My camp stove pump gave out halfway through cooking dinner in the Tetons

It was our second night out, and I was trying to boil water for pasta. The pump handle just stopped building pressure, and the flame died to a weak flicker. I had to finish cooking over the fire ring, which took forever. Has anyone found a good, simple fix for a balky pump, or is it just time for a new one?

2 comments

2 Comments

brooke_walker231mo ago

Oh man, that's the worst feeling. My own pump failed last year right as a thunderstorm rolled in, so my big fix was eating cold beans straight from the can like a real outdoorsy raccoon. Sometimes the little leather cup inside dries out and shrinks. You can try taking it apart, giving that leather a good soak in oil, and putting it back together. It's saved mine a couple times. What kind of stove are you using?

the_hugo1mo ago

That leather cup trick @brooke_walker23 mentioned is solid, but a cracked graphite piston ring can cause the same issue and needs a different fix.