I hope this stove isn't too new or too modern to be on this site. I used my stove on a moose hunting trip last September and it worked fine. i got it out yesterday to take along on an ice fishing trip, filled it, and started it. It immediately caught on fire. I got the fire out and noticed it was leaking fuel. I disassembled it to locate where it was leaking and determined the shut off valve was seeping fuel. I tightened the nut on the valve but the valve still seeps some fuel. I can't get the valve to stop leaking. Either the valve is bad or it got some dirt in it so it can't be closed tight enough to stop the fuel from leaking. I loosened the nut completely and tried to remove the valve, but apparently it doesn't come out or I wasn't doing it correctly. My questions: 1. Is there a way to take the shut off valve apart and clean it? 2. Is it worth taking the shutoff valve off and blowing compressed air or fuel back through the valve in case it does have something in the way? 3. I can still tighten it a bit more. I stopped because it didn't appear to be helping. 4. Is the valve shot and I need to find another valve? Any suggestions/recommendations are welcome. I could get a different stove but why? I'm 78 and I'm not ready for the junk pile. My stove is much younger than me.
The fuel-air pickup tube under the brass valve on-off lever fitting possibly has the brass fuel-air pickup tube installed instead of the later plastic one, both designs use a Schrader valve installed in this pickup tube rather than the earlier stove rubber gasket. The pickup tube is inside the tank and screwed into the brass fitting. I had the same stove that had your current problem. For some reason, the brass expanded enough so that the Schrader leaked past the outer o-ring. The valve lever only opens the Schrader to allow fuel to enter the Generator. I replaced the Schrader several times to no satisfaction. I ended up finding a later model plastic fuel-air pickup tube and it is all good now. In 1989 the company went public and was sold to an investment firm. Coleman products and parts availability has gone south ever since, I think the Coleman brand is made somewhere else. You can try replacing the Schrader valve and see if that helps. Replacing the valve requires removing the generator, and the burner box to safely remove the valve assy. This process requires a vise and placing the tank valve into the vise and twisting the tank to loosen it otherwise use of a strap wrench or any other clamp tool will dent your fuel tank.
Thank you. I uploaded a parts diagram. You are referring to the valve assembly, item3 with the red arrow? Do you know where I might look for a replacement valve and plastic fuel-air pickup tube? I was searching last night but didn't find these items. Could the valve be partially clogged by some debris that may have gotten into the tank? This malfunction appears to have occurred since I last used the stove in September. As I recall the stove worked fine when I last used it in September. When I was getting the stove ready for my fishing trip I noticed the fuel tank was empty. The valve issue apparently wicked all of the fuel out of the tank since September.
You might be able to find one on e-bay, they show up sometimes. You can remove the valve assembly and pull the Schrader from the plastic pickup tube #3 in the diagram and try to find a replacement. The Schrader has to have a fuel-resistant gasket. They are the same size as what is in a car tire, bicycle, some a/c systems. If your Stove is the brown color paint it is more possible to have the Brass pickup tube. I do not think wicking the fuel out of the tank can happen. It could be possible the Schrader is stuck open and the fuel evaporated? Disconnect the Generator from the top of the valve, open the valve and inject Carb cleaner into the tank. Let this soak in for a few minutes. Repeat process a few times. Remove the fuel filler cap, add cleaner and shake the stove. Let that soak in for a few minutes also. Carb cleaner will not harm the stove. You could have fuel that dried up and turned in lacquer deposits. Carb cleaner is for this process.
Thanks. My stove is brown. It's the model 400, probably the first model in the 400 series. Wicking probably isn't the appropriate term. I should have said the shutoff valve is not completely shutting off the fuel when closed. I disassembled the stove looking for the problem I had the generator removed from the valve assembly. The tank was pressurized. I noticed a drop of fuel on the open end of the valve assembly. I took a piece of paper towel and soaked it up. It returned immediately. I held the edge of the paper towel against the threads of the valve and it got wet with fuel. It's a slow steady seep of fuel through the closed valve. The flow rate is slow enough I have to watch for a minute or so to see it and the rate is slow enough the fuel evaporates before it falls off the tank. I always leave fuel in my tank and there wasn't any, or very little fuel left in my tank from last fall. I'll have to get some carb cleaner. The only thing I have is some heavy duty cleaner from Yamaha called "Combustion Chamber Cleaner". Somebody gave me an old 5 HP Yamaha outboard motor that he couldn't get started. I couldn't believe how corroded and dirty everything was on that motor. I went to our local Yamaha dealer and talked to the service manager. He looked at the carburetor and said in all the years he worked on boat motors he had never seen one that dirty before. He told me to try the combustion chamber cleaner but to not leave it on the carburetor for more than a few minutes. That cleaner cleaned the carburetor very well but it might be too strong for the stove though. I'll get some carb cleaner and try it.
I opened the shutoff valve and sprayed carb cleaner down through the valve. I opened and closed the valve a few times and then sprayed some more carb cleaner through the valve. Then I rinsed the tank with carb cleaner. I did wash some debris out of the tank. I reassembled the pump, pressurized the tank, and reopened the valve. The fuel started seeping through the closed valve again so it looks like I'll be searching for a valve assembly. You said the pick up tube you found was from a newer model stove. Do you recall the model? Also, when replace the valve assembly, is that just a friction fit or do I use teflon tape or pipe dope of some kind to help seal it?
The pickup tube is screwed into the bottom of the valve assembly, in your brown stove this is made of brass and the Schrader sits inside of this tube. The name changed due to the next generation of this stove and was painted black and is called a feed tube and is made of plastic. Looks like Old Coleman Parts may have a new valve assembly that fits the Peak 1 400 series stoves. Give them a call for the newer Valve assembly with the plastic feed tube. You may want to remove your valve and measure the length of the feed tube to describe what you are looking for. P.M. for a private message
Hi & Thanks for the info @snwcmpr Hi @JP2 I was wondering if @longtimealaskan ever got this resolved? This thread confused me with HercL4D2 earnestly diagnosing and solving the problem before he even conclusively knew exactly which stove the guy had. I absolutely adore the original "400" (aka 400-499), becuase IMHO it is the best of the bunch! I have 12 of them plus 5 or 6 400A's and 4 or 5 400B's! Since I love the 400's in general and the Brown 400-499 the most by far, I find it heresy someone would suggest getting rid of AN ORIGINAL "400" Part! This site is great for its passionate and knowledgeable devotees! And I don't want to cause any grumbling or drama but I have to say this. IMHO, anyone who suggests getting rid of a perfectly good 400-499 Brass F/A tube and go to the 400A or 400B plastic tube should be boiled in oil! I believe I've seen other posts from HercL4D2 where he recommended that same solution. EEEEK!!! Its a solution I vehemently disagree with!! Call me old-fashioned but what's wrong with repairing it??? And putting it back on and keeping that stove original? Anyway, I digress. My goal was to offer longtimealaskan help and/or guidance if he was interested and/or curious about the correct fix. Ron
Plus one with snwcmpr . It is also strange for me because like the 400, as soon I Iearn it was all brass, I went for it. Also that information make me curious about other Coleman products.
@JP2 Yes the 400-499 Peak1 stove [aka the Brown "400"] is all metal and will last seveal lifetimes. The schraeder valve needs replacement after 20 years or more with one rated for fuel. And the generator may ultimately need replacement which which has become nearly impossible. The weak link for these stoves is no replacement generators. Very few of them on EBAY and all are over $100 each. Fortunealtely for me, I have several extras plus I only run Coleman fuel through my stoves keeping the generator cleaner for longer!
