Fired up my earliest 96 and it started leaking under the burner, had no leak back in February when I first fired it up. Extracted the lead washer and see the "seat" seems to be a little rough, not making a smooth surface for the lead washer to conform to without using really high torque. Any ideas to sand it down or other material? Guess a previous owner or two or three tried something that made circular rings in the metal. Duane
@hikerduane How about a thin skim of a thread sealant for the lead washer to bed down on Duane? Sure, the lead washer will be ‘glued’ to it but it won’t impact on the integrity of your classic. John
I would not remove any metal unless I had to. You cannot put it back on later. I suspect the lead is not conforming as it should.
Thank you. Was thinking too of a sealant or thin silicone washer. Lead washer was a new one I added last winter when I got this. I have tightened the burner as much as I can, makes it very difficult to unscrew, afraid if I use a vise and tighten more with my hands will spin the fitting.. May have to leave assembled if I use something extra to make a seal. Duane
Thanks for another good topic Duane, More torque should not be needed (normally), we all know that has potential to end badly. Prev. owner made "rings in the metal" if the rings have high spots, although I too would avoid removing material, maybe any obvious high spots could be smoothed down? My initial thoughts were with you regarding smoothing that surface (IF you're sure that is source of leak). There may yet be an off the shelf fix with Dremel bits? I have those 2 bits harder suggested. Rounded bottom bits ... smoothing flat surface? I don't think I would use those two. Maybe: A wood dowel diameter to fill the hole. Drill out the bottom to accept center portion of 96. Finest grit sand paper cut to fit, glue sand paper ring to the bottom of custom wood dowel. A lot of work/prep BUT you happen to have a lot of 96s. Repairable plumbing water valves get the mating surface of the valve smoothed just as you have suggested. So, there is precedent for the practice with brass sealing surfaces. But, moving on? ---------------------- It should seal with the lead washer but if simple quick fix is to... Improve seal: if it hadn't occurred to you yellow teflon tape maybe? with it's stretchability. The coin is a US quarter btw. 2 layers cut to fit. Maybe, bottom stretch E-W, add top layer stretched N-S, snug it up and see where you're at.
No leaks now. What I did: Don't know if it helped, twisted some brass wool round and round to see if it could knock down high spots in the seat. Used some copper thread anti-seize in seat, smeared up into threads to reduce friction. Sanded very lightly mating surface of burner, some very faint marks on it? Set new lead washer in, checked to see if any irregularities, smoothest side down. Tightened burner good. Fired up, no leaks. I have some other thread sealants, thought the anti-seize would present least problems. Thank you all for suggestions. Duane
Thank you, runs like new for being 110 at least. Refired. Will fire up more the next few days to reaffirm. Duane
