MSR Whisperlite preheat or alternatives - help

[AJB]

Hi,

I’m still working on Operation Midlife Crisis (a round Europe motorbike tour), that I’ve asked for help re stoves in the “Out and about” forum.

I think I’ve decided that a petrol stove is the sensible way to go. I’ve got a MSR Whisperlite which is wonderful on Coleman fuel but preheating it on unleaded (which is what I would want to run it on) is just hopeless – the whole thing gets so sooty that it would be a nightmare to use and pack up once or twice a day.

Does anyone have any advice – I’ve thought of carrying some Coleman fuel or meths or Greenheat to use to preheat, but that just seems ridiculous as I lose most of the advantages of the thing in the first place and I might as well just use a gas stove.

Can anyone recommend a stove that runs on unleaded without being filthy to use? Anyone used a Coleman APEX® II Stove?

Thanks for reading.

Andy

 

[JonnyP]

Don't put too much petrol in the bottom to pre heat... Its usually ok for me. Only needs more fuel in the bottom when its really cold... I always use petrol in mine..

 

[scanker]

When I was a kid we used to have some sort of flammable gel in a tube for pre-heating paraffin stoves. That are maybe some Esbit tablets?

 

[AJB]

Thanks guys, Jonny P - what do you call too much )

 

[decorum]

Do you keep the wire in the fuel pipe clean? Doing so will help with the stoves efficiency.

 

[cccc]

I have only used it with cold weather fuels in Greenland. The pre-heat procedure was very simple, if not a little exciting when I put a little too much juice on whilst in the tent...

Other than that it was simple, but like you said I would guess our fuel was a little cleaner than unleaded.

Would be interested to hear what the outcome of this is, please post any findings

c

 

[AJB]

Hi Decorum,

The stove burns brilliantly – it’s a jet engine, it just gets covered in soot during the preheat.

Anyone using a different petrol stove?

 

[spamel]

I use an Optimus Nova+ and have no problems with the preheat, the simmer is pretty good too. I also like the fact that the fuel line is the adjustment for the flame power, or whatever you want to call it, and that by flipping the bottle you can vacate the fuel line of fuel before disconnecting with a proper Quick Release Coupling. No spillage of fuel, or annoying dripping to cover the rest of your kit in stinky fuel.

 

[rik_uk3]

Hi,

I’m still working on Operation Midlife Crisis (a round Europe motorbike tour), that I’ve asked for help re stoves in the “Out and about” forum.

I think I’ve decided that a petrol stove is the sensible way to go. I’ve got a MSR Whisperlite which is wonderful on Coleman fuel but preheating it on unleaded (which is what I would want to run it on) is just hopeless – the whole thing gets so sooty that it would be a nightmare to use and pack up once or twice a day.

Does anyone have any advice – I’ve thought of carrying some Coleman fuel or meths or Greenheat to use to preheat, but that just seems ridiculous as I lose most of the advantages of the thing in the first place and I might as well just use a gas stove.

Can anyone recommend a stove that runs on unleaded without being filthy to use? Anyone used a Coleman APEX® II Stove?

Thanks for reading.

Andy

Andy, now I know where your going you should have no problem finding fuel
http://www.bushwalking.org.au/FAQ/FAQ_FuelNames.htm

Don't burn or prime with unleaded fuel, you get soot, clogged stoves and fumes you don't want to inhale.

Coleman type fuel is available in Europe and cheaper, as is meths/alcohol and paraffin. If your going into 'Old Europe' (Russia etc) I'd be tempted to take something like a Trangia, if push comes to shove you can always use cheap high strength Vodka in it A cheap gas stove takes up no space and you can get fuel in most parts of central Europe, camping gaz or the standard thread cans for the stoves common in the UK and Scandinavia should not be a problem for you.


Have a great trip mate

 

[decorum]

As it seems working efficiently I'd go with this:

too much juice

I take it that you strip & clean it every so often - there'll probably be a build up of impurities in the fuel pipe and buner head; all easily cleaned out though.

 

[AJB]

Hello Spamel,

Just to confirm, is your Nova+ good with unleaded and does it preheat in the same way as mine (ie a small amount of unpressurised petrol burning to heat it) but WITHOUT the soot problem?

Thanks Richard, my preference of the petrol stove is so I don’t have to spend time looking around for fuel, I can just siphon it out of the bike. If I’m going to look for fuel, I think I’d probably just go gas, what do you think?

Andy

 

[spamel]

I primarily use colemans, or naptha when i was in the forces, a bit of normal petrol has gone through it in the past but to be honest i never have just one fuel type in it. I top it up with whatever i have to hand! Never had a problem with sooting. I pump the pressure up on the bottle and let the fule spray out for a few seconds then shut off the fuel. Then, spark up the fuel and let it burn almost right down, and turn the fuel on just before the priming fuel burns out. Simple as that.

 

[AJB]

Cheers Spamel,

Mine does that with Coleman with no problem - it's just preheating with pure petrol that make it look like it's been up a chimney for a month!

It's looking more and more like gas!

 

[JonnyP]

Thanks guys, Jonny P - what do you call too much )

Anything over half filling the cup... I usually try to get away with about a quarter filled cup..
Soot hasn't really been a problem with my whisperlight, once its roaring its fine.. Simmering is the biggest problem I have, you need to keep adjusting the control....

 

[sapper1]

the problem you have is impurities in the petrol and the only way to avoid this is only use white gas (coleman fuel) for priming

 

[AJB]

Anything over half filling the cup... I usually try to get away with about a quarter filled cup..
Soot hasn't really been a problem with my whisperlight, once its roaring its fine.. Simmering is the biggest problem I have, you need to keep adjusting the control....

Cheers mate! Well I don't know what I'm doing wrong, I guess I should stop buying Tesco's extra sooty unleaded!

 

[JonnyP]

Cheers mate! Well I don't know what I'm doing wrong, I guess I should stop buying Tesco's extra sooty unleaded!

Perhaps it needs a clean out..Give it a good shake and if that don't work maybe give it a thorough clean... I have never had to clean mine other than shaking it though.. Also if yours is burning well, it doesn't sound like cleaning is needed..?? I reckon you are filling the cup up too much. Try it with less fuel in to prime it and see how you get on...
I keep an old rag in with mine which I wrap it up in after I have used it so if it is sooty its not going to get on everything else..
There was mention a few months ago about some sort of cleaning fluid that works just as well as colmans fluid, but I cannot remember what it was, maybe someone else can...

 

[AJB]

Yeah, thanks, it works perfectly it's just covered in soot from the preheat - I've tried preheating with very little fueel but then when I turn it up it doesn't seem to be hot enough, burns badly and gets even sootier!!!

I think the liquid you were talking about was pannel wipe!

After talking it through I think I'm going to dump the MSR and just go gas - so much less grief!

Sad really it's such a nice piece of kit, just not practical for my useage.

 

[EdS]

Primus Omifuel - petrol, kerosene (parafin), diesel at a sooty push and gas gas canisters.

 

[AJB]

Cheers guys, what's the Primus like on straight unleaded?

Sooty?