I know this has been on the radar screen before but I am just now getting back on the forum. I picked up a real nice Coleman 502 last night at a sale, the check valve is fubarred. Help me please. I have another 502 just about 30 years old and no problems with it but this new 502 is not cooperating. I know there is a check valve removal tool available but I only have these two stoves and don't want to go into the repair business. Thanks for your reply. buzz
Loosen the gummed up check valve ball by spraying carburetor cleaner down the pump tube. This has been discussed oodles and bunches of times here at CCS and the pertinent threads can easily be found through a simple search of the site. Let it soak overnight or two or three days. Whatever rings your bell. The carb cleaner should dissolve the shellac from the gas that some moron burned in the stove instead of Coleman fuel. Don't be a moron. Only use Coleman fuel (naphtha) in your 502. If this doesn't work, do it three or four more cycles. If it still doesn't work, you need a check valve tool. Buy it on eBay. If your stove hobby is not worth it to you to buy the tool you need to service the antique stove you just bought, then sell the stove or give it away. Alternatively, if you happen to have any skill with tools at all (and most here don't) you could make your own check valve tool out of a couple of bolts. You need: A Hacksaw A File A Hand Drill Don't know what those are? Google 'em or just give up right now and sell/give away your stove before you screw it up trying to fix it. Tools: I made all these tools in the pictures with a hacksaw and a file (and a hand drill). The one you want is the second from the right in the first picture, in the middle in the second picture. I seem to recall that the thickness of the tang (the part that engages the check valve slot) is 3mm (1/8"). If this sounds like it's beyond you or is too much work, then sell the stove or give it away to someone who would like to collect it and is willing to step up to do/learn the maintenance required to service old stoves. Now... if all that doesn't work for you... too much work... lack the skills... lack the interest... lack the motivation... just want to look cool to your buds with your old vintage stove, etc... stick the silly thing in a box and mail it to me and I'll fix the darn thing for you for free plus the return postage. Alternatively... there are lots of simple propane fired stoves out there you could buy so you don't have to learn any skills or buy any tools. It's what most "normal" people do. Good luck.
Acquisition of used, old and even new stoves for that matter, will always require some tools which as BernieDawg says you can make, buy, or have someone fix for you. I collect stoves....not as much as others but I have invested a lot on tools which I used on my stoves and that of friends. Did I mention NEW? Yes, a number of members have in the past encountered problems even with new stoves due to manufacturing glitches and as such had to buy the tool (sometimes that does not come with the new stove), or use what they have. In my case, I use what I have but if it does not work, I do have to buy and worse scenario.......send to BernieDawg.....but has not come to that yet. Yes, I have buggered up one or two stoves but makes me more knowledgeable on stoves plus acquire new skills in the process. Want to use something stronger on your check valve? Try brake cleaner. Just make sure any rubber/leather parts such as the pump cup/oring does not come into contact with the brake cleaner. It may just do the trick since as BernieDawg said....the shellac in the fuel has gummed up the ball. That my friend is the first option I would go for. Hope it helps. Ron
There is a way of unscrewing a Coleman check valve using a broken screw extractor. It wrecks the valve but new ones aren't expensive. Try solvents but sometimes replacing it is the only answer. I love my 502, I need to make a case to take it travelling in.
Berniedawg, you have inspired me to try and make the check valve extractor tool. I was pretty sure you guys would have the info I needed to try doing the repair myself, if I can't seem to fashion the tool or I can't seem to get the valve out I'll box this old girl up and send it to you for your expert attention. My other 502 has been humping along for 30 years without fail, so I hope to get good use out of this new old 502 also. Thanks to all who replied. I really appreciate the help. buzz
Hi all: Have mentioned this countless times here in the past, but here goes again. All of the above methods may work fine. My favorite for almost 50 yrs. now is soaking with "lacquer" thinner. I absolutely guarantee the results, unless some knothead has buggered up the check valve too badly by trying to remove it. In well over 100 successful freeing of the Coleman check valve this method has never failed me unless previously damaged by a knothead. (Do not) use "lacquer" thinner on a non Coleman NRV or a late Coleman that uses rubber "O" ring or other gasket material in the valve as the "lacquer" thinner will happily eat it. Refill as stated in above post with Coleman fuel or equivalent unless this is something you enjoy doing on a regular basis. (What sticks the valve ball is the dried residue from inappropriate fuel, as Gary so eloquently put it in his above post. "Don't be a Moron") Mike...
It's a rare occasion that the CV actually needs to be removed. Most folk mistakenly remove them because the check ball seeps air. The check ball isn't, and was never designed to be, a positive stop. The air stem is the positive stop. The check ball's only purpose is to prevent significant backflow during pumping. That said, since I shelled out the money for a proper removal tool, I pull them regardless without worrying about damaging anything. Soaking it in laquer thinner alone will almost always free a stuck check ball. The old fuels and pump oils will eventually turn to varnish and they can stick. The thinner eats it up and frees them. Mike
yahooooo Did the carb cleaner soak over night. One push on the pump and she opened right up. You guys are the best. If a noob like me just pays attention to what you guys post all is well. Thanks a bunch Thanks to all I do like these old Coleman 502's. I picked up a couple MSR's last year and really enjoy cooking on them but the first 502 I bought 30 years ago is still an all time great working stove. There is an original price sticker on the tank, says $10.95, got 'er at auction for $5.00 sort of reverse appreciation economically speaking. I am so happy buzz
If someone would send me an email I could send images of the stoves to them and they could downsize the images and add them to this post. I can't figure out how to shrink the photos buzz
Buzz, go to the Stove Reference section. At the top is the image optimizer, read the instructions there. I'm pretty poor with these new fangled computers and such, I figured it out. Take your time. Duane
Got a nice one mantle Red Coleman lantern today from an old pal. He salvaged it from a derelict house. The realtor had him clean out the place so he got the contents to boot. I got the lantern. Needs a globe. Anyone have a suggestion where to find a globe?? Looks like a 200B. Thanks for your reply. buzz
Well I think I finally did it. buzz o.k. it worked, the downsized imager. Now I'll try to get some glamour shots. Maybe Sunday when I get back from camping.
Congrats on finding the stove and getting it fixed - this is a great forum for instruction. I have one with the same issue that I need to fix once I find my can of thinner. I also picked up one of those old red Coleman single-mantle lanterns recently - been sitting for years but worked like a charm. I like them better than the two-mantle lanterns, less fuel consumption and plenty of light.
