I have a 1985 Coleman 508 stove, the one with the two levers, and I'm having some problems with the generator. It used to dribble a little bit of fuel occasionally when moving between high and clean. Now it really is leaking fuel. It doesn't leak fuel from the black lever, but rather from where the generator should be plugged into the stove? I can see the output nozzle of the generator and there’s nothing connected to it. Is it normal to see that part or am I missing something that needs to connect the two? The last picture is a demonstration of how the generator is “connected” when the stove is assembled. And if that is how the generator is supposed to be, how would I go about cleaning the generator and the high, low, clean valve?
I think a part is missing. It’s probably hiding somewhere on or under your table. I don’t have a Model 505 but do have a Model 400. It uses a similar generator. Next we remove the chrome plated generator cover; Generator nozzle fits tight to the burner bowl assembly. Look carefully at the screw hole immediately right of the generator nozzle. That hole is for one of two chrome cover screws. Now to the missing part; The missing part fastens at the screw circled here, one per side. It is the air / fuel mixing chamber. Without it, the stove won’t work correctly. See “Old Coleman Parts” website for expanded views of all Coleman stoves. The Reference Library here is also very useful. Presscall’s entry shows his 505 completely stripped. I will add links in next post.
I’ll definitely check out Old Coleman Parts to see if I can find a diagram or picture of it on there. The weirdest part is that this is the first time I’ve taken it apart. I got it at the beginning of summer last year and used it all throughout where it worked great. The 4th of July weekend was the first time I took the 508 out for the first time this year since I was using some other stoves I bought over the winter, and this time is when it gave me the really bad leaking. The attached photo is after I put it back together at home, but this is what it looked like when it stopped working on me. I could see fuel shooting out of the generator in a jet.
I apologize, I misunderstood your question. The gap between the nozzle and the big hole is correct. The spray from the nozzle draws air into the burner bowl, under the burner rings. Check that the generator nozzle is screwed snugly into the valve body. If that was already tight, the bad news is your generator nozzle is probably worn out.
Alright I’ll put it back together and try again. Is there any way to change the packing material inside the black high/low/clean lever? I tried tightening it down when it was leaking and after tightening and loosening it, that’s when it started the jet. If the generator really is toast, I have another one that I snagged (for a normal price) earlier this year from drug store/Ace Hardware/gun and fishing store a few hours south of me. I looked them up last night when I was messing with the stove and I didn’t realize how expensive the 508 generators are. I might have to go back and see if there’s any more. Thank you for your help. Once I get this one fixed I have an old Coleman 523 Army stove that I have to figure out why it’s leaking.
@superfuzzbros You tighten the packing nut on the High/Low/Clean lever a 1/4 turn at a time until the leak stops.
Looks like the packing nut is completely bottomed out. OCP carries graphite ribbon, see here: Old Coleman Parts > Lantern Parts > Graphite Ribbon - P09 that you can add to the packing in order to extend its life - loosen the packing nut completely, remove the gas tip, remove the black plastic knob. Use a butane torch to heat the valve body till it turns dull red, allow to cool naturally. Pull lever away from valve body while slowly rotating back and forth, every once in a while stop to turn the packing nut counterclockwise and pull it away from the valve body as well, until you get a small gap between the nut and the valve body. Use caution, you don't want to rotate the valve more than 180 degrees, and you don't want to disengage the valve from the pricker. Add additional packing material, then re-tighten the packing nut. Repeat this process (no need to torch, just start pulling) until you can just see the first thread of the packing nut poking out. Alternatively, OCP carries Teflon tip cleaner packings. See here: Old Coleman Parts > 237B > Tip Cleaner Stem Teflon Packing - S133 Start by removing the black knob. Just pull really hard, it's friction fit. Also remove the gas tip. Loosen the packing nut as much as possible. Using a butane torch, heat up the packing until it is a very dull red in low light. Plunge it into cold water. Pull on the lever, loosen the nut, until you get a gap between the nut and valve body. You may want to repeat the heat and quench a few times to help with this. Use a flathead screwdriver to pry it out, taking care not to damage the threads, and prying from opposite sides such that you're prying as straight out as possible. Once removed, the pricker will fall out. Take care to not break the needle when it does so. Chip away the old graphite packing. Cut the Teflon packing into several very thin rings, and cut a slit into the rings to slide it into the lever. Take care to not lose any pieces. You may not be able to fit the entire packing on. Keep the extra pieces. To reassemble: hold the generator such that the tube faces the floor, the flared end is farther away from you, and you are looking down at the valve body. Insert the pricker with the solid side on the left and the notched side on the right. Center the notch in the valve body. Insert the lever into the valve body in the "medium heat" position, and wiggle it back and forth until it seats. You'll know that it has seated when the range of motion of the lever is limited to 180 degrees. Tighten down the packing nut. If you cannot see the first thread after tightening, follow the process for the first method, except using the leftover pieces of the Teflon packing. One Teflon packing includes just enough for a single lever. If you lose any pieces, you'll need to cut up an additional Teflon packing. If you don't want to chop up a teflon packing, you can do the same thing with graphite ribbon, just wrap graphite ribbon instead of stacking Teflon C's. If all this sounds too difficult, I offer an affordable 400/508 generator (400 and 508 share the same generator) refurbishing service. Please see this post: FS: 400/508/576/505 Generator refurbishing service - The Coleman Collectors Forum
