I picked up this 1946, Primus 523 (I think) at our last Coleman collector campout. This is my first kero stove and a bit different than the naphta/white gas stoves I am used to. i cooked with it for a few days but the right burner is full if carbon and soon stopped working. i got the burner off and apart. I am using a torch and my ultrasonic cleaner to slowly get the carbon loose and the burner clean. I finally have it passing air again! I want to clean it as best I can to get any jet clogging pieces of carbon out. Preparing for reassemble and further fettling. have a few questions and need some parts. I will need a new fiber burner washer but do not see the measurements listed on Fettle Box. The burner washer is 14.5 mm or so inside diameter. What size fiber washer does that correspond with? What size jet and NRV wrench do I need. I used needle nose pliers to take the jet out with no issue but would prefer the proper tool. Are the Primus wrenches universal for all their stoves? Graphite packing for the control knob. Ribbon or tube? I got the packing out with minimal damage but may need to replace it or add to it. I would appreciate any other advise or tips on this project. I plan to keep the worn look and hust gave it working properly. I appreciate the worn look of gear. Thank You!
Figured out the washers. Now I just need to buy or make a decent jet and NRV tool. I got the burner all cleaned out.
Great. May need to wait until the next campout so I can use my NRV tool to get that stuck NRV out. I have a jet tool or two I can pass along. Duane
Thanks Duane. I got the burner all cleaned internally and put back together. It passes air and shuts off. Hoping I got the needle set right but seems to work fine. I put in new graphite ribbon for backing the valve shaft. Hoping it seals up well. Cleaned up all the burner seats. Now I just have to wait for the washers.
My fettle box seal arrived for the burner. I got the stove put back together and it fired right up, nice hot flame from both burners and no leaks. The only issue is the right burner doesn’t seem to want to simmer, as soon as I turn it down it shuts off. The needle assembly is missing the cleaning needle in the tip so may be related to that, or could it be the needle “timing”? Where I have it set in the cogs of the valve? I am pretty new to the kero stoves so am not completely sure, any advise to fine tune it is appreciated. Regardless I am happy to have it running. I don’t normally do a full restore on stoves and lanterns, I like them to show their age and story. I just want to clean and get them working for the most part. This will fit into my vintage themed camp.
Had to just add a bit more graphite packing to the right burner valve. It was getting a slight leak after running a while. i am still getting some wisps of yellow flame occasionally, probably still burning some rust off the burners and stuff out of the burner from cleaning. I reset the needle a few more times but not much change, I have some adjustment in the flame but it will not go as low as the left burner still. Not really a big issue.
I have a few cleaning needles of different configurations. Next campout should get you fixed up with a pip and needle since I have a good tool. Guess some stoves need that needle to fine tune a flame. Duane
Thanks Duane. I have it adjusting a bit more now but not as much range as the left side. I will bring it next camp. It’s definitely a different beast than my Coleman stoves. It took 3 pre-heats this morning to get going for breakfast but it was 32 degrees out side. Just a new learning curve. I got the full rebuild kit from Fettle box so have a new pip and carrier ready to go. I did a full clean and made coffee on the PW #4 I got from you. The pickup tube had to come out due to being plugged but its working great now and no rivet leaks
Hopefully Randy gets something interesting this time. When the snow melts, I'll have to get some pics of places close to me we could camp at. Folks would have to come via 80, 32, or 36 since 70 down the canyon may still be closed. Duane
