Some people are really unlucky. My military reenactment friend has just bought an unfired and boxed Coleman Army Medical 523 complete with the stainless steel sterilizing boiler with the inner tray but the stove itself is virtually useless even though its unfired. Last stove he brought me to look at was an British army No 2 (original) and that had a broken control needle and I'm still looking for a spare along with the spanners if I can find them. The problem with the Coleman 523 is the fuel filler cap, its locked solid in the tank to the extent that the bushing it screws into turns when you try and take it off. This looks like a preexisting problem and maybe the reason the stove was never fired. The stove came with a spare filler cap which adds to my suspicion. Anyway I'm looking for ways of removing the bushing from the tank and rebrazing it back in position. The problem is I can't get to it because of the fuel filler cap being stuck in it. I soaked the screw threads in penetrating oil for a few days before trying to remove the filler cap but all that has done is make the bushing slip around in the tank even more. I'm wondering if I can make a puller to fit the filler cap so I can pull the filler cap and the bushing out together. Not having looked in the tank I can't say for sure if the bushing is formed around the inside of the tank or not. If it is I'm going to have to drill out the filler cap braze the bushing in place then use the spare cap. Still not as easy as it sounds. Any suggestions welcome.
G,,day , photos please if possible . both the tank and filler , and the new cap . I have not seen the particular model . hence the request . cheers, kerry
I've seen this on the 523 before. I think, unless you are good at metal work, that most people give up on this type of problem. Anything you do to the stove will damage the paint or the metal fuel tank. So, you have two choices, one being, leave it alone and call it a show piece and find another 523 that you can fire up. They are abundant. The other choice would, of course, be to fix it. I seen people use different methods and tools to secure the bung so that the filler cap could be removed. Anything from soldering the bung right onto the tank with the cap on to grabbing needle nose locking pliers and grabbing on to the bung to get the cap off, if you are lucky. The final fix being resoldering/brazing the bung on to the tank. Of course, whatever you do here destroys the original paint and could end up destroying the whole stove, making it even more worthless. If it were me, I would go with the first option. sam
Thanks for the replies, my preferred option is to leave it alone and get another stove. Problem is being located in Ireland they aren't quite so common here as in the US. While unfired the stove is far from perfect with surface rust on some areas of the tank so I don't mind getting stuck in, messing it up and having to repaint it, but its not a job I'm going to rush into.
Unfortunately, the rotating bung problem is not unusual. One of my two 523s had the same problem. You might check with some of the US Coleman parts sellers on e-bay. They may have a salvaged, useable tank that you can buy. Otherwise, the suggested repairs should work for you. Paul
