New to this

[KCStudly]

Yup, it's the smaller tube in the center that feeds fuel up from the valve. The heat from the mantles vaporizes the fuel (there is a mesh like media in there... at least on my older 228E) that helps diffuse the fuel; looks sort of like wick material and probably serves the same function (metering fuel from liquid to vapor). The air tube brings air up from below where it is mixed with the fuel vapors from the generator before entering the mantles.

Down in the font there is an emulsion tube (a tube within a tube with a small hole(s) in the outer tube at the top), just like the jet well in a carburetor, with a metering rod (or maybe just a stopper) down the middle. I'm pretty sure that this is where pressurized air in the font is first combined with the fuel, so that it can more easily be converted to vapor in the generator.

At least that's what it looked like to me when I took mine apart to rebuild it. However, I am far from an expert so I may be missing some of the finer nuances in my description, or be plain wrong.

So, like Kirk said, if you preheat the generator some before lighting, it's sort of like warming your car's engine up without having to enrich or choke the carb on a cold start.

[wagondude]

That little torch is cool. I might have to get one of those.

[logman7777]

They used to have those torches in the dollar stores about 10 years ago.. Good cheap butane torch but it does leak after a few fills.

[Zollinger]

It may pump up and hold pressure, but that don't mean that it will light and stay lit. Often the F&A tube in the fount has varnish and the hole can be plugged. That means a total tear down. I also have a small torch that I pre-heat the genny with. DH freaks out when they throw up a fire ball and smokes like the dickens because I flooded the darn thing!

[jseyfert3]

Okay, good news and bad news. Good news is I got it lit. Bad news is after a minute or two it got really dim. Tear-down time? Here's a somewhat long (6:49) video of my first time lighting the lantern, and the subsequent dimming.


For those that didn't or don't want to watch, basically I pre-warmed the generator, lit it up, and it was running good, with the minor flickering that comes with a lantern that's just been lit and needs to warm up a little more. It stabilized, then I tried using the tip cleaner to lower the brightness. As I understand, as you move it to the upwards position it's supposed to get dimmer, correct? Well I slowly moved the tip cleaner up and nothing happened. After 5-10 seconds, I turned it back down, then turned it back up. It started getting dimmer and I turned it back down, and it stayed dim. At this point it refused to get brighter. I rotated the tip cleaner a couple times, then tried pumping in case it lost pressure for some reason. No luck, it refused to get brighter again.

Only thing I'm coming up with, is that either the tip cleaner is broke, or some piece of junk got sucked up into the tip and is jamming it, and I'll need to do a teardown. Input is appreciated.

[jseyfert3]

Update: Just in case it was a fluke, I tried again. This time, it didn't want to even light, but when it did, all I got was a fuel flow so low that it had a flame inside the mantel. The flame was about half the length of the mantel, so not even enough gas to get the entire mantel glowing, let alone at full brightness.

[Zollinger]

Yuppers... it's tear down time. It sounds like it is not getting enough fuel and air. The last time I had the dim light problem it turned out that the F&A tube in the fount was plugged with varnish and stuff. I would study this before starting. http://www.oldcolemanparts.com/resources/re_2lant.php Good luck and report back if you have any questions.

[campmaster-k]

Cool vid. Big smile when it lit.

Sometimes they get better with use. Sometimes it need a full tear down. They get personalities when they get old. Like people.

[Junkboy999]

The first thing I would try is the Generator. Even if it is not getting enough fuel up the fuel /air tube turning the cleaning level as slowly as you turned it around should've turned the lantern off. If it is working properly having the lever up should block all fuel coming out. They are $9 collars at coleman here in wichita. it is easier to try that first. if you're careful you can do it without breaking the mantles.

Here is Dave to show you how it is done. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhb8TMh4_g8

[jseyfert3]

The first thing I would try is the Generator. Even if it is not getting enough fuel up the fuel /air tube turning the cleaning level as slowly as you turned it around should've turned the lantern off. If it is working properly having the lever up should block all fuel coming out. They are $9 collars at coleman here in wichita. it is easier to try that first. if you're careful you can do it without breaking the mantles.

Here is Dave to show you how it is done. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhb8TMh4_g8

Thanks for bringing this up. I was actually planning to ask if I should start with the generator before a full teardown, as I didn't really feel like doing a full teardown, but I kept forgetting to ask. Since you posted, I looked at the video, grabbed my lantern, and pulled the generator. I think I found the problem.


Bent Cleaning Needle Coleman Generator by jseyfert3, on Flickr

I tried to straighten it and although it went back in after straightening, I couldn't see the needle come out the jet, so I believe it's new generator time. To back this up, with the generator off, I pumped the lantern 4-5 times and cracked the valve slightly and fuel started spurting up instantly, so the fuel is not getting stopped anywhere below the generator, which pretty much just leaves the generator as the item that's blocking fuel to the mantels as everything past the generator is wide open.

I'll order a generator tonight, and hopefully I'll get it by this weekend. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Zollinger]

Yup, I think you found yer problem. If careful you might try to straighten it out. Just be careful because it can break or pull out and then it's really junk. Don't ask how I know.

[jseyfert3]

Yup, I think you found yer problem. If careful you might try to straighten it out. Just be careful because it can break or pull out and then it's really junk. Don't ask how I know.

I tried straightening it. No dice. Anyhow, not sure what bent it, but something did.

I have a new one in the mail. Hopefully that's the only problem.

[campmaster-k]

Getting the new generator will definitely cure some ills with that one.

[Junkboy999]

Yep that looks bad.

PM me if you cant find a replace localy and I'll dorp a couple in the slow mail for you.

I just accired this box two day ago + other coleman parts for fixing a few lantern for a guy in your wood workers guild here in Wichita. They look a bit dingy but that is just the age of them.

[jseyfert3]

Yep that looks bad.

PM me if you cant find a replace localy and I'll dorp a couple in the slow mail for you.

I just accired this box two day ago + other coleman parts for fixing a few lantern for a guy in your wood workers guild here in Wichita. They look a bit dingy but that is just the age of them.

Wow, that's a lot of generators!

I've already ordered a new generator from eBay for $11.50 the night I found it, but thanks for the offer.