Extreme carbon build-up can indeed cause issues taking things apart. Nothing there that looks terminal. Still can't quite see where needle is, but I can imagine . John (gentleman from UK who kindly offered services above) does exquisite work if you are so inclined. I'm a hack by comparison, but I fix things for a living and could fix that.
click on his name Presscall to find his Private Message or put an @ before his name and he will appear @presscall like that
Phosphoric acid would dissolve the broken piece, but you’d still like the pricker function of the needle, so a repair is needed, plus decoking the genny. Duane
Before shipping it, try to remove as much fuel residue as you can. Pour all the fuel out, and swill the tank with boiling water a few times. Then let it air out in a sunny spot for a while. Also protect the stove with lots of packing material.
Well, I’ve just asked for these components, but it still follows that for safe and sure carriage removal of fuel residue and odor would be advisable, @Rick H
Interest that on Terry Marsh's site, there is one of these, and the knob on the tank valve is missing as well.
… an update. Rick sent me the generator components and I managed to extract the broken pricker needle from the carbon plug in the burner end of the generator. The gas tip (nipple) was coked up too. I got the generator and tip up to red heat with a blowtorch and this loosened up the carbon enough to remove the pricker needle. Further treatment and reaming out the carbon from generator and gas tip was possible, using a compressed airline for the final de-coking. Here was the pricker rod and needle … … before silbrazing. Pricker in action. I returned the generator and Rick re-installed it in his stove. Some more work to do I think to clean the interior of the manifold and the burner slots but there are flames at each of the burners. Maybe more tank pressure would be in order too. John
