Touring - MSR Troubleshooting?

Anyone got good sites or advice for troubleshooting with an MSR Whisperlite International? We've had ours for the duration of our trip (15 months and counting) and never had any problems so far, always running on standard unleaded fuel. In the last couple days though the flame refuses to "settle" from the orange sooty flames that come out at the start of sparking up the stove. We never get that clean blue flame that allows you to cook. We've tried cleaning the fuel line numerous times, changed our fuel in case we got a dirty batch, replaced o-rings and the shaker needle.... we are just stumped as to why it's stopped working so suddenly. One day it was fine, the next not. Ideas?

Anyone got good sites or advice for troubleshooting with an MSR Whisper lite International? We've had ours for the duration of our trip (15 months and counting) and never had any problems so far, always running on standard unleaded fuel. In the last couple days though the flame refuses to "settle" from the orange sooty flames that come out at the start of sparking up the stove. We never get that clean blue flame that allows you to cook. We've tried cleaning the fuel line numerous times, changed our fuel in case we got a dirty batch, replaced o-rings and the shaker needle.... we are just stumped as to why it's stopped working so suddenly. One day it was fine, the next not. Ideas?

Sounds like you have a blocked air vent. It needs O2 for a clean flame. A good cleaning of the burner ring? Sounds like incomplete combustion. Kind of like with a Kerosene heater that burns sooty because the screen is clogged, or perhaps the ring is loose, again, like the Kerosene heater, where you don't have a good bottom seal on the burner?

Are you getting enough fuel pressure? Is the ball check valve inside the pump sealing the fuel bottle to maintain pressure? Is the pump leather properly oiled?

The check valve inside the pump has a ball that is held over the air intake to the fuel tank by a spring, it lets the pump force air into the fuel tank to pressurise it but it won't let air out. If the spring weakens or the plastic ball gets deformed by pressure and age, the fuel tank won't stay pressurised and you won't get that nice hot blue flame. The pump also has a plastic air inlet tube and a plastic tube for fuel to flow out of the bottle, it might be worth checking these. The ball and spring for the check valve are in the MSR rebuild kit if you just want to replace them.

Have you had a look at the filter in the fuel line, sounds exactly the same as happened to me and it was a dirty filter.
Its in the end where the fuel line goes into the pump, I have used the stove for a couple of weeks without a filter before now but Its good to get new ones in asap.

Tailwinds

george

Thanks everyone. The stove is definitely maintaining pressure so that's not the problem but we think the burner might need a good cleaning and the filter possibly too.... thanks for the tips! We're working on it now and will let you know how we get on.

Waiting with bated breath to know if you are eating hot food again :)

george

That is one sturdy stove. I had one spring a leak in the fuel line while in Mexico. Easily found a filing station and replaced the fuel line with a hose and a couple of clamps. It worked great. I have had that stove for YEARS! Sounds like your filter is clogged.

Waiting with bated breath to know if you are eating hot food again :)

george

Sorry to keep you waiting! :)

We got an incredible amount of soot out of the burner but we are in a hotel so nowhere to test our stove.... we might go outside and do it this morning. If that doesn't work then the filter is next on our list for replacement. Hope to let you know soon!

avatarwolf

I am not sure if the wisperlight has a filter!! I have a dragonfly so I may be wrong there, is ther a manual on the web to look at??

good luck ( or buy loads of bread)

george

avatarwolf

I am not sure if the wisperlight has a filter!! I have a dragonfly so I may be wrong there, is ther a manual on the web to look at??
george

My Whisperlight has a filter, I'm pretty sure all the liquid fuel MSRs have filters now.

While your at it you may want to pull off the jet inside your burner that sprays out fuel and clean it with a small fine wire that you'll have in your stove maintenance kit. Just be sure to pull the jet right off your stove so anything you might dislodge falls to the ground - not back into your fuel line.

Happy New Year!

Well, it turned out to be a combination of a clogged filter and lots of soot in the stove. We cleaned the soot out and replaced the filter and now things are working much better. Thanks everyone!