The old school 2 burner gasoline stove

[SoulRaven]

The old school 2 burner gasoline stove

 
 
My 1954-1961 model 425B, which I use on a daily basis, was not burning properly after 3+ months of continuous usage.
 
So with the help of this website
 
http://www.landcruisingadventure.com/the-gasoline-coleman-stove/
 
I took the generator apart and gave it a good cleaning.
 
In the future I am going to put a dash of fuel injector cleaner into my one-gallon gas can that I use to store fuel for the stove.

 

[LeeRevell]

I stopped using white gas stoves when I had one (Coleman multi-fuel) flare up and catch fire! Luckily outside, where I could douse it with water. Had it been in a van, it would have been a disaster. Been a true-blue propane guy ever since.
I do still have a multi-fuel Coleman lantern, but never use it.

 

[wagoneer]

I have had zero problems mice elf. Only use unleaded when I have to, don't like to carry any in my van gasoline is very volatile .

 

[SoulRaven]

The multi fuel models are junk!

I use mine either a picnic table and if that’s not available I cook on the tailgate of my pickup.

 

[MikeRuth]

I stopped using white gas stoves when I had one (Coleman multi-fuel) flare up and catch fire!  Luckily outside, where I could douse it with water.  Had it been in a van, it would have been a disaster.  Been a true-blue propane guy ever since.
I do still have a multi-fuel Coleman lantern, but never use it.

No argument, that could have been a disaster. 
Those 425F stoves just simply need some maintenance. Most common cause of that type of fire is a clogged generator that starts spiting raw fuel as opposed to vaporizing it as it should. 

For those who use them, watch the videos in the above post and your stove will work wonderfully. 
I think mine is close to 25 years old or more now and still works as good as the day we bought it. 
I haven't tried fueling it with Gasoline, just white gas. 

Mike
 

 

[LeeRevell]

Should not have been a clogged generator. That stove was NEW almost out of the box. Had only fired it up once before!
It hasn't been used since.

 

[SoulRaven]

On the road in campgrounds, I've seen a lot of those white gas, or unleaded gas stoves flare up and helped the people out with my fire extinguisher.

Over the years I have become a fan of the kerosene stoves with a wick. They are not pressurized so there is very little chance of a flare up.

 

[highdesertranger]

I used to have one but way to expensive, plus when I would heat tortillas on the open flame it gave them a funny taste, kinda like when you use charcoal lighter fluid for your bbq, it makes everything taste funny. so for me no more white gas(propane) and no more lighter fluid(I use a charcoal starter box) highdesertranger

 

[jimindenver]

My folks use to have both the stove and the lanterns in the 60/70's. I can still remember dad pumping them up. I had one of the stoves in the 80'sbut it never worked at altitude so I converted it to propane. It worked but compared to a modern propane stove, it wasn't nearly as hot. After 20 years we gave it away when thinning out but I still have the propane adapter around here somewhere.

 

[SoulRaven]

The “PROBLEM” with gasoline-powered appliances is lack of proper maintenance; this is the whole point of this thread.

My maintained 60-year-old gas stove burns much hotter than propane and costs about ½ in fuel costs vs. a 20-pound bulk tank of LP gas. When compared to 1-pound throwaway LP cylinders cost is 10x vs. pump gasoline.

A gallon of unleaded pump gasoline contains 114k BTU’s vs. 84k for propane.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_gallon_equivalent

 

[cdiggy]

The “PROBLEM” with gasoline-powered appliances is lack of proper maintenance; this is the whole point of this thread.

My maintained 60-year-old gas stove burns much hotter than propane and costs about ½ in fuel costs vs. a 20-pound bulk tank of LP gas. When compared to 1-pound throwaway LP cylinders cost is 10x vs. pump gasoline.

A gallon of unleaded pump gasoline contains 114k BTU’s vs. 84k for propane.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_gallon_equivalent

Agreed! They get dirty and need to be maintained properly. Mine is about 50 years old and works great. If you rush starting it up it will flare up but that is an issue of improper operation. My only issue (and why it is my backup) is when you turn it off it is slow going out and fumes at the end. It certainly burns hotter and more efficient than my propane, the propane just doesn't give off the noxious fumes when shutting down and is 'instant on and ready to go' when first lit.

