Just got back from flying tonight and "Centennial" dropped by to say hi. We got on the subject of camp stoves and he mentioned a multi-fuel stove he had. I couldn't find the exact model he has but came accross this one by MSR
http://www.cascadedesigns.com/MSR/Stoves/Expedition-Stoves/XGK-EX/product
Wondering if anyone has any experience with these types of stoves? Are they worth the extra money? They run about $150. I sure like having the ability of being able to fill it with AV fuel if needed.

Yes, I have an old MSR multifuel that I have used for years ( watch out the seals get brittle) and one that came with my Northern Companion. I like the idea that it will run on just about anything. The stove kit is neat, but it sounds like a J- 58 when running.

GR

Centennial in the Snowy Mountains?

I also have one and they work awesome, but the guy whom is hangerd next to me got a military surplus one for 20 bucks and it works just as well. I just run a 6" pipe from the stove up through the bottom of the cowling and wrap the cowling with a packing blanket, and it will heat my engine from 10 degrees to about 70-80 in about 30-40 minuets.

One note though, it does burn much hotter (as it should) on kerosene or white gas than gasoline.

Mongo,

I'd put a fine mesh scr een in the hose to prevent sparks from going up into the engine compartment.

Also, and you may already be doing this, but you should always have a fire extinguisher handy when pre heating with combustion. And, never leave a plane unattended when using combustion pre heat. Finally, after you get the OUTSIDE of the engine nice and warm, shut off the stove, and let the engine temperature normalize for say 20 minutes. What you really want warm is the CORE of the engine, not the outside. That camshaft and crankshaft are the expensive parts.

Sorry to highjack the thread. I too use a multi fuel stove. Run it on avgas very much and it'll lead up, and you'll have to spend some quality time cleaning it. But, they are good stoves and give you options, which is good.

MTV

Thanks MTV the screen is a good idea.

Portage Creek wrote:Centennial in the Snowy Mountains?

No, Centennial is a 182 owner at Meadowlake who is new to the BCP forum.

mtv wrote:Run it on avgas very much and it'll lead up, and you'll have to spend some quality time cleaning it.

What does shaker fuel mean? It says the shaker cleans it. Is it new technology that reduces the need to clean. Sorry, this is the first time I have looked into this type of stove. Just trying to downsize from my 22lb colman traditional camp stove.

I looked at the MSR, decided it was too much money, and bought a coleman dual fuel instead. You can get them at Walmart for about $35. It's called dual fuel because it's supposed to handle either white gas or unleaded. I can assure you it will burn avgas as well, but I don't know about kerosene or jet fuel. I've been absolutely delighted with it, but I'm guessing the MSR is the superior product.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=9870598

kevbert wrote:I looked at the MSR, decided it was too much money, and bought a coleman dual fuel instead. You can get them at Walmart for about $35. It's called dual fuel because it's supposed to handle either white gas or unleaded. I can assure you it will burn avgas as well, but I don't know about kerosene or jet fuel. I've been absolutely delighted with it, but I'm guessing the MSR is the superior product.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=9870598

There is a special generator for the Coleman that can use kerosene. So you turbine flyers can use your aircraft fuel in the stove. Check out the website below.

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/parts/Pr ... id=550B499

The Coleman uses a replaceable generator to vaporize the fuel. Leaded gas will clog it up, but you can replace the generator easily. The burner is also replaceable. As opposed to the MSR, the Coleman is pretty reasonable on part costs, too.

My MSR is thirtyfive years old and the poorly designed plastic pump fall apart after only a dozen uses. I see MSR has changed the design, but won't cut me any slack on the current $35 pump. I'll patch it myself, then buy a Coleman next time.

tom

Listen to MTV and Portage Creek on this one. The XGK line have a decades-long track record of solid engineering and of being extrememly reliable. Plus the versatility of running on pretty-much any fuel you've got. I have owned several over more than 20 years and can't kill them. That includes to the top of Denali, several 20,000' footers in the Andes, the Cascades, several field-seasons in the Sierra Nevada, temps to at least -40, and routine pre-heating of my A/C engine at home in the Alaska Range.

The MSR folks approach their stoves with a pretty radical notion. They recognize that they can and do break if abused hard enough. Just like anything can break if abused hard enough. The beauty of an XGK (or any MSR liquid-fuel stove, in my experience), is that it is designed to be readily field maintainable and field-repairable. It is easy to perform routine maintenance (Like the lead fouling MTV mentioned), and also easy to overhaul O-rings, flame-spreaders, jets, pump seals, fuel lines, etc, etc. And like a well-maintianed firearm, they like to be broken down, cleaned, lubed, and reassembled, to the point where it actually can become part of the pleasure of owning one.

If you are interested in one, check out the Northern Companion preheater, as they include one, and the last time I checked, it was not an option to get the NC without the XGK included.

