I have a Dragonfly, an early model I purchased in 1998 or 99 after doing a Grand Canyon backpack trip in January of whichever year with the person who wrote a review of the then new model for Backpacker magazine. The pump has the brass valve to open the fuel line and there is a small crack in the plastic around the valve. To be safe, I ordered a new pump and took it on a canoe trip last week. 2 days in, the new pump froze up. I pulled the washer off the end of the end of the plunger when I tried to pump the stove. Had to fish the "leather" out of the bottom of the pump cylinder and push it back on the plunger. Tried some pump oil but it still refused to move once reinserted. I returned the new pump to my REI store but they didn't have a replacement in stock. Is this a common problem? If I order a new pump, am I likely to have the same problem? Should I just keep using the old pump since it still works and the leather pump leather won't ever bind up like what looks to be plastic in the new pump has done? We had a backup stove, an MSR Simmerlight, but that one just doesn't bake apple pie or cornbread like the Dragonfly. Thanks for the advice.
Howdy, @lne, I have quite a few MSR Dragonfly pumps, which I bought over a variety of years, just because the prices were right. I've not experienced what you describe, and in fact, the opposite has been the rule. Strong, well designed, and work like a champ, every one of them. Doc
Thanks for the replies, that's reassuring. Mine might have had some manufacturing defect but it seems weird since it worked like a champ for 3 days and then the plunger totally froze. Like the rubber plunger end had swollen and no longer moved inside the cylinder. I'll order another new pump and hope for a better outcome. I don't trust the old pump, especially after finding some threads on older Dragonfly pump failures here after I made this post...
Never had an issue with the Dragonfly pump-the red and blue yes but never the Dragonfly pump. Some pump cups you could put some Neatsfoot oil on the cup and work it in with your hands. Every pump I seen comes brand new comes with the small white tube of oil. I have maybe 30 pumps from MSR.
The most reassuring solution would be to adopt a conversion from MSR Dragonfly brass tube to Lindal adapter. That way, you have a universal option to pick a fuel pump, which can be from BRS or Bulin or Primus, or Optimus Polaris. I did this, although not as convenient as @teckguy_58 did with his MSR Dragonfly, but it is enough. Mine can also use a gas canister butane-propane (LPG).
I forgot to add, that, with the Lindal adapter, we can pick a metal fuel pump, which is more durable than plastic, easy to maintain, has fewer moving parts, more tolerable to weather changes. As far as I know, the fuel pump from Optimus Optifuel Polaris is the best I know, because it has a valve on the pump.
Few POC I know that implement Lindal adapter conversion on MSR Dragonfly: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/msr-dragonfly-stove.31860/#post-323593, @teckguy_58 makes a clamp on the hose. , he makes a detachable adapter, which I prefer. MSR Dragonfly, dated October 1998, by @presscall, this is by far I liked the most because it has the shortest metal adapter mode, which is valuable when controlling fuel supply from the pump valve, and also no additional hose involved. , it's mine/ Pardon me for the inconvenient video angle and take. Mine is still messy. I use a water bladder hose connecting both ends, tie it with cable ties. Because I have experienced when the hose fell off by itself caused by the pressure from gas canister butane. Surely would be more challenging when the gas canister is filled with propane. And then, I encapsulate the water bladder hose with an LPG hose, clamp both ends. But the fuel was still leaking from the metal connection on the Lindal adapter. I had to seal the leaking area with resin-epoxy glue. It's not the best glue, but it is still working, no leaking after every day uses since 2 weeks ago. Currently good. I use my mod to burn white gas, white gas+PGA, kerosene, kerosene+white gas, kerosene+PGA, diesel. I noticed I have to replace the rubber seal on the Lindal adapter after a month of usage with white gas 90% + alcohol 10%. I guess the alcohol has eaten up the rubber.
If may add a comment not directly related to the question. Any equipment brought on an adventure should be thoroughly tested before trusting in the backcountry. Any piece of equipment might be outside circle of quality control. This is a good example of that.
Can't be more agreeable. Yes, that's my concern. I had to make sure of the quality and functionality of my gears before going outdoors, including those small parts. I think safety in the backcountry is the highest priority. I've had some experience in the backcountry when gas and alcohol stoves don't work properly, gas cartridge leaking in the bus, backpack wet because the alcohol bottle was leaking, 3 identical Chinese gas stoves was leaking out gas while burning, tent frame destroyed by the storm, shoes were stolen, trekking pole missing, the 850FP 800FW goose down sleeping bag was weirdly cold especially the liner, I almost got hypothermia because the sleeping pad R-value was too low, white gas leaking on the burning MSR Dragonfly fuel bottle because I didn't screw it properly, glad it didn't blow out.
