I moved into a new house and got to cleaning out the attic and I found me a Coleman two-burner campstove. Yay! Go me! (The fuel tank was also full! Did I mention it was stored in the attic? Where it gets to be about 4000º? Well, it’s out now, so it probably won’t explode.)
On the metal case was stamped the model number. 425C. OK, that’s something to know.
First I e-mailed Coleman and asked if they had any extra instruction books laying around on this bad boy. Then I did a quick Google search, just a little research, to see what I had. Look! There it is. Isn’t it pritty? I also found out they were only manufactured in 1961 & 1963- 1964.
Hokey smokes! It’s 40 years old!
So then I drained out the fuel tank and tore the stove all down to make sure all the parts were jake. You know, no giant rust holes in the fuel line or anything. And there were no giant rust holes in the fuel line. Everything seemed jake.
The fuel tank hold pressure (did I mention it was full when I found it?), the pump works and the rest of the stove seems solid.
So. Here’s my questions:
What kind of fuel does this bad boy take? (I’m assuming Coleman Fuel (white gas) but I thought I’d check.)
How do I light it? (Without blowing it and/or myself up.)
Coleman is taking their sweet time getting back to me and I want to try this thing out.
-Rue.
Yes, it take Coleman fuel; not gasoline or kerosene.
I usually use my Svea 123 or MSR, but I have a Coleman. Let me think…
See that little lever on the valve? Rotate that a few times. That cleans the jet (unless I’m confusing it with the one on my lantern). Fill the tank and pump it up about 20-30 strokes. You might have to put your thumb over the little hole in the pump. Turn on the valve (knob) and use a long match or long lighter to light the first burner. Once it warms up (notice the fuel tube going right over the burner) light the other burner by turning the folding key on the side of the stove and using your match or lighter.
You’ll want to look out for leaks before making fire near it. Parts are readily available at any camping store, so be sure it’s working properly.
WE had one just like that when I was growing up… yes, I’m older than I look. My dad would go out somewhere and buy “white gas”, which I thought was the same thing as kerosene, but I now believe is different. Coleman fuel ius what you need.
Thanks Johnny. Going by the instructions on the red tank and the green shell, that sounded about what I figured. (I am hip to the fuel line going right through the flame of the burner. It’s to vaporize the fuel for better burning. Smart me, huh?)
Just wanted to know how much to pump and make sure it was just “apply flame to whatever spurts out the burner”. (Then wait a minute and flip the one valve-thing over.)
Cool. If anyone hears a big KA-boom!, it ain’t me.
Thanks for the verification on the fuel dolphinboy. Every little bit helps.
The fiber washer in the pump in these stoves usually fail after a few years of use. Even faster when unused. Unless you like pumping things, get a new washer. Available at large outdoor stores (GI Joes, Pro Bass, etc.). Probably also available from Coleman.
Looks like it’s covered - Coleman makes awesome stuff. As a bonus, they don’t buy in to planned obsolecence, so the same parts that worked decades ago, you can still buy, since their new stuff is built the same way.
Pump it till it gets hard to pump, you will probably have to pump it a bit while you are cooking too. If the pump goes bad just squirt a couple drops of oil in the hole on the pum cover.