Fettling a very Crusty Optimus 8R, for a friend!

@Longilily ,

DAGNABBIT, you're right!!! It was YOU that made those great tools, which, by the way, are my "go to" for servicing the SRV, and not Stu!! Sorry, my old memory failed me, yet again!!! My humble apologies, Ray, for tripping over my own self, and getting that wrong. Your tools are first rate, and far superior to the SRV tool that I once got from another member, as it was too soft, and twisted out of shape. Yours, have worked a treat, conquering hard jobs, and come back for more!!!

However, I only saw the square drive tool offered in the FettleBox, recently. Are you making more? I hope so, as your work is top drawer, and your tools are a pleasure to own and use!!! Again, sorry for typing so fast that my memory lagged too far behind!! Thanks, again, for your excellent efforts on the parts of all us Stovies!!! Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

Lol

 

That’s ok Doc, I was only teasing
Things been a bit mad for me this last year, lost my father last June and had to sort his Bungalow and it’s contents, 8 months building up to this was daily Radiotherapy sessions for him an hours drive away, hospital stays, ambulance calls , Hospice placement etc. At the same time my relationship came to and end and we needed to sell our house that wasn’t completely finished with our renovations (which I’ve been doing when time has allowed), and at the same time my business took off, it was only meant to be a small part time business but somehow just went wild, (Please don’t get me wrong gents, not bleating here, more explaining). It’s been a tricky time balancing all three so have found little time for CCS CPL. I’ve even put the NRV project that I started some time ago on the back burner because I simply didn’t have the time to finish them. Time really has been an issue for me, I’ll have more time once the house is finished and sold, that’ll be a mill stone removed from my neck !!! Don’t want to waffle on and dilute the OP so ill best finish off , I’m sure you get the idea.


Nice post Doc

Cheers

 

@Longilily , well said. The tenor of your thoughts goes well with @Doc Mark ’s IP for reasons I can’t quite elucidate. Me being half asleep and an insomniac does that.

 

@Longilily , Ray,

My condolences on the passing of your Dad, Mate. Sounds like you have had a rough time of it, and I send my sincere thanks and support to you, for just hanging in there, and doing what needs be done!! Best of luck on your house, and hopefully, when the dust does settle for you a bit, you can rest up and bit, and enjoy life just a tad more!! No worries on the tools, as that sort of thing is not important, when considering all that you've been subjected to facing. I hearken back to John Lennon's lyrics, "Life, is what happens, while you're making other plans", and man is that ever true!!! Best of luck, my friend, in getting on with it, and may God Bless you during this hard and trying time, with peace, health, and happiness, when all is said and done!!! Talk later, I'm sure, and again, God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

Thanks for the sentiment Doc, Very kind of you

 

My view of the pump is mixed. The first thing to understand, the pump was designed as an aid to priming. Not increase tank pressure per se. The Instruction sheet mentioned something very close to this as I recall. Maybe it mumbled something about 1 or 2 additional pumps". Problem is, everybody forgit to read the instructions. They could burn a nice hole in a tent.

As a matter of fact, I have a friend's 8R I've been contemplating fettling and return to him in re-stored condition. He traded it off to me along with some other things years ago, for a set of Advent IIs, a regrettable decision on my part. Anyway, he ran the pump up pretty high and the safety cap let go. I seem to recall it wouldn't reseat after that. Is that about it right, the safety pips are a one time use deal? So now I have this old stove I don't use, at least not without a new cap. I don't have one to replace the pip and gasket even if I wanted.

Is the only place caps are available is in England/UK??? I never contemplated the fuel caps being hard-to-find. Somebody could make a nice side cottage industry making new caps with fresh minty rubber bits and innards.

So I gave the 8R once around and, after 15 minutes of run time using a cannabilized cap and some soothing words and finagling it started running good. It hadn't been run in 20+ years. I had a Svea 123 then about 1983, and he bought an 8R. Later he bought an Optimus 324 Rider (I think) and was not well received. He had trouble with that and it was not a good stove for Optimus.

The priming difficulties in general are over-rated, though the mis-use by novices of the pump on these soured me on them. There is no need for a pump on a self -pressurizing stove. The higher in altitude they work even better, maybe. The tank should be insulated against snow and ice or cold ground. As an aside, the "warming with hands" to get fuel to well into the cup does work pretty good.

The Pump + Teenagers w/fire? Bad Idea!!

 

A piece of Carbon Felt or a glass fiber wick in the preheat cup also helps quite a bit on creating pressure during startup.

 

Welcome to CCS.

The SRV pip is replaceable/repairable.

And, it depends on the teenager. Some are better than some adults.

 

Yes they are repairable but are they considered trash after a safety release? My guess is "Yes", but they are all past their best buy date at this point so it's probably moot anyway. Certainly some teens are better than some adults, but that's not the way to bet!

 

@Fettler

There was a recent discussion about replace or recondition SRVs here:

Svea 123 Optimus 8R and 99 fuel tank cap

Tony

 

Hi @Fettler @Tony Press .
Have a look at this old thread.
In particular the photos and description of operation of the pump valve/SRV by @aktopp

Optimus 199 Help

Best Regards,
Kerophile.

 

Cheers

Tony

 

Yes, repairable after an event.

 

I think it's probably best they be replaced. Any attempt at repair isn't likely to be successful, the rubber is old and dried out at this point.

 

@Fettler

The choice is entirely yours, as pointed out in one of the threads you were referred to.

But it is possible to replace the hardened rubber seals in the SRV filler cap.

Some choose to do this as routine; others do it to keep the filler cap from a certain period with the appropriate stove. With the skills and care required it can be done safely.

On the other hand, replacing the whole filler cap is an option, but you would still need to check the seals are working properly. I’ve had a “new” one that needed its SRV serviced because it leaked under normal operating pressure.

Cheers

Tony

@Fettler