-DP

p.s.- I see in your link that it now has a flexible fuel line. Gotta say, there have been countless times I've appreciated the rigid fuel line on the older ones. Every time you need to pick up a flaming stove for any reason, it's pretty nice if you can grab the fuel bottle and the rigid fuel line guarantees that you can control and direct the business end from arm's length.

p.p.s.- one tip with them (applies to other gas stoves too)- when you turn them off, blow them out right away rather than let them sputter and die out. You do have to watch out for the vapors, but the upshot is that you finish with solvent-acting gas cleaning out your stove, instead of sooty yellow flame leaving carbon deposits on your stove. You can go a lot longer between servicing this way.

I sell these things at my shop. You do not need the XKG to have multi fuel use. In fact for about 80 you can get the Wisperlight international. It will burn just about anything including kero, and heating oil. It has two different jets you can use depending on the fuel you use. I would not recommend the walmart version or else one day you will find yourself in a situation where you need the stove and you will be stuck in the cold because the thing shit out on you. MSR makes a high quality product, walmart does not. You want the quality you have to pay just like everything else in life. I have used these stoves on countless field expeditions and at high altitudes, they will do their intended function.

As for the XKG vs the wisperlight the xkg brings a lot more btu's to the table.

Mike

I have the International and it is a good stove. About half the price of the XKG and nearly as good as far as I am concerned.
I also have one of the old surplus military stoves. It has been all over the world with me and always worked.
For the guy asking about shaker fuel...it isn't a fuel. The shaker they refer to is the fact you can "shake" the unit to supposedly clean the jet out. Hope this helps.
WW

I use an old single burner (20 yrs) Coleman multifuel, I think I paid about 30 bucks for it, all it has ever used has been mo-gas. It works perfect, and other then the initial Coleman patented flareup on cold start up (good in the morning to get the blood pumping) it never has given me any problems. Decent flame adjusment, it will boil a qt in less then 5 minutes.

MSR,

I have a simliar model that is 8 years old. Used it over 100 times: airplane camping, backpacking. Never had a failure. Works great on 100LL right out of the sumps.....so we don't have to carry stove fuel in the airplane. A couple times a year I run a tank of white gas through it at full blast. Seems to keep it cleaned out.

Also have a 2 burner Coleman which I sometimes carry along when camping. It also runs on 100LL but is cantankerous and never achieves the high temps of the MSR. Highly recommend the MSR. Everything they make is top of the line. Tents etc.

Bob

z3skybolt wrote:Highly recommend the MSR. Everything they make is top of the line. Tents etc.

Bob

Agreed, but worth noting that MSR actually got where they are with their tents by picking up Moss tents and Walrus tents, which were two of the better-quality, innovative independent tent maunfacturers of their day.

denalipilot wrote:

z3skybolt wrote:Highly recommend the MSR. Everything they make is top of the line. Tents etc.

Bob

Agreed, but worth noting that MSR actually got where they are with their tents by picking up Moss tents and Walrus tents, which were two of the better-quality, innovative independent tent maunfacturers of their day.

Yeah,

Kind of like Rolls Royce....running around for years with BMW engines and now owned by a company in India. Nothing is as it seems.

Bob

I used to make alcohol stoves with a tin can and a juice can opener. Fast forward to the internet, and someone figured out the optimal hole size and spacing for an aluminum cat food can, and called it a super cat stove. A 12 oz bottle of HEET for fuel and a half ounce super cat weighs far less than even most empty stoves.

Plans for making one are here:
http://jwbasecamp.com/Articles/SuperCat/index.html

I might have to try this wick idea, they're supposed to be better in extremely cold weather:

bmurrish, I've had an MSR XKG for about 10 years, and it's a great stove in most respects. I'd suggest you borrow mine for a while and see how you like it.

I originally bought it for the theoretical ability to burn 100LL, but have never used it that way. In fact I've put nothing but Coleman fuel or high-grade= through it, although kerosene option would be useful. It's one of the hottest burning single-burners on the market, hence the expedition designation. It doesn't simmer worth a hoot, so less practical for wide range cooking. But it does just fine for my mother's secret recipe for boiled water, when I can remember the recipe...

If used for pre-heat function, like a Northern Companion it's a dandy choice. There was a string on the SC.org recently about a home-made version that was well thought out. MTV's suggestion of a screen in the stovepipe is sound, as usual. And really with ANY direct flame stove, but especially a liquid fuel, make sure it's settled down, before bringing near an aeroplane, no flare-ups.

If I were to do it over again, I'd probably go with the whisperlight, because of it's wider heat-throttling range. But I'm happy with this one. Once in a while REI has a sale on stoves, Karen might let you know when one is coming up. And with the REI patronage refund, it pays the sales tax and a little more.

And as I say, borrow mine and try it out.

Thanks for the offer CS. I'm pretty much sold on the XKG. No rush on getting it until camping season. If I don't have one by then I may take you up on the offer to try it.

But BM, once it gets to be camping season, I hope mine is pretty busy.

And as I say, check for REI sales.

Thanks. cubscout

REI is dangerous...everytime I go in there I end up drooling alot and buying stuff! Great thread, as I'm also interested in these...for flying and backpacking.