Hi all, great forum and glad to sign up. My apologies if this question already covered but couldn't find anything specific so here goes. I have a Coleman Peak1 model 400A701 that was used a dozen times before being put on a shelf in the basement(20 yrs ago?) I hauled it out last night put some fresh fuel in it and fired it up. The burner lit no problem but so did the gas bubbling out of the flare nut where the generator tube leaves the on/off valve body. (I'm pointing at the leak in photo). I tightened the flare nut a bit even though it seemed snug already. Tried again...still leaked. Tighten a bit more...same leak. The flared surface on the tubing looks ok as does the mating surface on the valve side. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Back the nut completely off and dry fit the flare connection to see that it's aligning properly. Check that the flare isn't cracked. They can look ok but a hairline crack can open when the nut is tightened. Make sure the eccentric block is down inside the valve when you tighten it. Hold the flare together and maintain contact while you tighten the nut. If it's still leaking, pull the generator and polish the mating surfaces and reassemble. Look for little nicks in the surfaces. Fine steel wool works well for this, but be careful not to get any of it in the generator and valve. Mike
Thanks Mike, you hit it bang on........there was a very fine crack were the flare begins. Question: can I cut the flare off and redo it with a swagging tool or do I need to replace the whole generator assembly? My 700A manual lists the generator and regulator as a single part # 400-5891. Can you suggest a few suppliers? Thanks a million.
Depends on how far the crack goes. If you have a tube bender spring to keep it from kinking, you may be able to get it. Theres a little slack there, but not much. Heat the area your gonna bend until red hot and let it cool to soften the bend area first. I think you can get these for about 14 bucks, so if you screw it up, it's not a total loss. Just remember, that you'll have to pull the cleaning wire and cut the EXACT same length off of it as well. Sand the end of it to remove any burrs that might catch in the tube and/or ruin the orifice. Mike
Mike, thanks for the links to parts. I'll give the repair a try first. I think I can see the end of the spring you're talking about when I look in the end of the tube past the flare. It looks like it might be recessed far enough for me to shorten the tube a bit without hitting it. I have to admit I don't know what the spring is for, does it need some clearance or?
I wasn't thinking when I posted earlier. There is no cleaning wire running through this one. Those are only on the single lever models. The one you have is much better in my opinion as I'm not a fan of the cleaning wire running the entire length of the generator. I have a few of both types. The spring is just there to take up volume and add surface area while slowing the liquid fuel down and creating turbulence for for better vaporization and lighting. So, its not critical to cut any specific length. Just enough to clear the flare. Mike
Mike, I ended up ordering a new generator after realizing I'll have to straighten the 90 deg bend in the generator before the swaging tool will fit on it. I might give it a try anyway and keep it as a spare if it survives the abuse. Thanks again for helping out the newbie. My next project is to find a Peak cookset/case to fit the 400A. Cheers
That is an issue depending on what flaring tool you have. It'll probably straighten ok but you'll probably lose it on the return trip. You can try grinding an old drill bit down to 45 degrees (chuck it in a drill and run it in reverse on a running wheel), dull the sharp edges, put your generator in a vise(gentle now) and "massage" the flare back with the reverse running drill bit. It's a pain, but it can be done. Then after you put about 20 or so hours into saving 15 dollars you can feel redeemed!! Ha! It's the thrill of the fettle, I suppose. I hope it was you that won the generator on evilbay. I held off bidding and it went for $6.49. The cases come up fairly often, I got mine from Ron, who found it at a surplus store, I think. Thanks again, Ron. Mike
I paid full retail for it bit the generator arrived today Mike. I installed it and flashed it up. It boiled 2 cups of water in 2min 37sec.What a great stove. I'm going to take it on a hike along the creek this weekend with the family. I also hauled out my old red coleman double lantern which had been sitting just as long (20 yrs). The mantles were a bit tattered and it had old fuel but it was "flame on". These are amazing appliances. I'm looking for a replacement gasket for the fuel cap so I can keep the original red one. any ideas? Thanks for your help.
The real quickie fix for the fuel cap is to use an o ring. If your cap is a two piece you can just chisel out the old one (hard work) or use a propane torch to heat up the inner part of the cap to the point that the old seal is burned and then easily scrape it out. If it is a one piece cap then the burning is not an option. A classier job is a premade seal of Viton or other quality material. Like these https://classiccampstoves.com/threads// They are some seals on Ebay (haven't heard any feedback on these) and maybe from Coleman also. Good luck Bob
