Hey All, Picked this fellow up of the 'bay for a song. Missing some parts: Globe, preheater, burner spigot, seal kit. First off - clean the fount. Here's secret - maybe I'm late to the game...maybe I'll actually be helping someone... But - this Meguiars Hot Rims Chrome Wheel cleaner is the *&%! Just to illustrate - here's a Coleman Table lamp I scored at a yard sale with half the fount sprayed with the stuff: All I did was wipe off the cleaner with a rag: And here's after a couple applications and a wipe down - I haven't even put the metal polish to the fount yet: So back to the Tilley: Fount cleaned and Mother's polshed: The Meguiars even works on the aluminum bits: A new leather pump cup soaked in Neatsfoot oil and a new globe: new preheater: Up and running: So.... questions and issues: #1. Production date on the lantern - would I assume that the 1261X stamp on the bottom denotes a December 1961 production date ? #2. I'm geting some "pulsing" when the lamp is running. Any suggestions ? #3. With regards to the "Service Kit" seals etc. I dug out the old hard seal/packing that was around the control knob and installed the new #234 "gland washer" If the control shaft is moved either to the left or right - fuel squirts out from around it. Thanks ! Dan
You are correct about the date. The lantern has cleaned up well! Pulsing occurs when a pressure lamp/lantern's fuel and air mix is being restricted in some way. Pulsing can be caused by the lack pressure or the vapouriser may be nearing the end of it's working life or the burner may be or both. The fuel feed tube may be partly blocked and the way to cure that is unscrew the control cock and shove a length of tying wire down the tube until it hits the bottom of the tank, I do that a few times and then I clean out the tank. Have you properly tightened the gland nut? That table lamp is not a Coleman it's an Akron, Jeff.
I would put my bets on the vapouriser. If I pressurize the tank and remove the hood cap - then open the control valve (which I did tighten down and cured my leak - thank you) - I only get "sporadic" fuel streaming out of the vapouriser. The fount is clean and I did the "seal kit" rebuild on the control assembly as well as cleaning it with carb cleaner. Dan
This may be stating the obvious but have you given it a few goes with the cleaning needle and more importantly have you checked that the tip of the needle is intact?
It's always a good idea to clean the fuel feed tube as I mentioned in my previous post and unscrew the control cock and unscrew the bottom part of it which holds the filter. The brass bush which holds the filter may be tight, but it should unscrew if you use a set of pliers. Then give the control cock a good clean and put it back together, if the non return valve rubber washer is hard then it's best to replace it. In my opinion, a clean lamp works better, do let us know how you get on, Jeff.
Okay. Cleaned the fuel tube as requested. (re)Cleaned control cock. One unfortunate thing is the service pack rubber "pads" for both the pump and the control cock are oddly shaped and have a protruding "dimple" on them. Try as I might to trim them and make them useable - it's just not gonna happen. As far as the tip of the cleaning needle - I have to admit - I'm much more used to the Aida/Hipo/Petromax replacement style needles that actually have a tiny piece of wire at the end. The needle for this particular Tilley is "cone" shaped. I looked at it closely under several magnifications and it's a very nice cone. Dan
They're for the NRV in the pump of the X246B - the model after yours. You need Part No. 155 which is a plain disc shape - try The Fettlebox (top right of the page or click here) or you'll find them in the Tilley 'old 498' seals kit. Base-Camp might also have them. Sounds like the end part has broken or worn off. You should be able to feel the sharp end protruding through the jet in the end of the vapouriser when you turn the control cock fully clock-wise.
The lamp fount shown in photos 8 through 10 looks more like a Akron / Curtis and Harvey than a Coleman. The burner may be a Coleman however as the two are interchangeable.
Sadly..... Still pulsing I purchased and installed a new vapourizer with new cleaning wire off the 'bay from hootflipflopandfly. Lantern fires right up - unfortunately after a few minutes it begins to pulse again... idears ? Not enough pressure ? too much pressure ? My other tilley works like a charms - so I know can make e'm work ! Dan
Given that the pulsing begins after a few minutes, it sounds like there's a pressure loss somewhere. One other thing makes me wonder is that there doesn't seem many threads for the pump cap to screw on to. Have you got the large pump boss screwed far enough down onto the pump tube?
Then you have the perfect diagnostic tool... Swap parts one at a time until the pulsing stops. It does very much sound like loss of pressure, or it could be that the pump isn't working as well as it should so you are never getting enough pressure in the first place. Test the pump on your good lamp... I did have one lamp that I struggled with for ages and it turned out to be an issue with the stop cock not lowering the cleaning wire far enough in the on position. When the lamp warmed up I assume the wire expanded and cut the fuel off even more - at least that was my guess, but swapping the stop cock fixed it. PS. What fuel are you using?
