I have been using my Whisperlite International for about 12 years and always use white gas as fuel.

Any ideas about how to clean off the carbon buildup? It is not a functional problem, just an issue with getting carbon all over me when I set it up and tear it down.

Back in the day, carburetor cleaner would have done the job (I think), but these days, carb cleaner has lost its potency due to whatever reason.

Try a citrus based cleaning wipe. They work well for me.
To prevent the soot/carbon buildup use alcohol for priming.

butthead

Citric acid works as well, get it in the canning section of the grocery store. I use it to clean up my coleman stoves and lanterns.

another tip, once you get it cleaned off, prime the stove with denatured alcohol. It burns clean, gets the generator loop hot, then start the white gas once it's warm. I have a small squirt bottle to carry the DN alcohol in. if it leaks or spills, no big deal since it's essentially everclear. no bad smells.

um, I should have read Butthead's reply fully before responding. LOL!

Thanks guys! I will try this and report back.
I knew about the alcohol primer but have not been motivated to try it since my stove is already so dirty.

gotwins: "um, I should have read Butthead's reply fully before responding. LOL!"

Hey such is my lot. The Everclear is a much better idea as I use meth alcohol stove fuel, POISONOUS! A lot better mixer.

butthead

Just to be clear, DON’T drink denatured alcohol, as it does have methanol added to it. Everclear is drinkable, of course :)

I have a lead and carbon solvent that is designed to clean muzzelloaders and rimfire guns. It's a nasty chemical but it gets your stuff clean as the day you bought it! I use a pipette to put single drops of it on the cleaning surface at a time. Use eye protection, respirator and gloves!

I'd like to take this opportunity to speak of my love of the MSR Whisperlite. Bulletproof stove. Easy to fix and clean in the field. Never has let me down. Mine is from ~1994 (standard white gas, not International), purchased at Midwest Mountaineering when I was a Sophomore at the U. Still rips a hot flame now 26 years later. I hope that someday my kids will want to steal it from me for their own adventures! I also got lucky, I'm still using the original pump, the gray and black one. I also own 2 Dragonflys that get more use these days so I can simmer, but if I could only choose one desert island stove, it probably would be the Whisperlite.

I met Will Steger last February at a fundraiser and asked him why he took the Whisperlite on his expeditions Vs. the Dragonfly. He said, "well, the whisperlite is a lot more quiet." If it's good enough for Will, it's good enough for me.

The Whisperlite 600 International is the only stove I melted a .2 inch aluminum plate on. I was using it with a K jet on Coleman fuel with extra burner waffle plates added!

butthead

Was that on purpose ?

gotwins: "I'd like to take this opportunity to speak of my love of the MSR Whisperlite. Bulletproof stove. Easy to fix and clean in the field. Never has let me down. Mine is from ~1994 (standard white gas, not International), purchased at Midwest Mountaineering when I was a Sophomore at the U. Still rips a hot flame now 26 years later. I hope that someday my kids will want to steal it from me for their own adventures! I also got lucky, I'm still using the original pump, the gray and black one. I also own 2 Dragonflys that get more use these days so I can simmer, but if I could only choose one desert island stove, it probably would be the Whisperlite.

I met Will Steger last February at a fundraiser and asked him why he took the Whisperlite on his expeditions Vs. the Dragonfly. He said, "well, the whisperlite is a lot more quiet." If it's good enough for Will, it's good enough for me."

DItto. When I am camping with someone else...I hope they stay asleep until I get the stove lit and water started. It is a magical experience.

Whisperlite

I made some progress using Hoppes gun bore cleaner.

Have not tried citrus wipes yet. Any recommendation on a good one to buy??

TechnoScout: "I made some progress using Hoppes gun bore cleaner.


Have not tried citrus wipes yet. Any recommendation on a good one to buy??"

When I fix up the old colemans, I disassemble and soak the parts in a citric acid solution. I got it in the canning section at the store. I’ve taken my whisperlite apart too, it’s pretty simple. I’d take it apart and soak it in the acid overnight.

gotwins: "

TechnoScout: "I made some progress using Hoppes gun bore cleaner.



Have not tried citrus wipes yet. Any recommendation on a good one to buy??"

When I fix up the old colemans, I disassemble and soak the parts in a citric acid solution. I got it in the canning section at the store. I’ve taken my whisperlite apart too, it’s pretty simple. I’d take it apart and soak it in the acid overnight. "

Sounds like a plan. Thanks

WHendrix: "Was that on purpose ?"

I was experimenting with how much heat I could get so you could say it was intentional. Turned out more than I wanted so I went back to as sold, minus the shaker needle. I use good filtered fuel so the jets rarely clog. And the stove runs a bit better without it. Same for all my shaker jet stoves.
I have a pile of MSR stoves and lots of parts to experiment with, or set fire to my garage!

