View Full Version : White Gas Stove Cleaning
envirodiver
01-16-2008, 18:34
I've read somewhere about cleaning the gunk out of white gas stove using fuel injector cleaning fluid.
Mixing the cleaning fluid with white gas and buring an amount through the stove.
Anyone familiar with this? If so what are the proportions of each to work properly?
never heard of doing this. If you have a question, why not email MSR?
When my whisperlite clogs up, I take it apart.
Ditto what Peaks said...
Tho I've heard stories of old fuel turning to sludge. Haven't encountered that myself.
The Weasel
01-16-2008, 23:20
Ditto what Peaks said...
Tho I've heard stories of old fuel turning to sludge. Haven't encountered that myself.
Old fuel doesn't turn to sludge, and appears the same as "fresh". But after about 6 months, white gas (which is a mix of "fractions" of petroleum distillates) degrades, with some of the fractions turniing into varnish, which clogs stove jets and is harmful to small engines (weed whackers, mowers) as well as larger ones (cars). That's why the recommendation is to drain vehicles that are OOS.
Varnish buildups in stoves are the main reason for clogs, and do NOT "burn out" with use. The stove needs to be field stripped and cleaned. Sometimes using "cleaning gas" (from auto parts stores) mixed into FRESH gas can solve the problem if the stove is otherwise working.
Fuel that is over 6 months old should be (environmentally safely) disposed of. It doesn't help to mix it with fresh.
TW
And now the real story...
Firstly, since we're talking about white gas in the context of hiking/camp stoves, we're almost always talking about Coleman fuel (or other brands such as Ozark).
Coleman fuel has a shelf life of 5 to 7 years (unopened) and 1 to 2 years (open) according to Coleman. I think they're hedging their bets.
Coleman fuel is around 50% naphtha which is a really good solvent, so you will not get varnish problems.
The main reason for clogged camp stoves is good old dirt.
Take it apart and clean it.
I got an MSR Whisperlite that I bought 5 yrs ago. Used it a few times and never got good enough at getting it to light properly. Seemed I was trying to burn everything around me down..lol
I guess I need to bring it out and give it a good cleaning and try again.