Help For the Wallas

[Adeline]

My 15 year old Wallas (100x series) recently started performing poorly and from experience I knew that the "fuel vaporizer" (wick) was due for replacement. Sure enough, she finally just quit. The first sign I look for is pulsing associated with the fuel-pump clicking. As things deteriorate the pulsing becomes flaring and then popping. Finally it just dies.
I wondered if I might be able to simply clean the wick so I removed the fuel pickup and immersed it in a glass container of 99% alcohol(available at Safeway for a buck). I started the stove and pretty soon the return line began emitting an oily brown liquid which I believe is sooting from the wick. I let her go for around 15 minutes and shut her down.
After a cool-down I restarted her and now she runs like a champ. I track her performance with an infrared digital thermometer and until today 1117 degrees was my benchmark. After the alcohol treatment I registered my highest reading ever, 1122 degrees.
I hope others will try this and report back. It costs me about $70.00 to have Scan ship me a wick so anything that extends wick life is welcome.

[Almas Only]

Pete:

Sounds like a good technique, but I am confused by the reference to a return tube. My Wallas just has a fuel supply tube, and a vent tube coming off the plastic fuel jug. Both are clear plastic.

Does your's have a return line, or some kind of combustion chamber overflow?

Thanks,

david

[Adeline]

Yes, my Wallas has a return line(black) that terminates inside a chamber within the "cap". I forgot that they changed the design on the newer ones.