Valve Packing Material

Not chip making - but it involves a metal valve ;-)

Those of you familiar with Coleman gas lanterns - there's a gray-black cylindrical packing material in the main fuel valve that keeps the gas from leaking when the stem is turned. It looks like graphite embedded into something. What is this made of? They're inexpensive enough, but what could you substitute if you needed a replacement and couldn't wait for parts? Remember, this is heated gasoline / naptha that this seal is holding back. Over on the Coleman group, someone suggested graphite impregnated packing thread as used in old plumbing fixtures, but when I looked at a roll of this, it was so fluffy (like yarn with graphite powder) that it just didn't look like it would hold back a liquid. Would this have worked or is there something else that would be a better solution? The plumbing supply didn't have any high temp teflon packing thread, so I don't know what that looks like.

RWL

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Reply to
RWL
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I'd suggest visiting a better auto parts store and asking there. Engines of not so long ago (it's all relative, I suppose) used to use rope seals as the rear main seal, and I don't know if you can still get it as a replacement. All I've seen is two part silicone seals nowadays, but I'm sure its out there. Visit a racing shop and they might even have it on a roll.

Reply to
carl mciver

The packing material you saw - evidently was the wrong stuff, or possibly too old. Go to a local hardware store, plumbing store or whatever and get the graphite rope packing for faucet stems that is mounted on a blister pack on a cardboard card. It is almost black (dark grey) with shiney stuff mixed in. It should be a "waxy" feel and will compress to seal the stem. Ken.

Reply to
Ken Sterling

Modern graphite gland packing is made from a mineral fiber - sometimes ceramic fiber - and pumped chock-full of medium-sized flake graphite. It's damned near heatproof, and makes a dandy seal when compressed enough.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

Another approach would be the long thin round teflon strip packing. It would be compatible with the heat/fuel.

Jim

Reply to
jim rozen

Once compressed it does in deed form a good seal. Martin

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

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