Thought I'd add to the yet-another-425 content here on SB. Stumbled across this stove yesterday. Pics are of the stove as purchased. Note that the stove is actually a darker green than shown here: Opening the stove revealed an apparently rarely used item: I'm not sure about date coding Coleman stoves. The tank tab would indicate an August 1970 manufacturing date? One site with info regarding Coleman date codes is: here Anyhow, the stove fit neatly into the two tab slots: Not having a manual, nor having ever used a 425, I did eventually figure out the side key to control the left burner: I did find lots of info on Coleman lanterns and stoves: here The stove worked great today when I fixed my Easter fried flounder: I did learn a few things about the 425: 1. you have to initially pump a lot 2. startup time is longer due to the big generator 3. the left burner is (obviously) not as hot as the main 4. the stove is spacious and easy to clean 5. the mechanics are mostly bombproof Found interesting observations on rebuilding, starting, and shutting down a 425: http://www.lns.cornell.edu/~seb/philmont-coleman.html]here[/url] Most notably, pumping up the tank off the stove, then squirting a little fuel into the main cup while starting, and removing the tank/generator after turning the valve off (to reduce gas vapor condensation and burner tube accumulation). If I need to hold the tank onto the stove, I can use pins like this: The pins store easily with no rattling by sliding onto the end of the grill: Overall I'm pretty happy with this little $10 flea market find - it looks like it came out of a time capsule! Hard to believe it's nearly 40 years old! Hope this helps other 425 folks here on SB.
Nice score on the Coleman! I just posted a chatter box message at you. Just started using puppy linux as a workaround on this laptop. Very impressed with the small size and big capability. Did you write a system?? Best, Randy
tks... dunno about using the 'Chatter Box,' but have been using Linux for 15 years (wrote two dozen books about Linux from '97 to '05 - now a retired bicyclist/stove aficionado) :-)
Chatter box is on the right side of your screen, it's just a live written community chat. Linux really put the inelegance of windows into perspective. Wow. I have Ubuntu and an old red hat installation, put Suisse on a machine once, but this is the first I will be using it more than to just "play" with it.... (did I just say that?!?!?!) edit... I might even HAVE one of your books in storage! I have a couple that I really didn't crack, bought them for when I got deeper in to it, or for the software that came with the book. Used thrift shop scores on those too!
Umm... The burner stays lit for quite a while after shutting it off. Sooo, when you drag your 'Vapor spewing generator tip' across the open flame, I hope you're not leaning over the stove ! Don't believe everything you read, even here !!!
Congrats on the 425E, I have several dozen of these stoves hanging around (I'm a major Coleman stove and lantern collector), at least a half a dozen new in box, if you would like a original operators manual give me a buzz, I would be more than happy to send you one via snail mail free of charge. Look closely on the bottom of you stove,most 425E's have the date stamped there and on the tank tabs as well, yes your tank is an 8/70 model. Click on these thumbs for a better view
Wow, that's in great shape for a 1970! What a find for ten simoleons! To me, the beauty of the fact that the left burner does not burn as hot, is that you can get a really low flame for simmering. I have never had a stove that would not burn hot enough! But plenty that would not simmer. For the cooking I like to do, that is a crucial feature for me.
For it's condition, $10.00 is an Excellent price!!! Not sure you'll ever need the pins though, I've never had a tank fall of whilst cooking on a campground picnic table
Hello! I know it's been a long time since you posted this, but I just found this forum, and signed on. I live in Southern Florida, and just 'survived' Hurricane Matthew, which, fortunately for us around here, blew by with little or no damage. Our neighbors to the North of us have been hit very hard by this Cat-4 hurricane. Anyhow, in preparation for this storm, I dug out our old reliable Coleman 425E, which has been sitting unused since Hurricane Wilma back in 2004, alongside the 2 1-gallon cans of fuel. I haven't found our Coleman lantern yet, as we just moved (downsized) and are still unpacking garage boxes. So, I poured some fuel through the filtered funnel (bought it years ago for about $2 and was shocked to see its current value!), pumped it up a bit and lit it successfully, first try. *woo-HOO* Then I topped the tank off, capped it, and pumped it up to fire up both burners to make sure all is well. Well, before I even opened the 2nd burner valve, I started getting flames from around where the generator goes into the burner, so I quickly shut it off. It started getting worse, so I grabbed the ALWAYS-handy-in-the-garage fire extinguisher and put it out, let it cool, and closed it up, regretting that I would have to do some rebuilding after the storm passed, but not having the stove to get us through it. So this morning, I started surfing to find some parts, and discovered that there are actually people who collect these things, and know all about them! Again - *woo-HOOO* So our 425E was made in March, 1968 (# '368' on the tank tabs), about 3 months before we were married, and we bought it shortly after our honeymoon from Colman's Sporting Goods (no relation, lol), to go camping in style, and have used it MANY times since, including several blizzards (Massachusetts) and 1 Florida hurricane, so far. I have now learned from my web surfing today, that the fuel should last about 2 or 3 years in the can. Our 2 cans are at least 15 years old (been in FL for almost 14 years), but it did work okay. Yes, I will get rid of it and get some new fuel. I also need a new tank cap gasket, and will probably get a new regulator, too. I will also inspect the burners and replace any parts necessary to give new life to our old and faithful companion. But first, I will dig out our lantern and check it over and replace any parts needed, as well. We bought them both around the same time, and used them equally throughout the years. Oh, I have been using a couple of 2½" cotter pins, bent to a usable shape, to hold the tank in place since we got this stove, and just saw the pix of the nice chrome clips. *cool*
