The thread on the Whisperlite stove got me motivated to post a question about an issue I had with my MSR Dragonfly stove. I have had it for over 10 years and it has always worked well for me, and I have not done any modifications to it.

On my trip a couple weeks ago I had my first issue. I pumped up the bottle and heated it and started it as usual, with no problem. I got the flame adjusted to what I normally use, and I did have the windscreen around the stove. The stove sounded normal at this point. But, when I put the pot on the stove, the flame started to sputter and went out. I got it going again, but the same thing happened when I put the pot on the stove. I thought it may need a cleaning, so I tried to take the burner orifice out to clean it, but it would not come out. Since I could do nothing to clean the burner, my last ditch effort was to use a second pump that I always bring along. I put that on the same fuel bottle and the stove worked as usual, and did for the next 4 days of the trip.

Has anyone seen a similar problem? I didn't think the pump was the issue first because it did pressurize the bottle and the pressure held, so it didn't seem to be the problem. Any ideas on what to look at in the pump? Maybe the fuel pickup tube?

Also, I did have another question. As I stated above, I could not remove the fuel orifice to try to clean or replace it in the field. When I got home I tried a large, flat bladed screw driver and I could not budge it. Does the stove need to be hot to remove it?

Thanks for any insights.

If it ran fine with the other pump, that rules out the fuel line.

Could be the fuel filter on the pump, have you swapped that out to see if that is the culprit? The annual maintenance kit might be worth a try for the parts on the pump, as it sounds like the pump is the issue. I believe the kit has a new fuel filter. It's a sort of T-shaped thing at the end of the fuel tube. The other thing to check would be the check valve at the end of the pump.

See this diagram:
https://countrykyle.com/2016/07/16/servicing-and-rebuild-of-msr-standard-fuel-pump/

If you use Coleman or Crown fuel the burner/jet almost never gets fouled. MSR supplied a shaker cleaning needle located under the jet, shake the stove up and down to clean the jet.
Sounds like the fuel pickup filter needs replacing.
MSR Stoves: Stove Pump Maintenance
Expedition Service Kit
For individual parts not found in USA try,
Dragonfly spare parts

butthead

These stoves are really trouble free for the most part. You stove has what’s called a shaker jet. Hold only the stove in your hand upside down and shake. It should clean the fuel orifice. You should hear it move. Second thing you should do is buy a repair kit for your stove. On the end of the fuel supply hose there is a tiny white foam filter. You can remove and replace the foam filter with a needle supplied in the kit. You said you still have pressure so your pump sounds good. I think you have a fuel delivery problem. Look for any problem from the hose to the jet.

Oops, I should have read the posts. Butthead and Gotwins covered it.

To get your stove orifice out you will probably need a 1/4” impact driver. These tools give the threads a hammer impact as it backs out the bolt. The trouble with heating it is it made out of brass and that transfers heat very fast. So everything heats up and you don’t want that. If you get the jet out, use some carburetor cleaner on the jet area to clean out any soot.

I have removed Dragonfly jets stuck in solid. It take getting a proper fit with a flat balde screwdriver that may need some grinding to get a full slot and width fit. Light it up and get it hot. Contrary to normal thought the hottest jet temps are at low flame height (the larger fuel air passing thru has a cooling effect), shut down and as the stove/jet cools down, use the screwdriver to remove the jet Severly frozen may need a crescent wrench on a square shafted screwdriver.


butthead