"Have not tried citrus wipes yet. Any recommendation on a good one to buy??"
I have used, with good results, PowerHouse Orange Citrus Multi-Purpose Cleaner Wipes - 35 CT a household cleaner and a bunch of shop/automotive wipes, Gunk, Gojo, Tub-O-Towles and no-name.

butthead

I ordered some of this. Will arrive tomorrow.
Citric Acid

TechnoScout: "I ordered some of this. Will arrive tomorrow.
Citric Acid "

Looks like the stuff I used. If you dissasemble the stove to soak it, I'd use about 1/4 cup in a quart of water as a starting spot. Throw the parts in that mix, let it soak overnight, then use a bit of steel wool or a wire brush to knock off the soot. Rinse well under water, then dry the parts thoroughly. Take a photo and make us all jealous showing us how shiny your stove is :)

I recently discovered that using granular citric acid in the dishwasher gets rid of hard water residue and we now have shiny dishes. I got a good sized bag, now I'll have to start experimenting with cleaning up some stoves!

gotwins: "

TechnoScout: "I ordered some of this. Will arrive tomorrow.
Citric Acid "

Looks like the stuff I used. If you dissasemble the stove to soak it, I'd use about 1/4 cup in a quart of water as a starting spot. Throw the parts in that mix, let it soak overnight, then use a bit of steel wool or a wire brush to knock off the soot. Rinse well under water, then dry the parts thoroughly. Take a photo and make us all jealous showing us how shiny your stove is :)"

Stuff arrives today. This morning I took the stove apart in anticipation. Went ahead and cleaned the main shaft using Hoppes...just because. It came out pretty clean, but I am still going to soak in citric acid.

I will post pictures.

gotwins: "

TechnoScout: "I ordered some of this. Will arrive tomorrow.
Citric Acid "

Looks like the stuff I used. "

I have well water. I have been using vinegar every couple of months to descale my coffee maker. Apparently this will do the job too and probably smell a whole lot better.

TechnoScout: "

I will post pictures."

Before and after shots would interesting.

rdgbwca: "

TechnoScout: "


I will post pictures."

Before and after shots would interesting."

I should have done that. Here is a shot after cleaning with Hoppes. Limited improvement on the bowl.


I will post after next step

I have a Simmerlite that has never been cleaned. I will do a before and after on that.

That looks pretty darn good! Maybe I should go give mine a cleaning!

rdgbwca: "

gotwins: "

TechnoScout: "I ordered some of this. Will arrive tomorrow.
Citric Acid "

Looks like the stuff I used. "

I have well water. I have been using vinegar every couple of months to descale my coffee maker. Apparently this will do the job too and probably smell a whole lot better."

Me too. I have used vinegar and H2O2 to etch pc boards. It works, but it is slow. Maybe...if the citric acid does not yield...I will use vinegar ad H2O2.

TechnoScout: "I have a Simmerlite that has never been cleaned. I will do a before and after on that."

Because cleaning inside the burner is out on the Simmerlite, I use a different method. CLR soak. Maybe citric acid soak will work, but CLR does for sure!
Shown is a WindPro same basic stove and burner.

butthead

butthead: "

TechnoScout: "I have a Simmerlite that has never been cleaned. I will do a before and after on that."

Because cleaning inside the burner is out on the Simmerlite, I use a different method. CLR soak. Maybe citric acid soak will work, but CLR does for sure!
Shown is a WindPro same basic stove and burner.


butthead"

Citric acid soak gave only marginal improvement from the pictures I posted above.
I am quite happy with the results.
Now I need to master the alcohol priming method.

Also, I think I will carry a Scotchbrite pad and wipe down the legs on a regular basis.

butthead: "

WHendrix: "Was that on purpose ?"

I was experimenting with how much heat I could get so you could say it was intentional. Turned out more than I wanted so I went back to as sold, minus the shaker needle. I use good filtered fuel so the jets rarely clog. And the stove runs a bit better without it. Same for all my shaker jet stoves.
I have a pile of MSR stoves and lots of parts to experiment with, or set fire to my garage!

"Have not tried citrus wipes yet. Any recommendation on a good one to buy??"
I have used, with good results, PowerHouse Orange Citrus Multi-Purpose Cleaner Wipes - 35 CT a household cleaner and a bunch of shop/automotive wipes, Gunk, Gojo, Tub-O-Towles and no-name.


butthead"

Why do you remove the shaker needle?

"Why do you remove the shaker needle?" Improve stove performance (slight), better adjust-ability for Whisperlite/Simmerlite/XGK 2 stoves.
As I use only Coleman or Crown fuels and filter that, little jet clogs have occurred. I also prime with alcohol most uses.

butthead

Has anyone here ever tried the MSR factory overhaul? It’s $25. I’ve been tempted to try it out of curiosity, but haven’t yet. I bout it about 26 years ago, so that would be a dollar for every year I’ve had it.