Coleman 533 single burner dual fuel stove

Meaning either white gas or automotive unleaded. I dont know that I would exactly call it low buck, gave $48 for mine, but it was like new condition and works fine. Cost around $70 new on Amazon. I had never used a gasoline stove before. There is a bit of a learning curve, but not a big one. One thing, if you want to simmer, you need to get the thing nice and hot. Its easy to get to a full blue flame, but it wont reduce down cleanly until generator tube is really hot. And if you dont wait, it will tend to boil things over side of pot going full blast. It does seem to adjust to simmer easier if first you let it burn on full flame for few minutes, then turn it off, then when you relight it, then its very adjustable. Go figure.

In other words its not instant on-off, takes more patience than propane. Puts out lot heat more than burners on my propane stove. Little smell when first lit on automotive gas. Goes away quick once its hot.

Used pressure cooker on the gasoline stove to cook dinner today. It worked fine, but the one thing using these camp stoves inside is that after you turn burner off, they still somehow siphon a bit of gas through generator tube, putting off unburned vapor and they stink at that point. Especially if you use them for extended periods like with a pressure cooker.

I am sure they could add some check valve or something if they were designing them for indoor use. Seems like good idea for outdoor use too, but that suggestion and dollar will buy you cup coffee. It might add 50 cents to cost of production or something. Indoor gasoline stoves never going to happen at this point in history, worry/safety freaks would have a fit about using gasoline stove inside. Though most such people never used one and are clueless. The small tank fuel doesnt get hot. But simple way to handle it is after turning off stove, set it outside to cool down. While burning its nice forceful blue flame, just like with propane stove, with no odor.

I will also eventually make a support trivet to fit around the stove and take weight off the top of the stove with larger pans like the pressure cooker. There is a youtube video I watched of some English guy that made one. He even made it to fold up so can take it with you camping. But stupid simple just to weld a solid one out of scrap rebar for home use.

Oh, I had gotten curious and put in bid on a 425C two burner Coleman.  Best I can tell made in early 1960s.  From pics, though the sheet metal "suitcase" was rusty, the burners looked pretty clean.  Didnt figure I would win it, but did.  Think I gave $21 shipped, postage seller paid to send it was $22.  In other words he lost money on the deal.  Guess he was gambling on setting in at lower price that it would get more than one bid and save him on ebay fees. Guess he was lucky buyer didnt live further away. Really suck paying $30+ to ship an item you sold $21 shipped price.

So I open it up and go to check tank for internal rust.  Filler cap on there TIGHT.  But get it off and see fuel?  A lot of fuel, apparently the tank almost full of stale Coleman fuel.  I put little oil in the pump and nothing, no pressure.  Pull the pump and somebody had replaced the leather cup with a neoprene one though it had the old type pump with the square nut below and hex nut above the cup.  The newer ones have a pressed on sort of nut you pry off.

So read about restoring the Coleman stuff and it said just good chance its a bad seal in the filler cap as bad pump.  So this morning put the cap from the 533 on the 425c tank.  It pumped up and would squirt fuel.  So after bit messing, tried lighting it installed in stove.  Bingo.  It lit and stabilized to a nice steady blue flame.  Heated my coffee water with it.  I actually like the suitcase style stove better than the single burner backpacking version for home inside use.  Its more stable to set pans on, and has turn off valve so dont get "the vapors" after using it.

Ordered some new seals for filler cap and 3 new third party reproduction leathers.  Coleman only sells the neoprene ones in repair kit.  The existing neoprene one did pressurize the tank, but its marginal.  

Oh looking on ebay saw some replacement caps, supposedly made by Amish, though could be via China.... Anyway they had a schrader valve built in, so you can pressurize the tank via a bicycle tire pump.  Cost $10 which is about what a new Coleman replacement filler cap costs.  That could be good for somebody where built in pump not so easy to use.  I mean you could get one of those bicycle pumps you push with your foot.  There was also a listing for a replacement cap that had both schrader valve and a little pressure gauge.  Ok that is really cool though its about $15.  But if you wanted to diagnose a Coleman stove or lantern, there is sure fire way to do it.  Not in anyway necessary for just using a Coleman stove or lantern, but still cool.

Oh and I have a Coleman lantern on way.  It also looks long unused, but not abused.  Guessing it worked last time somebody tried using it, then set for decades.  So probably new leather and filler cap seal do wonders for it too.  No idea if the globe will survive shipping, some sellers are clueless and frankly lazy.  It had intact globe.  Like stove cost me about $21 shipped.  If it works its a bargain.  Though not sure I particularly need a Coleman lantern.  But I am having fun learning about the Coleman gasoline technology.

Oh there are some out there saying never give over $10 for a Coleman, but seriously that is assuming you hit bunch flea markets and yard sales.  Figure the gasoline burned in your vehicle and the time standing/walking around and its not such a bargain.  But each to their own.  You are out and about lot anyway, then maybe it makes sense.

