I spent more time tinkering with my retired Whisperlite than any other piece of gear ever. I replaced my jet when the shaker jet came out, used fresh gas, primed it with alcohol, rebuilt the pump, yet I still couldn't be sure if it would work every time.
That's really odd. I've been using my Whisperlite since 1987, and I've had very few problems. Do you filter your white gas? I run my white gas through a coffee filter as I fill my bottles. Seems to work pretty well.
The one stove I have had a lot of clogs on is my dad's old MSR Dragonfly. Ugh. Clogs a lot on the in-line filter in the fuel line.
Originally Posted By: SierraNevada
I also remember getting white gas on my hands, my pack, and some on the ground.
Have you tried the "flip" stop technique? It prevents a lot of that.
Originally Posted By: SierraNevada
I confess I don't camp in subzero weather or multiple nights on snow where white gas might work better.
There is a middle ground: a remote inverted canister gas stove. If you run with the canister inverted (upside down), you can use a gas stove in weather that's about 20 degrees Fahrenheit colder than with a conventional upright canister stove (e.g. a Pocket Rocket, etc.). That's the real genius of a stove like the MSR Whisperlite Universal. Not only will it run on canister gas, it will do it in temperatures down to 0F (-18C) or colder.
Originally Posted By: SierraNevada
Wind issues are a problem with lightweight canister stoves and building an adequate shelter is difficult. Windscreens are dangerous if they enclose the canister causing overheating and potential for explosion. Here's a link to a simple design for a windscreen that keeps the canister out of the heated space.
