleaned it out, the pin is intact and seems to go in and out of the jet hole just fine. Any help would be appreciated...I don't know if it's something with the generator or the pickup at the bottom or gas jet at the top...I just know it's not the knob, check valve, filler cap or pump. Thanks in advance.
Hello, Sounds like a bad generator. It needs to be taken apart and cleaned. There is a screen inside the generator. It gets clogged up fast when dirty fuel or leaded gas. Jeff
there are many reccomended ways to clean the generator screen. my favourite one and also (in my view) the most safe method is to remove the screen, unroll it and wash with a good waterless hand cleaner and an old toothbursh. it must then be rinsed in clear water and dried on a paper towel then air dried overnight to ensure comeplete removel of any water. (not a requirement but a good idea) Reroll around the spindle and install back in the tube. Then reassemble the stove and have a good boilup. OKAY THAT IS THE EASY FIX. NOW FOR THE TOUGH PART It may be that the fuel pick-up tube in the fount (fuel tank) is clogged at the bottom or that the inside of the fount is filled with crud. In that case you need to completely remove the valve assembly and clean everything from the bottom of the pick-up tube to the lower valve assembly. It all unscrews but please be very carefull when doing so as the materials are quite soft and easily bent, broken or otherwise damaged beyound repair. obviously if the fount is filled with crud you will need to clean it out. i reccomened you use some kind of carbarator cleaner and flush with white gas or Coleman fuel. lance
Hi: If you do clean the generator, before you replace it pump up tank open valve and see if gas shoots out freely. If so replace cleaned gen. and your done. If not pull everything and clean. When finished use Coleman fuel (or across the pond panel wipe) and you will "never" have to do this again. If you enjoyed cleaning it use other fuel. Mike...
is it better to clean the generator or just buy a new one? Does it use the standard coleman generator available at sporting goods stores?
Lefty: Yes clean it yourself. They are not readily available except through collector suppliers like "Old Town Coleman Parts". You should be able to clean it like new in a few minutes. It is a rolled wire screen, remove it, unroll and soak. I like lacquer thinner. Blow dry, look through to see that it is indeed clean then re roll as you found it. There are many posts here on how to do this, everyone has there own method. Handel carefully as mesh is thin and fragile. After this procedure the generator will last your lifetime if you use Coleman fuel only. The only reason yours did not fire up when you received it, is that some dunderhead used the wrong or contaminated fuel. This is true of "all" Coleman products, If you use Coleman fuel or an equivalent for our friends abroad such as panel wipe; fettling your Coleman will be a thing of the past. When operated correctly with the correct fuel Coleman's are lifetime products that do not need service. Of course if you purchased an older Coleman it may need fettling due to misuse or wrong fuel.( Kerosene Colemans I can not speak for.) Mike...
Yes - with Coleman stuff, I've always found that the valve and fount are always tightly screwed together. The best way I've found to separate them is to nip the valve assembly in a soft-jawed vice and unscrew the fount from it. The fount is easier to get a grip of by hand and the extra diameter gives more turning force. When you've cleaned up the fuel and air tube, screw the valve and fount back together as far as they were previously - you should be able to see the mark on the screw thread. That's how I do it anyway...
Hi lefty, if you have to remove the valve assembly I take Davids approach with lanterns as well and I count the turns as it is removed so I insure that the valve is in its proper place after tightening. If you dont have a soft jawed vice. I will put a soft cloth between the jaws of the vice to keep from marring up the valve assembly.
lefty there are no "new" generators made for this product. if you futz up the screen go to your local Michaels, or Hobby Lobby, and buy some brass screen. It comes in a sheet folded over to look like an 8 by 11 package. Costs about $3.00 USD and will last you and your great great grand-kids a couple of life times unless you make a living at replacing these screens. lance
IT"S WORKING!!! Sort of... got it fired up after cleaning the generator but was having a few problems, they may or may not be normal, please advise... 1) the rate of fuel jets at 1/4 turn (per directions on knob) was not enough to sustain fire. I cranked it to 1 3/4 turns until the yellow flame calmed down, and then was able to back down to 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 turns for normal use. 2) the sucker got HOT, I mean like hard to turn the knob, worried about the fuel in the tank hot. I was using the diffuser plate which may have deflected some of the heat downward, but the stove actually ran itself out of pressure because there was no way I could hold onto the pump to give it more pressure. 3) I could start the stove on 25-30 pumps but it would go out rather quickly. I'm guessing even with soaking in oil (I used olive this time) that the leather isn't in that great of shape. I could get new leather from a supplier in the links page...but can I use the rubber replacements sold at sporting goods stores? Thanks for all the info, I figure a stove that lights is better than no stove at all. -cale
not sure how to edit posts...as an addendum to the last post- when I had the generator off I opened the valve and released a nice shot of whitegas from the area where the eccentric block is located. Pretty sure the pickup in the tank is OK so I didn't remove the valve from the tank. -cale
Lefty: Read post "Good oil for pump leather" in this forum. Olive oil over time will gum up the works and you will get to un-stick the check ball again. Also olive oil and uncoated brass (as in pump tube) don't like each other. Mike... P.S. 530's get hot!!! Don't use tip cleaner lever without gloves when operating, hot tank is normal. Mike...
Hello, Ya this stove gets hot and a plate would help with that. Are you cleaning the tip from time to time?. A clogged jet is what most likely kill you priming flame. Once the stove gets going after a minute or so the valve should be opened all the way. How long did it take for it to run out of pressure? You can order pump leathers for this stove from Coleman parts. They are 2.50 each there. Part number 216-5091 you will have to do a search under 530 or that part number. I don't know anything about the rubber one sorry. Cheers, Jeff
Many thanks to all who contributed. I fired it up again last night and was more confident with what I was doing having done it twice instead of just once. Tank and valve didn't seem as hot, and now I know that hotness is normal. It seems that three in one oil is very popular so I will have to switch to that instead of the olive oil. I think my stove is pretty much up and running. I used my MSR pocket rocket last night to make some tea while using the 530 to boil out the original pots...it's quieter, easier to control and smaller, but darn if it is expensive (canisters are up to about $7 in my area) and totally lacks personality. Thanks again to everyone who helped me get my stove running!!! -cale
Lefty: Great to hear it is running!! Now we need pictures of it running in the reference gallery 530 section. Mike...
Hey, Guys, For what it's worth, I've been using olive oil on my pump leathers for many, many years, with nary a problem, at all. Don't know why other might have experienced gumming up, or problems with the OO and brass, but it's been work for me, so I'm sticking with it. Keeps the leathers very nice for a very long time. For what it worth..... Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Great news Cale!!! The pocket rocket is a great little stove. I use mine for day hikes with the dog. The 530 has personality and will work in the cold cold winter, unlike the pocket rocket. I use 3 in 1 oil but also use olive oil... I can't tell the difference and no problems with olive oil. Cheers, Jeff
