Rebuilding Old Coleman Stoves

perkj

Explorer
Nothing to add except a warning: Once you get a taste for old coleman products, they can be highly addictive. It starts easy, just a lantern or two, maybe a stove. "I can use this for camping" you tell your spouse as she rolls her eyes.
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You tell yourself "I can stop anytime" but the thought of finding a Ted Williams or a Gold Bond for $5 at a yard sale is too powerful. Pretty soon your scouring eBay for your "birthday lantern", then your spouse's, then your kids....
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Run Away! While you still can! :sombrero:
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OH and whatever you do don't join the Antique Coleman Collectors' FB group or all you'll hear about is "Frankies" (i.e. "Frankenstein" lanterns put together from parts of other lanterns), "Turds" (275's) and how much you should pay for a lantern (the answer is: $8.00)
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You've been warned. :ylsmoke:

This is so true. I'm embarrassed to tell you how many lanterns and stoves I have. For the 3 burner stoves (426 & 428s), which I have the least of in my collection and not what I give a lot of focus to, my last count is 9 of those. ;)
 

Buddha.

Finally in expo white.
I recently picked up a coleman 425 dual burner off craigslist for $25. The tank wont hold pressure, it just sneaks out the fill cap. I don't understand the three piece design cap with the little hole through the side. There was no gasket or anything. I bought what is supposed to be an o ring that fits it but I can figure out for the life of me if the o ring goes in between the pieces of the cap or between the cap and tank. I got it to work with some electrical tape over the threads instead but it looks like it's designed to vent or something.Message_1458078067980.jpg
 

Flyboat

Observer
You are exactly right the three piece cap is designed to vent before the threads actually disengage from the tank. The newer one piece caps will work. They have cuts in the threads to vent before the threads disengage. The gasket is probably so old and hard you cant tell its a gasket. Take a torch and put the old cap on a brick and burn the old gasket out and scrap the remnants out with a small screw driver. You can order new gaskets and just press a new one in.
 

URY914

Observer
I starting using my family's Coleman recently. My father bought it in 1963!!! It had been sitting without being used for about 35-40 years. I rebuilt it using parts from Walmart and lit it up. Works like a charm.
 

hyperboarder

Adventurer
The addiction is real. Won a 413e and a 425e for about $14/ea at a local auction and subsequently commandeered my dad's 425f. I dig em, they feel like tanks compared to my newer grill stove too. Just bought the propane adapter linked in this thread too.
 

Buddha.

Finally in expo white.
I used my old stove for the first time yesterday. Made shrimp and asparagus on a cast iron griddle. The uneven footing of the stove and the subsequent uneven distrubituion of the cooking oil caught me by surprise.
 

Joanne

Adventurer
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Very true my "Birthday lantern" (12/61) and the wife's (8/62) are both on their original gaskets and both light up just fine. 228's, both of them (I like big hats and I cannot lie...)

Big hats are the BEST!

P.S. - if you know what a "big hat" is, it's already too late...
 

taugust

Adventurer
You are exactly right the three piece cap is designed to vent before the threads actually disengage from the tank. The newer one piece caps will work. They have cuts in the threads to vent before the threads disengage. The gasket is probably so old and hard you cant tell its a gasket. Take a torch and put the old cap on a brick and burn the old gasket out and scrap the remnants out with a small screw driver. You can order new gaskets and just press a new one in.

The three piece cap is designed to have the gasket seal stop turning while being tightened, once it makes contact with the fount opening, so there is no wear during opening and closing. The Old Coleman Parts site tells how to disassemble to replace the gasket. A couple years ago, someone was selling new nitrile replacement gaskets on Ebay for next to nothing. I bought a lot of 10. They work perfectly, and will probably never need replacing.
 

GhostRing

Observer
I have one of the older 2 burner white gas stoves that - when I store in an enclosed box, creates a pretty strong fuel odor.
Is the tank venting/leaking? There is no visible fuel accumulating anywhere (that I can tell)
Is this normal at all? Any maintenance tricks I might be missing?
 

JCDriller

Adventurer
I have one of the older 2 burner white gas stoves that - when I store in an enclosed box, creates a pretty strong fuel odor.
Is the tank venting/leaking? There is no visible fuel accumulating anywhere (that I can tell)
Is this normal at all? Any maintenance tricks I might be missing?

I have the same issue with mine. I've found after cooking I must immediately open the cap and relieve the pressure then while the cap is still loose tip the brass tip up in the air while opening the valve to let any fuel drain back into the tank. After about 10-15 seconds I turn it off and close the cap, then store. no more smell.
 

Trikebubble

Adventurer
Seems like as good a place as any to ask. This is my Kijiji online classified find. Cost me $25 and it looks like it was never used. It even came with the box. It is a model 421, made in Canada and I guess dates back to the late 60's perhaps.

Anyways, I replaced the pump thingamajiggie, and replaced the O-ring gasket in the gas cap. The main burner fires up fine and burns very well, but the secondary burner does not burn anywhere near the same intensity. What can I look for, or clean, or check out to see if I can get it burning better?



 

huachuca

Adventurer
^ Not an expert by any means but some simple things to check/do. 1) The auxiliary burner on my 60's model 413F will not burn nearly as hot as the main unit - maybe 2/3rds ???, I think this is about normal 2) Check for spider/insect nests in the aux burner tube 3) Remove and clean aux burner plates (note the sequence as they must be reinstalled in the same top to bottom order). Ask the folks here for help http://www.colemancollectorsforum.com/

Great find by the way.
 

Kevin108

Explorer
Best way to change a gasket on a 3-piece, in my fettling experience:

Put the cap on tight
Take the machine screw out
Take the cap off
Take the inner section somewhere you can use fire, like on a brick or your mom's kitchen table
Use a torch to burn the old gasket to a crisp
Let the metal cool
Use a pick or small screwdriver to dig out the old gasket, leaving a clean surface for the new gasket
Put the new gasket in your mouth and get it spitty
As best you can, start it into the channel inside the inner cap piece
Place it on the fuel tank, then tighten the cap down to finish seating the new gasket

Feel free to modify to your own preferences, but this has worked for me many times.
 

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