Helpful Hints & Tips

Before heading out for any trip that you are taking your MSR multi fuel stove on there are a couple of things you should check to keep your stove in good running order on your trip and more importantly, keep you safe.

Check your stove.
Check all the pump’s O-rings & Pump Cup are in good condition - meaning they are not cracked, and if dry use a couple of drops of MSR Pump Cup Oil or light oil (sewing machine oil) to lubricate. Also check the flame adjuster O-rings on a Dragonfly. If you are unable to pressurise the fuel bottle, the Pump Cup is probably dry and needs oil, this can easily be performed by squirting some oil down the oiling hole next to the plunger shaft on the pump.

If you find an O-ring is cracked, replace all the O-rings at the same time. You can purchase the Annual Maintenance Kit that supplies all the O-rings for any model stove or purchase the Expedition Maintenance Kit for your stove - this will arm you with a good range of spares to tackle most in-field repairs and is highly recommended for any trip longer than a week or just good to have on hand if you frequently use your stove.

Test the performance of your stove.
It is always a good idea to test burn your stove before heading out for even a day trip. Last thing you want to happen is to get your stove and it will not work since it has not been cleaned.
If the performance is reduced, clean the fuel line out as per the instructions making sure that in the final flushing stage that the jet and needle weight is removed to allow the loose deposits to be flushed out of the fuel line.
This final stage is usually neglected and allows loose carbon deposits to block the jet, as the deposits are too large for the needle to remove them from the jet orifice.

If you find that the stove performance is still poor you will need to send it to our MSR Service Centre to have the stove ultrasonically cleaned. This service costs $33.00-$38.50 (including return Air Bag freight) depending on the model, some parts are not covered by the price and are extra. All services are quoted in full before performing the work unless pre-approved.

Stove Tricks.
To gain the maximum fuel efficiency use the heat reflector and windshield that is supplied with the stove. By using these you will find your boiling times are reduced and your fuel will last longer, reducing the weight of fuel you need to carry. To increase your fuel efficiency further you can use a MSR Heat Exchanger which wraps around the pot and draws heat into the pot that would otherwise pass up the side. This is available separately or as part of the XPD Alpine Cookset.

All MSR Multi Fuel stoves perform better using Shellite, (aka White Spirits). Using these fuels allows for easier priming, flame adjustment and usually less cleaning. This is the preferred fuel for a first time user.

It is not recommended to use unleaded petrol since the additives in this fuel will block up the fuel line. Unleaded petrol can be used in emergencies, but the stove will require daily cleaning.

Oil based fuels such as Kerosene and Jet A-1 burn cleaner then unleaded petrol and deliver more energy. These fuels can be used with the Whisperlite International, Dragonfly and XGK stoves only.
Care needs to be taken when priming, as the process takes longer. Care also needs to be taken when increasing the heat output, as the oil based fuels take longer to vapourise and the potential to flare is greater, especially with the Dragonfly.

Always store your pump separate from the bottle after a trip, this will stop the O-rings & pump cup drying out. This practice is OK during a trip to reduce bulk in your pack, just make sure the fuel bottle is de-pressurised before placing it in your pack and that the Control Valve is turned off and that nothing can accidentally turn it on.

Next month we will be looking at Petzl Headlamps and I will re-visit MSR Multifuel Stoves early next year. If you have any technical questions or warranty & repair issues please email me

MSR Multi Fuel Stoves.