I just got a nice Coleman 414 dual burner camping stove from the thrift shop around the corner for a measly €10. After replacing the worn pump rubber with a nice new leather cup, it fired up quite nicely. Didn't expect that for the first run! However, sometimes I can't get a clean blue flame, the flame stays yellow as if the fuel doesn't get preheated enough. I tried to turn the burner low with the lighting lever up, but couldn't achieve a blue flame until I let the whole stove cool down and tried everything again. Does anyone know how this could be avoided? And are there other things I should check for proper functioning? I'm curious to try this thing in the field, as it is my first Coleman stove (me being more of the Swedish side, and more kero than gasoline oriented). Cheers, Rens
Hi, Rens, Congrats on your Coleman 414! Nice stove, and well worth having and using. What fuel are you burning in it? When Coleman says "Dual Fuel", I think they are being a tad over-optimistic. Yes, some of those stoves "will" burn unleaded gasoline, but not very cleanly, in my experience. Some of our Brit Brothers are burning something called "panel wipe", which they get from car painting shops (I think), and it supposedly burns cleanly, just like Coleman Fuel. They also use a fuel called "Aspen"-something or other, that supposedly also works. One of them should be along soon, to fill you in on the details, but your problem may very well be in the fuel you're using. One other thing to try is to clean out the vaporizing chamber with pipe cleaners, or something like that. Many times, spiders, and other insects like to make webs inside that area, and you cannot blow them out with compressed air, not matter the PSI you use!! Last, if the generator has gunk built up inside it, from a previous owners use of poor fuels, that would make your Coleman burn poorly, too. Give those things a check, and see if one of them works for you. Again, nice find on that 414, and have fun with it. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Now I used unleaded gasoline, which indeed could account for the 'dirty' flame. I'll definitely try Coleman fuel, still have some lying around for my Optimus 8R. I've never heard of "panel wipe", but the Aspen stuff I only recognise from being chainsaw fuel (i.e. premixed gasoline-motor oil, similar to Stihl Motomix). After checking the Aspen site, it seems this is actually a nice alternative for Coleman Fuel (which can cost more than €5,- per liter here in the Netherlands!). The site even features a page about using Aspen in stoves!
Hi Rens, I've used the Aspen4 with very good results (the "4" stands for four stroke, they also have Aspen2 , I use this in my chain saws ). A far cheaper option is what the Brits call panel wipe, we know this as wasbenzine! Seems to be even cheaper in Holland than in Belgium... Make sure you get the "good" stuff, it seems there is a water based variety around too. So far, I've not yet seen the watery stuff for sale. Using any type of car fuel in stoves is not a good idea, as the additives will mess things up (and they stink!). All may not be lost yet, just rinse out the fuel tank, fill her up with clean fuel and let her burn. With a little luck all will be well after a while. Groetjes, Wim
Rens, I'll add my 2 cents. It is relatively easy to flood the stove on start-up and shut down. A little extra fuel of any type in the manifold will result in a yellow flame for many minutes as the stove warms up. I mostly see this when restarting a stove that has just recently be turned off (see trick below). Make sure the lever is up for a good minute or two when starting. While not in the official directions, it also helps to turn the lever up for a few minutes before you turn the stove off. This will purge some of the fuel from the generator and makes for a cleaner start next time.
I have this exact stove-from 1993 as well asseveral other Coleman stoves. The 414 is never quite as clean burning as the 413 which is white gas only. Even optimally cleaned out, there are still little flickers of yellow in the main burner. I have also found it runs a bit better when both burners are in use. It is good advice to make sure there are no spider webs in the manifold. That causes an inadequate amount of air to mix with the fuel, and that also leads to a yellow flame and soot on your pans. I have camped with mine for 20 years and eaten hundreds of meals cooked on it. I've only changed the generator once, so I don't think that is likely to be your problem. Good luck, it's a great stove. The leather pump cup is a nice upgrade.
Hi Rens, 1 Liter of "Wasbenzine" costs 1,30 Euro at the Jumbo Supertmarket and 1,35 at AH, if I remember correctly. Gamma, Praxis etc also sell it but for (too) much more. In my experience Coleman Fuel (or Primus fuel ) works best, because of the stove specific additives. I've mixed 50/50 Wasbenzine with Coleman Fuel and it still works well. 100% Wasbenzine will give more yellow flames (it lacks the stove specific additives) but works OK in a Coleman stove if you got the hang of it. I find wasbenzine much better working in Optimus stoves. Furthermore wasbenzine or Coleman Fuel is a cleaning agent as well; it will clean your generator when in use. I'd like to emphasis what Doc says: Car fuel will clog up your generator and may very well be the cause of your yellow flames. Especially old car fuel is not good for generators. Cheers, Peter
I am using unleaded gas in my 2 burner Coleman and it burns as good as the Coleman fuel, will see how many tanks will run until the gen clogs up. Sounds like a gen cleaning and clean the manifold tubes and you should have it back like new, dave By the way I use the stove every day
Hey, Dave, It's not a matter of "IF", it's a matter of "WHEN". US unleaded gas is totally filled with additives that are not only poisonous, offering lots of poisonous fumes to mess up your head, but they also WILL clog your generator. I, and many others here at CCS, have been into stoves and fuels for many, many years, and in my case, that's 40 years. Yep, that's a few years of stove fun!! We all learned, a long time ago, that US gasoline has NO place in your stove, unless it's a survival situation, and you have no other option. But, hey, history continues to repeat itself, over, and over, and over again. So, if you like using unleaded, do what you feel is best. I already know the eventual outcome.....! For what it's worth, the total experience at this forum has long ago proved that the clogging is going to happen when using unleaded fuel. So, when it eventually does, don't be upset with your Coleman. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
well i no green horn on cf , i have been using since the 60s and using with ventilation and with all the cars running by us everyday we would be dead if it were that bad short term, i prefer to use coleman but disability and the wife was out of work so the test was on, i am going to build a still to clean up the fuel of additives so i am looking forward to that. thanks for the warning , much appriciated
by the way, all the carb cleaner and cleaning additives are going to give the same unleaded results as far as unhealthy
Hey, Dave W, No worries, Sir. We're "just talkin" here, and that's what makes CCS a great place to learn! You should consider joining us at the next CASG, #8, which is being held at Joshua Tree National Park in May. Flivver, who also lives in AZ, will be there, and our stove event is open to any folks interested in stoves and such. Check the Events section for more info. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
