Oiling the pump cup
If your stove has ever turned into a massive fireball, read closely. Basically, there are two things you can do that will help prevent stove problems in a major way, according to Steve Anderson, who runs Thrifty Outfitters, a Minneapolis, Minn., shop specializing in gear repairs and secondhand gear.
“People leave old fuel in their stoves that breaks down with oxygen, and they don’t oil their pumps,” he said.
Any stove with a remote fuel canister that has a pump needs to have the pump cup oiled. Pull the plunger out of your MSR pump and simply add light machine oil. Coleman stoves have an oil port, but they work much better if you remove the plunger and put oil directly on the pump cup.
If you buy a gallon of white gas but know you won’t use it in a year, put it in separate fuel bottles filled to the top so there’s no air to break it down. Steve also recommends adding a teaspoon of Gum-Out carburetor cleaner to your fuel bottle about once a year; it will help clean the generator and keep things running cleanly.
Finally, check all the seals. If any of the O-rings are cracked, replace them. Check out this MSR maintenance kit or any one of these stove maintenance kits. Pay special attention to the O-ring that seals the stove’s fuel hose to the fuel bottle. If there’s a leak, the whole thing will start on fire, and the pump will melt inside the fuel bottle. Bad news.
If you use an iso/butane stove, there’s not much maintenance. Check the fuel valve and make sure it’s not loose or leaky. If it is, there’s usually some kind of nut to tighten it up. Thrifty Steve says that if your iso/butane stove works, just leave it alone. “But if it doesn’t seem to be working right, try to find the jet and clean it out with a piece of wire,” he said.
The most important thing for every stove is to find the instructions and follow them closely. Most manufacturers post their instructions online.
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Tags: camping, cooking, gear maintenance
Great overview article of simple “quick hits” that will keep your stove working. I booked marked you. I always say your stove is like your car, if you want it to run well we need to give them some continuous TLC if we want them to work when we really need them to.
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