Fixing That Jet Lighter You Love

Intro: Fixing That Jet Lighter You Love

So I was fixing my jet lighter (by now a fairly archaic design but a very good one and it only cost me£1 at a car boot sale) I used to fix antique lighters with my dad, thankfully jet lighters tend to be a bit more standard for repairs.

So In this I'll cover diagnosis, repair and also dismantling and assembly (most lighters designs' are a common principle... )
Ok so i got a slightly better camera than my phone, it's an ancient canon powershot A60, only 2MP but check out the macro in the pics, it was top of the range once upon a time and it shows.

STEP 1: So What You'll Need for This

Tools
- a small philips head screwdriver (the tiny ones) it almost alway philips head.
-a penknife or a small flathead screwdriver (for adjustments)
-a pair of pliers, needle nose are great her but I can do it with my fake leatherman start to finish (make damn sure the pliers aren't magnetized it's annoying)
-a safety pin or some thin tough wire or a drawing pin (you'll see what I mean if it comes up)

Materials
-some sturdy wire about 24awg (anything that fits will do (again you'll understand pretty quick) is handy
-lighter gas, really helps diagnosis, in fact try the first...
-You may need rubber tubing or a piezo spark depending how you broke it (if you dropped I already know whats wrong. the lighter in this is my drinking lighter because it's made of metal and I know how to fix it)

STEP 2: Ok Diagnosis Time Doctor

First put gas in the lighter, you should have done this already but this helps us determine alot.

Fill it with gas and listen, it may leak for a up to 30 seconds but that's ok as long as it stops.

Push down the button, is there gas coming out and is there a definite click from the spark (if yes to both this will be easy)

If there's no gas coming out at the nozzle but it's going somewhere then the connection has been broken probably nothing more than the flexible gas line has slipped off the seat of the reservoir end (there's more room here so it fall off that end but it's easy to fix anyway)

If you push the button all the way down and no click go to the shop and buy a really crappy cheap electric lighter, not a bic though, their piezios have no wire.

try turning down the gas a bit (sometimes the gas can't ignite because it going too fast for the tiny arc to heat... This always happens if you set the lighter when it's hot because it starts easier but wont once it's cooled down again.

All of these things are curable, this lighter hasn't many original parts, at one point I was going to hotrod a second nozzle in but There's no room, eventually I'll make an instructable about how to make your own jet lighter.

STEP 3: Opening Your Lighter Up

This step just tells you how to take it all apart.

First look on the bottom, there should be a small (mostly likely philips head) screw not far from the filler valve, unscrew it, usually that is the only thing holding a lighter together, now pull the casing down off the rest (hold on to the cap and carefully pull the casing off) now you should see the guts of your lighter, there's probably 2 pins holding the assembly together. Enter the safety pin, Use the pin or wire to push the pin out of its hole.

now try moving everything apart, careful not to lose anything (yes my pins are made from steel wire but shh the screw came off a tiny circuit board, i didn't lose it, the screw was too long to start with.)

Check the image, the parts should be recognizable, and the note will explain all...

STEP 4: Adjusting the Spark

This is easily the most common problem with jet lighters because they have metal bodies...

Basically the piezo is grounding out to the body or the chassis...

All we need to do is move the wire out and put it against the nozzle so it's touching it, that'll be guaranteeing near 100% performance in lighting. The first picture here shows the spark wire end pulled out and away a bit to so we get a clear idea of where we can put it. Wrapping it around the nozzle is good if there are no close metal body parts but the best is definitely doing it like picture 2. You should have kept all the pins, but really you should hav just left it together had this been the case. Before putting the case on, see if the lighter fires up if so slide the case on again and see if it still goes, if yes screw it back on and go light something up with it (In my case a Marlboro Red but in yours it may be a fuse... )

STEP 5: So I Did That, But I'm Not Getting Anywhere

Simply check where gas is going by pushing down on the lever for the gas valve on the reservoir, look carefully along the gas line, you should see something similar to 'heat wiggles' (from the change in desity between gas and air) if theres a leak, I you have a crappy BBQ lighter kicking around then cannibalize that for some gas line (there's enough for five or six replacements) and if you needed it they're a great source of igniters due to the extra long cable.

If the gas still isn't getting out the nozzle then the nozzle's clogged, symptoms include the lighter bursting into flame for a second during use. take some thin wire or a pin and put it through the nozzle to clear it.

At this point I can't think of much else to go wrong, if the gas filler valve leaks when you fill it up then tighten it. If everything works but the lighter won't light or can't hold a flame turn down the gas flow a bit. If the flame sputters and has trouble keeping going then it's too weak to stay above the nozzle, turn the gas flow up a little. Finally we put it back together.

If there's any problem I have missed comment me and I'll add steps, to be honest I can't think of anything other than components going wrong after this.

STEP 6: Putting It Back Together

Right now we rebuild the lighter

From the picture you should be able to tell your own parts easily enough.

