Touring - whisperlite and and idiot

well, there was the whisperlite internationale and there was an idiot (Me)

i tried to fix the stuck air pump and ended up launching the valve at the bottom of the air pump barrel into some place in the woods in china.

needless to say, can't find it again.

any solution to this one? besides
a) contacting MSR (done)
b) buy the expedition service kit (don't want to drop $25 on just a valve, might as well get a new pump


anyone got a broken pump that i can salvage that from? will pay postage, naturally.
thank you a lot

china is nice, and fun and there are a lot of accidents to watch. a bit scary at times how many close calls i've already had. out in 10 days... whew but i hear vietnam isn't much better either.

tzuo

Wish I could help. Good luck with finding solutions.

(Someone in China who is good at improvising might be able to do something for you. There must be sources there for these sorts of materials. You or someone else there might be able to fashion something that would work.)

Great trip! :)

Anyone have a url for an exploded diagram, I couldn't even get the home site to open. I have a dealer repair kit somewhere, not sure what is stiill in it at the moment. Anyone know if the pumps are all the same. My whisper and GK sure look similar.

MSR Website is down.

Tzou, it looks like you are nearing Hong Kong where you can find a new pump. Are you heading to HK?

Anyone know if the pumps are all the same. My whisper and GK sure look similar.

The REI description of the Standard Pump (http://www.rei.com/product/709004) indicates that the one pump works for WhisperLite, WhisperLite Internationale, SimmerLite, and XGK stoves.

Speedo

thanks guys.
i MIGHT go to HK if i have an extra day. not sure as of now. doing research as to where i can get that pump. chinese shops don't sell just the pump tho there are a lot of shops. they don't carry any of the service kits either.

as far as the exploded diagram question goes... from what i know, all the pumps are the same, whisperlite, dragonfly, etc etc. the pressurizing mechanism is the same.

to see the valve, look at the bottom of the barrel, where the barrel narrows and forms an L.
there is a red stopper thing, behind which is the spring, and behind the spring is the valve.

now, don't do what i did and pump the plunger with the stopper and spring out and with the pump aiming to high heavens in the direction of timbuktu. thats where my valve is now.

keep the help coming or i'm eating everything raw from here to msia.... have $450 left to get from here, guangzhou to msia.... it might get a bit ugly at times. thats $450 in bank, pocket, everywhere.

tzuo

Maybe until you can find parts you can use an alcohol stove?

http://jwbasecamp.com/Articles/SuperCat/index.html

It's a very easy to make cat can stove. A small can and a few holes and at least you'd be able to boil water and warm food up. There is information on international names and availability of alcohol fuel here:

http://www.mark-ju.net/juliette/meths.htm

I found my parts, and they are all o-rings, pump leathers, retaining clips, pump seat gasket, various filters, valve stem, sparker assembly, deflection shields, several orifice/jets, etc... I guess they didn't figure on that part blowing.

i work at an outdoor store that sells msr stove parts, ill look for part for you when i go into work. which pump do you have? the website shows a new one with a 90degree bend in the plastic body, while the pump i own uses a smaller plastic tube that is fitted into the body.

ok i called work instead, and they've got the parts for the older pump, but not the newer one, which is what i think you have, based on your earlier description that i just re-read. im out, failed, sorry...

In India, there are people who are game for fabricating just about any part on a bike, and they usually succeed at it. There must be people in China like this.

There may be something else that would work in its place.

If nothing else, someone could probably set you up with a substitute pump.

i have a spare pump. message me if you want it.

as far as the exploded diagram question goes... from what i know, all the pumps are the same, whisperlite, dragonfly, etc etc. the pressurizing mechanism is the same.

to see the valve, look at the bottom of the barrel, where the barrel narrows and forms an L.
there is a red stopper thing, behind which is the spring, and behind the spring is the valve.

now, don't do what i did and pump the plunger with the stopper and spring out and with the pump aiming to high heavens in the direction of timbuktu. thats where my valve is now.

tzuo


The pumps are not the same! I have a dragonfly, and I used to own a simmerlite (or a whisperlite, I can't remember which). I lost the whisperlite stove, but I still have the pump assembly. The designs of the pumps are incredibly similar, and many of the parts look like they might be interchangeable. But the male/female socket that connects the stove hose to the pump is differently sized between the two pumps that I own.

I will send you my spare pump if you want it. Message me if you do.

Good luck brother! Keep her rolling....:)

hey thanks guys,
like m5nardi suggested, i'll rig together an alcohol stove and burn lead contaminated rice wine if i have to. might just build proper fires with help of petrol if i really need to. gots a lot more time now and slowing down to enjoy weather.

contacted 2 folks in Cascade and both were helpful. one of them is mailing me the valve and another got me in touch with dealers in hk and malaysia. im sure something will work out somewhere.

brotherdan, thanks for offering the spare pump, but do keep it for the cyclist who REALLY needs to cook to keep rolling. i just need a valve. preciate it.

invisible, graditude for checking and work etc. that was very nice of you.

niles, i can hardly communicate when it comes to technical terms. i know how to haggle the price of a steamed bun in china, but can hardly name bike parts. besides, don't really want to use a hacked part on something that contained a half liter of gas all the time.... burns are hot. nice idea tho.

and peterpan, your stuff sounds like its acculated from the annual maintenance kit. i spose that part is a last forever part not needing annual servicing. its not idiotproof enough apparently. at least i proved so. thanks for checking!

will let you know on how it goes with cascade designs. they are real nice!!

alrighty... in vietnam in a week and home in 40 days, can hardly wait, but im getting the i don't want it to end really feeling already.... sob. no one warned me of that one.

tzuo

just wanted to thanks everyone again and says that MSR just sent me a valve. they musts have a soft spot for the less than average camp gear mechanic out there.

MSR rox, and so does a new valve.

oooh, in Hanoi, just found a few riding parter potentially all way back to msia. will be reading lots of posts on touring with a companion... i spose that helps, just like the other posts.

hokays, MSR rox, and rox again for good measure