having recently obtained a Coleman 335, i've managed to get it up and running and it gives off a very bright light, but after a while it starts to "pulse" I've checked the vapouriser (or "generator" in coleman speak) which is ok - it is brand new so I didn't anticipate any probs with that. Pick up tube to the tank looks ok but having poured fresh fule into the tank and then filetered it back out,it looks like the tank has got rust bits in it which I would presume are getting into the pick up tube and clogging up? The pick up tube seems to be a sealed/soldered section so I'm looking at a tank flush unless someone has any other suggestions? I've never had a Coleman before so not sure how to progress...
Give the tank a very god flush. Make sure your seals are good, and your generator is tight. Also check the the burner/nozzle and the nipple (jet) are tight. Cheers Tony
Hiya bill, I found when i fitted new generator with cardboard packing inside it took a few hours for packing to soak up fuel an consequently to do its job a slow fuel feed, also have you pumped enough pressure into lamp as if not then it will pulse. That is what i have found other members may have other ideas. Hope this helps. Gozzy.
Scouter Bill- I'm new here, but have Coleman experience. Tony is correct that a good flush of the fount is in order if there is sediment. If the fount has rust, a soak with citric acid or vinegar will help, followed by a rinse with white gas/Coleman fuel. You probably already know that regular gasoline will work, but make the generators clog faster. If you must use gasoline, try to get pure gas with no alcohol. Now, to the pulsing problem. It is most likely the generator. Although new, the ceramic cardboard insert is the cheapest method to prevent it, but it is not a 100% method. If you have bronze wool, remove the cardboard and wrap it around the spring and pricker rod so it is snug in the generator body. Stranded copper wire can also be wound around the spring and pricker to do the same thing. Both methods hinder fuel flow and increase heat transfer to the liquid fuel helping it turn into a gas. If you must use pump gasoline, you will use the two above methods to rebuild the generator after cleaning it often. There are a lot of additives in pump gas that clog a generator much faster than white gas/Coleman fuel. I hope this helps. If you need clarification, just let me know.
Thanks for the help. I have to admit, I thought the cardboard insert was packing to protect the spring!(old generator in the lamp didn't have one) now trying to find where the h*ll I put it.... I find it very strange that Coleman didn't have something more substantial that a cardboard insert?
Even though it is often referred to as cardboard it is made of a ceramic material that is heat proof. I've cleaned a lot of them using a blow torch and you can heat them up to incandescent yellow with no ill effects.
I confused you already, sorry! The bronze wool or copper wire is used instead of the ceramic tube, not in addition to it. If you removed the tube and used it with just the pricker and spring, then it is certain to have pulsed. If you can find the tube, try lighting it with it in. If the pulsing stops, you are good. If it continues then remove the tube and use the bronze wool or copper wire wrapped around the spring and pricker. I hope that was more clear.
The ceramic cardboard tube was only used in generators for white gas/Coleman fuel/naptha fueled lanterns. Kerosene/paraffin lanterns had a much thicker spring in their generators and the generators themselves were usually larger in diameter.
I imagine its been run on unleaded... did you take the valve out? If you do that, take the F/A tube off and take the rod and spring out, soak it in vinegar for a while and clean it up.
Well I've finally managed to get it too behave itself as Fuzzy suggested by winding copper wire around the spring and the pricker. The only problem is that it is near impossible to thread the end of the pricker through the hole at the top of the "generator" and having attached the pricker to the link at the bottom, in most cases I end up bending the wire at the top which is very flimsy! The lamp is very bright although I still shudder at the though of a "can of petrol being on fire" so to speak. When switching off I would presume you would need to let it cool down first and then release pressure by unscrewing the filler cap, the thought of releasing petrol vapour near anything hot does not sound a good idea! It's a nice lamp but at the risk of getting shot by Coleman lovers give me a Tilley any day and Paraffin smells much better IMHO. I may well be selling it on, if this is the case it will be on CPL first.
You could always convert it to a Kerosene burning 339, you just need the generator and a spirit cup, the tab is already there to hold the spirit cup. Have a look here http://www.colemancollectorsforum.com/post/show_single_post?pid=1273360733&postcount=6
I did look at this possibility but finding a 339 generator(needed for the conversion) is the problem unless I buy abroad.
Its ok to be cautious around Coleman fuel. I gained a new appreciation after my M1950 started a little fountain out of its pump tube (nackered NRV pip) and I tried to put out the resulting conflagration. (i.e. say some curse words, pick up flaming monstrosity with bare hands and throw in driveway then run for extinguisher) I can say that after using quite a few white gas lanterns that they did take into account the issues with a fuel like that and its perfectly safe provided one follows the instructions. I too prefer the smell of a Tilley or Vapalux hissing away. The coleman smell does remind me of camping when young and thus has a special place
Hiya bill, I own two 335s, when I received both lanterns they pulsed so I went for the wire method, leaving the needle inside the spring I wrapped around single core mains wire so the wire forms neatly around the spring then i wrapped multicore wire around that, the thick wire stops the thin wire obstructing the needle movement,both lanterns worked perfectly. Since then both generators have worn out an i recently replaced them with the same type you have an both lanterns work perfectly as someone else said it's a bit hit an miss weather they pulse or not. As I've said before the 335 is an amazing little lantern obviously using much more volatile fuel more caution is needed. Gozzy