This list goes bottom to top in stacking up the components again, refer to the pictures to make full sense

BOTTOM

- Reservoir
-gas valve lever (best put in before piezo for convenience
-piezo
-button cover/s
-lid top assembly (make sure the gas tubes go back in the right place)
-slide the cover back on and screw on

STEP 7: I Do Believe We're Done

Again if there's anything I missed or any questions comment me and I'll do my best to help.

Comments

[Laura Johnson]

How do you tighten the gas filler valve? I have a Zico torch lighter that all the butane leaks out as soon as I fill it.

[JasonW132]

Hi. I use torch lighters on a daily basis and have noticed a reoccurring issue that, thus far, I've had little to no success in both preventing or repairing so hopefully you or someone else reading can help. Here's the scenario - I buy a new torch lighter that's quick to ignite, has a strong, focused flame and couldn't be happier. After using for a while, sometimes after a few months, sometimes after a few days, the flame is much shorter, weaker, sloppy, and eventually will only burn a soft flame like a regular Bic when ignited. I have minimal success by using a needle point and clearing all of the tiny holes around the nozzle and the nozzle itself but never seem to get it back to its original glory. I've come to think that this just be an unavoidable occurrence due to, umm, over use. Let's just say that the normal duty cycle of one of my torches is usually something like this -Ignite & lock on/keep lit for 15-20 seconds. Extinguish for 30 seconds or so then reignite for another 15-20 seconds, etc. I usually cycle through that pattern 3 or more times back to back within a few minutes. Is there a way to fix this once it happens or is it just a byproduct of extreme heat?

[BUDDAH5192]

My lighter is doing the same torch lighter with just a soft flame.. Dont know what to do.

[davidwmorris033]

It's the fuel! Don't buy anything but Ultra Refined butane. I went through this for a few months and learned everything about purging and all that nonsense. I tried a butane named NEON 750, "PREMIUM Butane" is what is on the side. Never had the same problem again and may gave to purge every couple of weeks atcmost

[BoojyH]

it is either dust bunnies or a clogged jet disk.
first hold your lighter up and with only the air from your mouth blow as hard as you can straight into the lighter were the flame comes out, 95% of the time this will fix it. DO NOT USE COMPRESSED AIR. This will mess it up real bad. #2. A clogged jet from burning cheap fuel is a hard one. You have to remove the jet orifice holder, very small barrel shaped pc. that comes apart at the bottom. You need to use quality pliers, needle nose, to unscrew the bottom off. Inside you will find a stainless steel filter screen, a washer to separate it from the jet and then the jet itself. You the butane to clean out the screen while holding it with a paper towel. This is dangerous, dont blow yourself up. rubbing the disc in the paper towel and spraying with a little butane while in the paper towel should clear it. Reassemble. If this didn't fix it then either you didnt clear it or the jet was damaged somehow. This shouldn't actually be tried by anyone because it is dangerous. Butane is flammable. Don't buy cheap fuel

[violentred7342]

I've had the same problem with a good third of all the torchlighters I've ever used, mostly with the cheaper brands, but apparently, no one else on the ENTIRE internet ever has. I appreciate your explanation of the problem and how to fix it, but your instructions aren't very clear. The jet orifice holder, as you call it, comes apart at the bottom of what? How do you 'unscrew' the bottom 'off'? Makes no sense. And where inside the lighter are these things located? How do I remove and replace them? Can you possibly provide some reference pictures? Maybe create an instructable post yourself. Doing this isn't any MORE dangerous than any other type of torch lighter fix, and people perform them all the time without dying of spontaneous combustion, so I really think your advisement that no one should ever do this is a little ridiculous.

[kirkchilders96]

This sounds like a problem with fuel. Jet lighters burn a ton of it, and the nozzles can be fairly narrow and complex, so you need to fill them regularly, and with good quality butane.

This is also the reason why jet fighters took over 20 years from first flight to be really useful, as the fuel needed to be both plentiful and high quality to keep such a engine going. The benefit you get from them however is enormous capabilities.

[jimpaulson1958]

You are missing the most important part what if it has gas doesn't leak you push the button-down and it lifts the fork and the nozzle And no gas comes out. Even if you turn the flame as high as it goes. That's why mine won't work

[kmg9150]

Then there is a break somewhere between the nozzle(flame adjust dial sits between) and the tank. The nozzle may go up but its not pulling the part to the tank up to release the fuel. Careful when messing with any filler or exits area relating to the tank. Remove all fuel and air pressure. I once, not realizing what I was doing unscrewed the filler pipe and it launched across the room like a rocket, put a hole in the drywall..

[sandy328]

Hi. Can you please help me how to repair it. Cause its not in working for so long. Also I don't know what resource it takes?

[kmg9150]

No body could help unless they know what issue your having……Diagnosis for process of elimination of problems.

