I've just received a new generator for my Milspec lantern from OldColemanParts. After fitting no vapour at all is reaching the mantle. Now I know the rest of the lamp is in working order. Fuel exits from the attachment part for the generator without problem. I cannot blow through the generator at all. The jet is the smallest I've seen and not a single pricker out of dozens I've tried fit the tiny hole. The generator is filled with some kind of cord, which I presume is correct to force fuel to vapouriser under heat. Any help would be appreciated, do you think I've got a faulty generator or am I missing something?
Take the jet of the tube and connect up to fount and test wether fuel passes . If it does reinstall jet and try again Bob
Hi @Robert Radcliffe In the last week, I have fettled a very similar Milspec 1969 Coleman 252 and had some trouble with the generator’s jet blocking. I cleared it by using a pricker made from 0.0056” stainless steel wire. I unscrewed the jet nozzle and pushed the pricker from the bottom (inside to out). I had some difficulty at first but with some persistence I was able to find the hole and press it through. There was no way that I could push the pricker into the jet hole from the front whilst the jet nozzle was installed. I had to do clear the nozzle jet twice. Since then there have been no blockages and the lamp is roaring like it should. Cheers Pete
Hi @AussiePete yes I tried a pricker from the inside as well, but with no success. I'm not sure any of mine are fine enough or possibly I wasn't persistent enough. I assume I'm right that the generator tube should contain the packing? Like a white string. I'm struggling to see how white spirit is supposed to get through if I can't blow through even with the jet removed. I wondered if soaking the generator in white spirit might saturate the packing and help. I'd be disappointed if the jet is the problem with the generator being new.
With the jet removed, you should be able to get the fuel to exit from that end, but from a pressurized fount. The original fibrous stuff is tightly-packed asbestos. Not a good idea to blow through with lung power. If the fuel is still not coming through as suggested, try soaking the entire generator in acetone first. If even that improves nothing, I'd say the fibrous stuff has to be completely removed(mechanically) and replaced. Glass fibres or metal wire braiding would be good enough substitutes
G'day Robert, as MYN said you should be able to get pressurised fuel to flow through the generator with the nipple removed. If not I would contact OldColeman Parts. I have had success clearing a blocked jet by heating and quenching several times. Followed by a sonic bath (if you have one )
@Robert Radcliffe Yes the fibrous packing is supposed to be there. As @MYN suggested, unscrew the jet tip and reinstall the tip less generator then pump up the lantern and slowly open the valve. After a short while, allow a minute or 2, you should see fuel come out of the generator. If there is no fuel coming out of the generator then do as MYN suggests, soak the whole generator in acetone for 24 hours. Just a dumb question ...... you are using Coleman fuel, petrol or a Naptha fuel like Shellite. These lamps don’t run on kerosene. Cheers Pete
Thanks for all the help people. The weather has been poor here in Manchester the past few days so I've had no opportunity to get out to fettle this lamp, hopefully today I'll be able to try some of the ideas suggested. I use Aspen 4 in my Coleman lamps other than the few paraffin models I own.
Remove the fibre and depose it safely (threat it like asbestos). Then fill it with a rolled up piece of fine mesh. Not to much its not a filter, you always use clean fresh fuel don't you, it is there for the heat transfer. originally it would also be a filter since military want to use anything that fires up. Any stuffing will also prevent a blow back. Off coarse you have checked if fuel comes out off the tank without a generator in place and pumped up. The fuel pick up could also be blocked. These lanterns look nice but you are lucky when they produce any proper light.
OK we have success gents so a big thanks for the advice given. In the end I soaked the dry generator in Aspen 4 after removing the jet. I was finally successful in pricking the jet from the inside. Then after reassembly I used a cautious 5 pump start up and it worked!
Well done. Not always the easiest lantern to get lit, certainly not the brightest, definitely one of the noisiest but most importantly, it's different, so it's nice to have one and one that works is even better. Henry.
Congratulations. I like the overall design of the milspec. The generator was meant to be a disposable piece. The lantern is smallish and meant for rugged use. It was meant to burn any gasoline, leaded or not. Fuel cleanliness was meant to be a non-priority. Whatever the rest of the merits, it does not run on kerosene.
I found the WW II milspec will run just slightly better. I also have one from the Korea war dated 1952, and it can be a real pain to light. Worth having an example of the lantern but not much else. If Coleman had worked on this one alone instead of with other companies, I think they would have turned out a better product. Too many hands in the soup spoil the broth..
This is also 1952 George. I agree it's definitely an example of a product 'designed by committee', a Quicklite is a better lantern!
@Robert Radcliffe Well done. It’s good to see her up and running. They’re a noisy beastie when they get going. I like them coz they’re different. I have a 1969 model that I fantasise on. My particular fantasy is that it could have seen service in Vietnam at the same time I did. In fact I do remember seeing these lanterns or similar over there, but, they were just a lantern to me in those days. Enjoy your roarer. Cheers Pete
@MYN @AussiePete appreciate the congrats, obviously you both fully understand that buzz when you bring a lamp back to life.
As for mine, its a US AFM 1967. The seller bought it in Vietnam, heavily used. Most likely had been used during combat.
Man this thread really helped. I have an SMP I found in Iraq and brought back. It wasn’t run for 17 years. Now it’s humming like a top. Thanks