Hey, Bobd441, Welcome to CCS, and glad you made it relatively unscathed! We've been praying for all those who have been effected by Hurricane Matthew. As to your stove, what you describe sounds like you have some spider web inside your fuel line tubes. If I were you, and before spending any coin on parts you may not need, I'd dismantle the entire thing, and check to make sure that a mud dauber wasp, or spider family, has not moved in to your stove and setup house! Look in the Fettling section of CCS to find info on how to go about this task. It's easy, and works well. And, as to the flame coming out of the place where your generator inserts into the burners, that "could" mean that brass keeper on the end of your generator is simply a little loose. Or, you may well have gotten the stove a bit flooded when firing it up. Dismantle, inspect, and clean, before anything else. And, if you have stored your Coleman Fuel in a cool, dark place, it will remain good indefinitely. I have Coleman Fuel, and also kerosene that's well over 20 years old, and have never had it go bad. But, it's lived in a heat-protected area that never gets hot, and is dark, most of the time. If you fuel still have that Coleman "sweet" smell, it's fine. So, don't worry about using it. IF the color, or fragrance of your fuel has changed, then, yes, get rid of it. Probably have to go to a Hazardous Waste Dump to do this, legally. Again, I'm glad you made it through the storm without problems. Good luck on getting your stove up and running again. And, not to worry, it WILL work like a champ, once a tiny bit of maintenance is done on it, and proper lighting procedures are followed. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
I will add to Doc's fine post. You did not mention turning the lever up. That should add air to the fuel and make lighting easier. Turn it down after it is primed. There probably are webs or such in the vaporizer and the tip may be loose. I don't open the second burner until the 1st burner is hot. You might try spraying fuel with the tank outside. With the lever up, you should have a misty spray. If not, the fuel air tube is blocked. With the lever down a straight stream. Ken in NC
Hi Doc and Ken! Thanks so much for the speedy replies! It's kinda nice to know there are 'others' out there who keep their old equipment up and running and don't rush to buy replacements! I was a mechanic for many years (auto, truck, motorcycle [Harley]) and take great pride in 'rescuing' almost anything from being sent to the trashman, even though I really did work on the back of a trash truck for a summer when I was 18, and eventually worked as a mechanic for a small rural trash collection company as an adult. lol Ohhh, the 'good stuff' I've resurrected from a dump or the end of someone's driveway! I learned to do this from my Dad, who brought home all my bikes, house fans, vacuum cleaners, etc., etc. He was a great tinkerer, and loved the fact that I eventually surpassed him along those lines. Oh, and yes, I'm old (72) and get pretty long-winded, especially this early in the morning (5:30 am). LOL I will most-certainly 'go through' the 425E, and clean, adjust and closely inspect the parts before reassembly, as you both suggest. I know I need a gasket for the tank cap. I put in a temporary replacement, but I know it's not quite the right size and probably not the correct material, so I was going to do that anyway. I have not yet located my lantern, so I won't order any parts until I see what that will need. I did come across the couple of very old oil lanterns that my Dad found somewhere, and I did clean them up years ago, and they work beautifully. I seem to remember finding a railroad lantern forum years ago, and I'm sure they are not part of this forum's specific interest. I also have a very old brass blow torch, too! I'll stop now! LOL Thank you both again for your interest and great advice! I'll let you know how the maintenance service comes out. Be well.
Good morning 'snwcmpr', I have bookmarked the Old Coleman Parts webpage (thank you!), and will shop there when I get a parts list compiled. As to my 'verbosity' {the quality of using more words than needed: long-windedness, rambling, verbiage, wordiness, prolixity, garrulity, logorrhoea, loquaciousness, windiness, verboseness}, I could obviously go on for a long time, but will save you from that (for now). LOL If there really is a posting-length contest, I will most-certainly sign up for it! *ha-ha* Thank you again, and have a GREAT Sunday!
Having watched Hurricane Dorian bearing down my way earlier this week, I started my hurricane preparations. My Coleman 425e was purchased while in college. It had been used a lot, but not since 1985. Bought some new fuel and it fired up but not useable. Took the valve and generator apart, and oiled the pump. Hardly worked at all after that. Bought a new generator and pump. Installed the new generator and the stove worked like new. Unfortunately the stove showed a fair amount of rust. Cleaned most of the rust with EvapoRust. Any suggestions on the paint for the stove and silver delivery to the burners. Thanks
