A 1948 Coleman 242. I gave it a new Viton washer in the filler cap, some oil on the pump leather and a rinse of the tank. The check valve was fine and pressure was holding so I put a new mantle on, fuelled it and fired it.... I was getting air only for the first quarter turn of the valve, opening it up the rest of the way got a few spurts of fuel. I lit it. No light, just lots of yellow flames. Even after the generator was vaporizing the flame was fat and yellow outside the mantle. I diagnosed a blocked air tube and disassembled the top half. Some poking around revealed a blockage in the air tube, more vigorous poking produced a cascade of dried mud and fibre. I suspect a wasp had made its home up there. While the top was off I made gasoline fountains in the garden which seemed to improve the fuel flow. I imagine it just needed some wetting and running to dissolve some deposits around the fuel pickup. I could switch between the starting spluttering mist and running full fuel jet at will. I reassembled it without a mantle (lesson learned there, dont waste a mantle until you know the lantern is working!) and tested it, it worked perfectly. The yellow starting flame switched to a clear blue once the generator warmed up. I put another mantle on, put the glass and hood back and fired it again. I had light! It has run for about an hour now bright and steady. This is my first Coleman lantern fettle but I know their stoves well so it was straightforward once I got over my initial hesitation. It needs a good polishing so I will probably strip it down further for that. I read somewhere I can use a more powerful mantle with a 242, is that true? I'm really pleased 8)
That is a very nice lantern but it is not a 242. Has to be 242C if it is 1948. I do not want to denigrate your find as these are great little lanterns but a decent condition 242 is a rare beast compared to 242B or C. Can you have a look on the collar for the model number please and confirm what I think it is for us. You can use a Coleman #99 mantle on it but it will do what it says on the box if you use a #21 so I would not bother to try too hard to tweak it with a "Better" mantle. ::Neil:: ::Neil::
Hi David, Nice lantern for your 1st. This IMO is the best single mantle gasoline lantern Coleman made. I have found that it burns best/brightest with a #21 size Coleman mantle. It may burn a #99, but I don't think it will "fill" as well or burn with as high a color temperature that a #21 will. Bob
Congratulations - that's a very nice example for your first Coleman - I'm sure that many of us would be proud to have in our collections. Cheers!
I thought it should be. Sorry to get pedantic but there is a world of difference in rarity between a 242 and 242C. Mind you they work the same so as a user it makes no diference. I do like this style of Coleman. Don't really know why but these always look better to me than the later 200s. ::Neil::
