First post ! Good forum, especially helpful re vaporiser problems. Up to now I have serviced an all brass X246 Guardsman. I am now doing the same on a X246a aluminium pump and valve, not so pleasent. I need to renew the non return valve seal and the filter housing will not unscrew. I presume it should ? But there are no grips in the casting! Does it unscrew or dare I say is it corroded ? If it is corroded recomended best option for freeing, heat ? Richard.
I have one of those and count myself lucky there has been no need to work on it. I also have the brass bottomed version and have renewed seals on that. I have given it a very quick inspection. Same as you I thought it looks like nothing to unscrew. As I was really working on something else I didn't pursue further. My parting thought with it was that looks like a cost down exercise. They assemble it and crimp the end. Not what you want to hear but I think it could be a case of having to undo the rolled over end to release the parts, then somehow peen it over again on reassembly. I don't fancy it. If I am right they have made it a disposable item and you are expected to buy another one... It might be easier in the long run but no sense of victory.
The earlier versions of this part had a section at the bottom which unscrewed to service/replace the seal and spring. Later versions (including yours by the look of it) did away with these parts and there's probably nothing to service. They are redundant in a paraffin lantern anyway and probably Tilley discontinued them to save on costs - the usual Tilley story... BTW, the Tilley vapouriser isn't meant to be serviceable - when it failed the idea was it was thrown away and simply replaced. Having said that, some folk here faff on with them for days, weeks, even months, seemingly, in an attempt to get a little bit extra working life. Personally, I just can't be arsed with that and simply light another lantern instead - I've more important things to be doing with my life...
I’ll check my X246Bs in the morning, but I’ve not ever seen a control cock where the bottom does not unscrew: sp1 exploded view Tony
Welcome aboard! They all unscrew, if they did not then Tilley would not have been able to fit the spring and the seal and to replace the gland nut washers the knob has to be pulled off and the link below shows the relevant diagram for both of those tasks. https://classicpressurelamps.com/threads/x246b-diagram.6859/
Yap, I've just replaced the gland and stretched the spring a little in a 1990 control valve. If it's very obstinate in unscrewing, then I use mini mole grips, with a little cloth wrapped around whatever you're trying to loosen. An infallible tool in this hobby (imo)
Thank you all for your replies. I will work on the assumption that it will unscrew and work with that positive mindset Unfortunately Jeff your link returns "You do not have permission to view this page or perform this action" ?
I am properly puzzled by this. Does it mean ( the best I can tell) you release the control shaft and then everything comes out of the top instead? It has defeated me to release the control shaft at all. Replace the seal - yes. Get the shaft out - no.
Got it off. Plusgas 4hr soak then valve body in vice (alu jaws), heat on threads and pipe grip in filter housing Not much thread on that filter body ! Thanks again for your help.
@JEFF JOHNSON That’s what I thought. @JonD The control shaft, as distinct from the spring and seal we were discussing above, does not unscrew/come out. I don’t know how it is fitted, though. Does that mean I have to cut one open and look? Cheers Tony
Behold, my 'stubborn round thing that's stuck' removal tools! Drill a hole the exact same size of the round thing you want to remove, cut a slot to one side of the hole along the grain of the wood, introduce the stubborn round thing into the tool and clamp the cut end in the vice and tighten. Turn the other bit and with any luck it should begin to move. If it doesn't, get out the plus gas or wd40, soak it while you have a cuppa and then try again. It's worked for me with the most horribly corroded objects! The eagle eyed among you will notice the 200 grade wet and dry liner inside the hole to gain purchase on a particularly awkward round thing!
Truly ingenious Colin - far too sensible for me, hence the mole grips (I've even used mini-Stilsons too...
@Tony Press The way the control shaft just 'is', raises the chicken and egg scenario..Which came first, 'it' or everything around 'it'.. In terms of manufacture. It confuses me I have to say.. Am I also correct in surmising that the Vapalux control shaft, does less than a Tilley like for like!?! I have Bialaddin's that will splutter into life with the control knob firmly in the anti-clockwise position, with only marginal improvement when fully 'opened'. No Tilleys I've ever had will do that.
Good to know that the filter does come off - many thanks. Also that the control shaft doesn't. I suppose the threaded outer is fitted by being pressed in once the shaft has been engaged in the shuttle valve. Too much effort would be required to reverse that.
The background to this is covered in Ian Ashton's book and it's been discussed more fully here previously. In essence, the Tilley control cock and Bialaddin/Vapalux jet cleaner are the same bit of kit. The real difference is at the top end of the vapouriser and this will explain why the two valves have different names and may seem to act differently. The Tilley pricker shoulder is shaped to fit into a same-shaped 'cone' inside the vapouriser. Thus, when you advance the pricker-rod, not only do you clean the jet, you seal the top of the vapouriser preventing paraffin/vapour escaping - that's why it's called a control cock. Tilley patented that but Willis & Bates copied it and incorporated it into their vapourisers. Litigation ensued (which Tilley lost) but W&B stopped calling it a control cock and, instead, starting referring to it as a jet cleaner / pricker control or somesuch. Whether they actually went so far as to change the internal design of their vapourisers and pricker-rods, I don't know but all of mine still seem to seal so I presume they didn't. BTW, I think the Bialaddin/Vapalux jet cleaner is open when fully anti-clockwise and closed when fully clockwise (arrow-head pointing up). Isn't it? - or have I got that wrong as well? Those that don't revolve through 360 degrees anyway...
Interesting stuff, that clears the fog somewhat - cheers! Yes it was me, I should of course have said 'clockwise' and not the opposite