 

[LeeRevell]

On the flip side, propane devices don't need the maintenance that pressurized liquid-fuel stoves do. I find them cheaper, safer and more convenient. I am willing to pay the fuel cost for those benefits.

 

[SoulRaven]

The fuel cost comparison between pump gasoline and one pound (one quart of LP) cylinders is absurd.

 
Gasoline right now is $2.25 with all taxes included and you get 114 BTU’s of energy or  .02 cents per BTU.
 
A quart of LP costs $3.09 with FL sales tax and contains 21K BTU’s of energy or  .15 cents per BTU.
 
Now take into the acquisition cost of the equipment where a new two burner Coleman propane stove (with awful consumer reviews) is about $70 plus sales tax and an old 2 burner gasoline stove at a yard sale will set you back $5-10 and no sales tax, the sweat equity of giving the generator a good cleaning or installing a new one for $10 is a viable, sustainable and a more economical choice.
 
For next years winters Florida Snowbird expedition I am not only going to bring my gasoline stove and lantern I will also load up my Coleman gasoline heater.
 
I don’t plan to use it inside the camper but inside the screen tent in the evening hours much like a campfire but without the work of gathering wood and toxic smoke and stink.

 

[cdiggy]

The fuel cost comparison between pump gasoline and one pound (one quart of LP) cylinders is absurd.

 
Gasoline right now is $2.25 with all taxes included and you get 114 BTU’s of energy or  .02 cents per BTU.
 
A quart of LP costs $3.09 with FL sales tax and contains 21K BTU’s of energy or  .15 cents per BTU.
 
Now take into the acquisition cost of the equipment where a new two burner Coleman propane stove (with awful consumer reviews) is about $70 plus sales tax and an old 2 burner gasoline stove at a yard sale will set you back $5-10 and no sales tax, the sweat equity of giving the generator a good cleaning or installing a new one for $10 is a viable, sustainable and a more economical choice.
 
For next years winters Florida Snowbird expedition I am not only going to bring my gasoline stove and lantern I will also load up my Coleman gasoline heater.
 
I don’t plan to use it inside the camper but inside the screen tent in the evening hours much like a campfire but without the work of gathering wood and toxic smoke and stink.

I have been eyeballing those Coleman catalytics on eBay. Can get one cheap

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah but propane is 1/2 the price of gas out west here and about 1/3 the price of the white gas made especially for the stoves. my backpacking stoves are white gas but I never cook anything over the open flame on those. I also have a bbq that fits over my propane stove. I don't want to bbq my steak over gasoline. highdesertranger

 

[c_hasbeen]

I like your cook stove for sure!

as a back up stove a person can always make something like this little stove
http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/build-mini-rocket-stove-upcycled-tin-cans.html

it uses wood and can be made quite cheaply

 

[SoulRaven]

The “PROBLEM” with gasoline-powered appliances is lack of proper maintenance; this is the whole point of this thread.

My maintained 60-year-old gas stove burns much hotter than propane and costs about ½ in fuel costs vs. a 20-pound bulk tank of LP gas. When compared to 1-pound throwaway LP cylinders cost is 10x vs. pump gasoline.

A gallon of unleaded pump gasoline contains 114k BTU’s vs. 84k for propane.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_gallon_equivalent

That's one of things I like about kerosene as well, it's 128k BTU's I think.

 

[SoulRaven]

Today I am having a .50-cent lunch.

 One 15-ounce can of green peas (.33) steamed with rice and finished with butter and soy sauce with a bottle of water (.10).
 
When your fuel costs .02 per 1k BTU’s a 20-minute steam costs pennies.
 
It’s all part of my self imposed austerity program where I spend just $10 a day total on average.

 

[cdiggy]

Today I am having a .50-cent lunch.

 One 15-ounce can of green peas (.33) steamed with rice and finished with butter and soy sauce with a bottle of water (.10).
 
When your fuel costs .02 per 1k BTU’s a 20-minute steam costs pennies.
 
It’s all part of my self imposed austerity program where I spend just $10 a day total on average.

Man yours is in way better condition then mine. Yours looks like it is in mint condition!

 

[LeeRevell]

Choice. We all have our preferences and priorities. It isn't about the relative costs, or one's concepts of efficiency. We make our choices. Mine remains propane. It's the best choice for me. YMMV, of course.