Convention being to retain original features on a collector’s item (stove in this case). Subject THIS Vesta 540 gasoline stove. The change centred on the cap and fuel tank filler orifice on the left. I replaced it with a short-stroke pump and non-return valve. Source of the pump was a Selus gasoline stove already cannibalized for spares, tank full of stress cracks. Initially I thought I might retain a ‘fringe’ of the Selus tank around the pump tube to solder to the Vesta tank so cut the pump out rather than de-soldering it, but decided against doing that in the end. My reason for installing a pump in the Vesta was the poor self-pressurisation the stove generated. Not surprising given the much greater size and mass of metal of the fuel tank compared to other self-pressurising stoves, not least the smaller Vesta. Consequently, it never put out much heat and could on occasion fail to self-pressurise enough to maintain combustion. I sliced off the protruding filler riser and drilled a series of holes around the stub to remove the component. The fuel tank can be filled perfectly well by removing the other cap incorporating the safety release valve, so this one was superfluous really. Cap stamped ‘Indicateur’ I think it’s sole purpose was to view fuel level as the tank was filled at the other riser. Plenty of clearance for the pump ... ... with the heat shield in place. Fuelled up, priming. Lively now and with a controllable range, as I wanted. John
I suppose a purist might wince, but I like to use stoves I’ve collected and the Vesta was pretty much unusable as it was. I see my performance tweak as comparable to that of a keen owner/tuner of a 1930’s Austin Seven rebuilt as a ‘special’. Priming Full throttle
@Ed Winskill ... as in of the Frankish Empire. True. Appropriate the pump was of French manufacture too I suppose.
