any coleman lantern expert here?

[vash]

i have a older coleman lantern. it has that cleaner knob that pushes the pin to clean the jets. IIRC my lantern is a model 228.

it wont stay lit. i can pump up the lantern no problemo. it will light up, but just as soon as the mantles start to glow, it starves of fuel and goes out. the fuel tank appears to be holding pressure. when i untwist it, i get a hearty hiss of the releasing pressure. that's it with my knowledge.

what would you do? remove the generator and clean it? i use it annually, but i do admit to storing it with fuel in the tank.

[recycled sixtie]

Well you could take it to the back 40 and shoot it!Of course from a safe distance etc.

From my experience if you have had it a number of years seals leak, they get balky and become unpredictable like a red haired gal.

After a while they become a nuisance and I think you owe yourself a new one.

I would hate to see you flamed by your own camp stove.

Guy

[porsche4life]

Get a damned propane one. Or better yet, LED. Never have liked whitegas.

[URY914]

1. Have you replaced the seal on the piston?
2. Have you oiled the piston shaft?
3. Have to tried pumping it up while it is burning?

There are several Coleman repair blogs/sites and Youtube videos that can help you.
Google is you friend....

[vash]

If I threw everything that leaks and is fire hazard away, my 911SC would be gone.

[patz]

if it is holding pressure, likely fuel passages are clogged. Or contaminated fuel or both.

[Porchdog]

If you're getting rid of it, send it my way! I'm happy to pay shipping.

Seriously, that should be an easy fix. I expect that Ury914's answers are the correct ones. By the way, I prefer the old leather pump seals over the new-fangled rubber ones. Good luck finding the leather.

You need enough pressure to properly vapourize the fuel in the tube over the mantles. The pumped pressure pushes the fuel in against the vapor pressure. It takes more pressure than you would think, If the pump isn't working correctly it's pretty futile.

It's pretty easy to pull the fuel system apart and clean it - I've done it on a picnic table more than once. If something is wonky, like the tube over the mantles being cracked, you can get parts from Coleman.

I have my Dad's old Colemans - they make that one look like a museum piece. Bent, burned and brazed together. They still work like a charm. I'd bet they are 60 years old or more. Our camping trips include long slogs over dirt roads and long trips by boat - the lanterns take a beating.

Use a filtered funnel for your fuel and only use white gas fuel. My uncle used to like to use "no-lead" in them, which would plug them up. It likely wasn't safe either. Rust in the fuel will also plug them. My biggest issues seem to be during fueling - not everyone is careful about dirt and water.

White gas doesn't seem to go bad with age. I also haven't had problems storing gas in my lanterns.

That one is a beauty.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Get a damned propane one. Or better yet, LED. Never have liked whitegas.

Whitegas? Get a Kerosene one!

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-639C700-1-Mantle-Kerosene-Lantern/dp/B00168PIQ6

[red-beard]

Oh, and I just replaced the fuel tank on my stove. It had a leak. I considered sanding and brazing, but not worth the hazard...OTOH, I did this to my 914-6 tank to save it!

[Porchdog]

I have a couple propane lanterns that I use for power outages. They are easy for the wife to light.

I don't like dragging along all of the propane canisters for a weeks camping, and the gas lanterns are brighter.

By the way - the propane lanterns will refuse to light when it gets really cold. Not a problem with white gas.