Got the lantern and miracle of miracles, the glass globe was intact. Neoprene cup on pump and it was split. I tried the one from the 425 but it was marginal for the stove. Worthless on the lantern. Wait for the new leather cups. This lantern obviously set longer than the 2 burner stove. But its still decent enough looking. Long as new cup and filler cap seal get gas flowing. Be lot nicer if people would empty the tank when done with their camping trip and maybe even leave the filler cap off and taped or wired to the appliance. Then any dregs of fuel would evaporate.

On other hand if it had been taken care of, it would brought more money. And still probably needed the cup and seal replaced.

Ok, still havent gotten the new leather cups.  But after playing with lantern some more.  First the check valve at end of pump was gummed up.  I couldnt get it out with screwdrive, they seem designed to make this difficult.  Read where you can grind off end of a half inch spade drill bit flat and it will fit  well. Or you can buy a special Coleman tool for this for $32.  Anyway after messing with carb cleaner, got it so check valve seemed to function.  Still not getting gas through the system.  After lot trial and error, gas was getting through until the jet on end of generator tube.  That sucker plugged pretty tight.  Not being smart and patient enough to soak it in carb cleaner, I tried heating it.  Oops, seems not great idea with brass.  

And of course the jet isnt sold separately so ordered new generator that includes jet and the wire cleaner thingie.  Actually two since best I could tell buying pair for $18.25 was cheapest way to buy them.  Single one around $12 to $13.  But thats it, pretty sure it will work with new generator tube.  Very common problem on old Coleman lanterns. Without the jet, was getting gas sputtering out and hiss, with jet nothing coming through and no hiss.    The check valve at end pump just plugged from old fuel left in tank forever until it dried to lacquer like crap. The carb cleaner seemed to dissolve this.  The generator tubes supposed to have some cardboard or older ones some fabric inside that disintegrates over time and plugs things up.

Ok, got the new generator tubes.  And problem with old one was the teeny tiny wire that moves up and down to clean the jet had apparently broken off plugging the jet.  This is not something repairable.

So put new generator in the lantern and new mantles of course.  Pumped her up and nothing.  After lot playing, got it to light but it eventually went out after about 10 minutes.  I assume more crud in the system.  It will probably work better with use so I will use it regularly for a while though dont need it.   Suspect neglect and poor storage resulted in more of these old Coleman gasoline stoves and lanterns failing than anything else.  

I am guessing if one wanted to store one of these long term, take that generator tube off, pull out the internals and pop it in jar of light machine oil to keep it from corroding.  Leave that fine wire in there and it will corrode in place and break off when you move the crank to clean he jet.

The lanterns are far more delicate than the stoves.  Those old suitcase stoves in particular are pretty bulletproof.  Though no doubt you can plug up the generator tube/jet on them too.  Guessing maybe bigger jet on them so little more robust.

Oh on the lantern, I had misplaced the washer that holds down cage on square brass piece.  Had to make one.  I looked online but this is not something normally sold.  There is a part number but its meaningless to buy a replacement.  Sure anybody losing it just makes one.   Like all these little bits and bobs, it would be some crazy price is you did find one.

I pulled the stand pipe from the tank on the lantern. Its got a spring loaded metering rod in it too. Anyway cleaned it up with carb cleaner and used rest of can cleaning out tank best I could with the stand pipe removed, before I reassembled it.

Put it together and after some puttering it lit and stayed lit for half hour until I decided it would work reliably and turned it off. Oh the cheapo Chinese lantern mantles work fine. I gave 50cents each for them from a USA seller and got them in few days. If I could wait a month they are half that from China seller. The Coleman mantles of course are more like $3 or $4 each.

So I have a working Coleman lantern, circa 1973, that I probably didnt need, but kinda fun. I will use it for few evenings then drain it and store it.

Ordered in a supply of China mantles to have on hand. 16cents each. Sounds about right. I had the lantern on last night. This isnt the brightest light. Little better than an old unpressurized wick style kerosene lamp, but nothing close to that two mantle propane lantern I had long ago. I swear my 0.5 watt LED flashlight pointed to ceiling lights up room more. Either these mantles arent as effective or not enough fuel is flowing. Maybe both. I mean its good enough to be useful, but... Oh and adjusting the knob beyond quarter turn really doesnt do anything. The needle valve thingie makes more difference how you adjust it.

Update, the single burner 533 is giving me problems, think its clogging up with unleaded gasoline gunk. I now have to play with it , moving lever and thus the wire inside the tube, back and forth before it burns right.

I you have the space I suggest the suitcase two burner Coleman. I have had little to no trouble with the 425 on gasoline, even though it is supposedly for Coleman fuel only. Plus if you do need new generator tube, they are lot less pricey than ones for the 533. I may try adding some of the fuel injection cleaner to the 533 and see if that helps.