[gthartney]

I've had the same torch lighter for almost 4 years. It's BAD ASS! I've already replaced the sparker and the hoses once, and I lost all the case screws, so I had to electric tape it together when I had problems with using hoses that were too small (they kept popping off the couplings from the pressure). Anyhow, NOW it leaks from the fill valve somewhere. I don't know if it's the little rubber washer that prevents gas from escaping or not (though I suspect it is), but I took it all apart. I can't do anything to the bottom, as I don't have the tool it would take to remove it from the tank. I DID take apart the TOP though, and after unscrewing and removing the spring-loaded nozzle, the inner piece it screwed on to had the spring and this tiny-ass little pointy guy, that fits both nicely in the spring AND nicely in the nozzle. But it can't go in both. I turned the gosh darn WHOLE THING upside down when I was getting it outta there and didn't realize the spring and pointy guy were in there. I even dropped the spring and spent a considerable amount of time looking for it. My wife was the one to find it, actually NOT on the floor, but on the bed, where I was sitting and working on this thing.
Anyhow, anyone know how and which way it goes back together? I suppose I could figure it out, but I'd have to do some "trial and error" type stuff, just in case. I appreciate any input.

[kmg9150]

Some pics would help…..

[OrgansRFun]

So i guess I have a different model and I cant get it back together fully, The red part doesnt sit below the lighter right and im wondering if anyone else has a lighter like this model and knows if maybe something missing or im doing it wrong? I know how it goes besides that one metal peice I have no idea where it goes.

[kmg9150]

Well the red piece should slide over the gas adjuster but its hard to say why it wouldnt be sitting correctly without photos with it on to see what could be the cause. As for the metal piece next to it, that is lever that goes under the button. The little hook part with go around the little brass tip thats in the center of the gas adjuster dial the two prong side will go around the start button. That way it pulls the brass fitting up when leveraged correctly. You have trouble then send some pictures assembled..

[Phily888]

Great info but my prob is there is no click when I depress button. All happened when I used compress air to clean

[sir.hunterludwig]

From my experience the zapper inside your lighter has run out of electricity, I have successfully used ones from other lighters for the purpose of fixing either that or having to buy one

[zombieregime]

Its a piezo crystal.... It doesn't 'run out of electricity.' The voltage spike needed to breakdown the gap (arc) is generated by striking a crystal (typically a special type of formed ceramic material that exhibits piezoelectric properties) with a small hammer. If there is a click and no spark, and theres no loose sand sound when you shake it or little grey grains of sandy stuff pours out when you turn it over, then either the carrier wire is grounding somewhere (more like 'positiving' as the electrode is between the negative sides of two crystals whos positive faces are facing outwards. So the arc is actually a massive buildup of electrons that jump to the ground state, though positive from its point of view, jet nozzle. Current is electrons falling into holes, thats why you can a lighters casing as the 'return path' for the circuit. (Oh, also its high frequency AC, not DC, so its really just giggleing electrons about, not drawing them from one terminal to another )).

If you push the button and there's no click, it's because the spring loaded Hammer that strikes the crystal has not reset on to the igniters sear. The arc generation sequence goes like this: 1. The striker button is held up against a spring in the crystal housing. The hammer is inside the striker button pushed down by another spring against the Hammer sear face of the crystal housing. 2. Pressing on the striker button compresses both springs. 3. As the hammers spring compresses it twists a small amount, enough for the hammers pins to slide off of the sear and release the built-up energy in its spring striking the crystal. 4. The crystal compresses and builds up a voltage potential between the negative and positive faces through the piezoelectric effect. 5. There's a spark somewhere. 6. As you lift these striker button the pin slide along the guide rails until they reach the hammer's sear. When the pins clear the sears face the angled guide rails on the bottom of the striker button rotate the hammer onto the sear faces due to downward pressure from the hammer spring. 7. The spring in the crystal housing pushes the striker button up until the hammer guide pins contact the top of the sear faces. 8. The ignitershould now be reset for another press*

If you are getting a weak strike or no click sound at all, chances are at the bottom of the striker button one of those angled guides that guide the hammer pins back into the sear box has cracked along the long side. This is a common structural flaw as if you look at the bottom of the hammer housing in the striker button the two pins on the side of the hammer have to slide up to opposing corners and then they will rotate onto the angle guide faces which then cause it to rotate all the way to the other two opposing corners. As the hammer comes back up one of the pins will sit on that crack and not be rotated back onto the sear faces or at least not rotated far enough because that piece of plastic isn't pressing hard enough against the pins to rotate the hammer. This damage occurs when you don't push the strikerbutton fast enough and the hammer pins hit the top of the angled guides in the striker button before fully coming down on the crystal, this mechanical shock eventually cracks the plastic.

This is a flaw I'm sure they know about, but will not fix, because sales are just too good with a slightly flawed product that no one can figure out so they just buy another one.

But no, they do not run out of electricity.

[kirkchilders96]

Just like the other guy said, either your battery for the sparker is out of juice, or you somehow broke your pizo-electric sparker.

Not sure how compressed air can do that, unless you're using an actual compressor instead of canned air (why with something so small?)

[johnkendrick187]

Just bought me a torch lighter an dropped it now doesnt light any ideal what could be wrong ?