Hi Ladies and Gents I’m servicing a new to me Optimus 8. It’s all going fine until I got to the control valve. Does the No 8 share any parts with other stoves? Particularly the control valve. My problem is I’ve taken the packing nut out and unscrewed the control valve itself, which came out fine, but nothing else. What I think is the packing is absolutely rock solid and won’t budge. Which makes me wonder whether it is the packing. It must be really, but I can’t find an exploded view. Is there a cupped washer like the 8R etc? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Optimus 8R Hunter Stove exploded view https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/fitting-replacement-parts-on-regulated-burners.8843/
Hi, I saw that but it’s not the same. Apart from the cleaning needle obviously there’s no cupped washer etc, in this one anyway. I’ve just got the control spindle
So It looks like I’m short a washer. There was compacted graphite (not that it resembled graphite anymore!) on the end of the packing nut but no concave washer. I wasn’t sure if the 8 and 8R were the same. I’ll have to see what Basecamp can do for me Monday! Thanks for the reply Kerophile.
Thanks for pointing out to that one. With that instruction leaflet I was able to fix my Russian PT-1 stove.
This is all a bit misleading. All those stoves in the above links have a cleaning needle. I’ve just been reading a post about a 123 (not R) that says because there’s no cleaning needle it doesn’t need the metal ring that the 8R, 123R, Hunter or Climber etc have. Sound right?Need a Svea 123 Parts diagram, or just someone who knows
I don’t have it to hand, but I fettled a #8 recently and don’t recall a washer. From what I remember the spindle went into the burner followed by graphite and the stuffing box screw. -R
Brilliant, saves me making a berk of myself ringing Basecamp asking for something that doesn’t exist I could have stripped my 123 I suppose, I don’t think that has one either, Nice to know though, cleaning needle = metal ring, no needle =no metal ring. Just got to sort the pot supports out now. I suspect these I’ve got are from the 8R, the lid won’t shut. Might have to do a bit of trimming!
My recollection is not necessarily correct. I’ll have the stove to hand in a few days and can double check, but I expect others will be able to chime in sooner. -R
Rang Basecamp today got another tank lid off a Primus 71 same design as the 8 apparently but in brass (tank is nickel plated) because that wasn’t sealing and a new jet. I’ve put graphite tape round the spindle and there’s no leaks so it looks like all is well there for now. Base-camp really are the dogs dangly parts!
Here’s what’s in my optimus 8 - no sign of a washer unless it’s on the other side of the graphite. -R
Yes, the end of the packing nut is concave and the mating surface inside the housing is flat. I stripped it last night and had it in my ultrasonic cleaner, put it all back together (with graphite tape) and apart from getting the wick set right it seems to be working ok. Nice blue flame but not massively powerful. I’ll try it again after lunch and stick a photo up. Thanks for looking
Thanks everyone for the replies and going to the trouble of looking at your own stoves. I possibly answered my own question. I did look around the site for answers before asking. In the end I stumbled across the answer in a post. Another lesson learned. Thanks again. Just braising and nickel plating to learn now, after I get my ‘man-cave sorted! Ps I said before I bought this I wasn’t going to buy anymore stoves this year then I went on to buy this and now I’ve just ordered a Jewel 34!!!!
@Countdown 11mm brake pipe spanner. The end of the pipe screws into the tank. Hold the spanner in a vice, carefully position the nut in the spanner and twist the tank.
