MAPP torch help

Oh, a TurboTorch. Have on just like it, perfectly the same actually..

There is a O-ring gasket at the union of the mixer tube (the hot part with the brass part with air inlets) and the adjustment part, that O-ring is compressed to tight and are blocking the flow of the propane, common thing if you aren't experienced with those. It may of course be a related problem but that is how my flame looks like if the O-ring squashed. Oh.., by the way, it should be threaded and be very easy to unscrew, if not it may be corroded or broken.

Hope this helps

I experimented with the O ring and it did not change the flame noticeably. I took the O ring out and it looks compacted but still a good enough gap for the gas to get through.



Sorry for the blurriness my camera takes great video but the photos don't focus.

Quote: Originally posted by hyfalcon

Make sure there's no trash down the torch throat. Dirt dauber wasps just love to build in the tube.

Quote: Originally posted by 99chemicals

I experimented with the O ring and it did not change the flame noticeably. I took the O ring out and it looks compacted but still a good enough gap for the gas to get through. Sorry for the blurriness my camera takes great video but the photos don't focus.

Ok. Let's take the simple yet often neglected things.
As far as I can see from your video, the propane container you use is a refillable one, they tend to atleast in the later years to be filled with an anti rust compound, a oil of sorts which actually fools one to think that the container is partially filled when empty. Another thing about this oil is that is dissolves quite alot of the propane which it releases considerably slower than no oil would, creating the effect that in addition not just to feel full, appers full because the slow release of gas giving that dull flame.

Try unhooking the TurboTorch and manually release gas by pushing the valve pin down on the container, there should be a very large bust of gas and often gas condensate (liq. gas), if this is the case you have enough propane. If not, re-attach the torch and open it fully, you should hear a 'whiiisss' from the released propane, if not the lower parts of the torch are the trouble and need to be cleaned either by counter current pressurised air or dismantled and cleaned. If the from the released propane, if not the lower parts of the torch a is heard, try lighting the air inlet ports, if it burns there the mixing/combustion tube is somehow blocked, even a grain of sand stuck there might be giving the dull flame.

I would thoroughly clean it with pressurised air before attempting any dismanteling or similar.

PS. The O-ring always looks fine when one dismantles the torch, but can be checked by lighting the torch while unscrewing the tube, if the flame is still dull you have an blockage somewhere.

Those things are insanely sturdy, mine has probably survived several hundred nights outside in the Norwegian climate of year round rain and most of the year snow and as such I would not trhow it away before every possibility was explored..
As a sidenote when I mentioned climate, last snow melted half a month ago at home and we had a little snowfall last week

Bad news.

I took the torch head off of the torch and with out the head on the torch leaks. It means that there is still gas there though. It is probably from being stored all these years with the torch head on.

I found out one good thing though, If I blow through the air intake holes on the nozzle the flame goes blue! Some how the torch is not pulling any air.

I tried cranking up the gas all the way but it just makes a foot long flame and is still yellow.

With the 25,000 from that fine you could buy alot of 3$ cylinders of propane!

Quote: Originally posted by Neil

MAPP gas is no longer made or sold, that stuff is useful don't waste it! The tube has fins in it to cause the gas to swirl and mix. The gas jet in the venturi is likely obstructed. Without a fast flow of gas the torch is unable to function. Checked the tiny gas jet hole. The port on the side of those canisters is a dump vent to prevent over pressure. One more thing, a number of the later batches of MAPP gas can in faulty canisters and are highly susceptible to failure if the attachment end of the cylinder is bent or torqued.