Extreme kerosene fumes when lighted. Unit not used much-. Not sure how old it is. The wick is $31.99 to replace. I have no guarentee that will solve the problem. Any ideas. I can purchase a new one for $109.

remove wick and place in sunlight for a few hours

Here are some general operating instructions for the Corona SX3 kerosene portable heater:

1. Fill the heater tank with kerosene. Make sure the heater is placed on a flat and stable surface before filling.
2. Turn the wick adjustment knob to the lowest setting.
3. Open the fuel cap and use a funnel to fill the tank with kerosene up to the maximum fill line.
4. Close the fuel cap and let the wick soak in the kerosene for at least 10 minutes before lighting.
5. After the wick has soaked for 10 minutes, use a lighter or match to light the wick at the top.
6. Adjust the wick height to the desired level using the wick adjustment knob. The higher the wick, the more heat the heater will produce.
7. Keep the heater away from flammable materials and make sure it is not placed near any open flames or heat sources.
8. Use the shut-off switch to turn off the heater when you are finished using it.

Unfortunately, I could not find a specific manual for the Corona SX3 kerosene portable heater online. If you have any other questions or concerns about operating the heater, you may want to contact the manufacturer directly for further assistance.

You may be using old kerosene or the tank had sludge in it when you added new fuel. Even the place where you purchased new fuel, may have an unknown problem their storage tank. In addition, if you didn't replace the wick this season, that also could be the culprit. In any event, it's now contaminated.

Frankly, the only real way to know what's happened is to start from scratch. Thoroughly, service the heater by safely emptying the fuel tank and proper disposing of the old fuel. Tank may need to be flushed and of course the wick will have to be replaced. This can be a nasty job, so wear rubber gloves. If you don't want to undertake it yourself, many independent hardware stores offer this service.
And don't forget, you will need to properly dispose of any kerosene you may still have in the storage can. Buy new kerosene from another provider, than the one you last used.

When is the last time you cleaned your wick? A dirty wick will not light, wicks should be soft to the touch look burnt but not hard. Are you burning K1 kerosene? Other grades of kerosene have larger amounts of parafin in them this creates a crusty black hard carbon on the wick making it hard to light and also makes it smell like a semi truck running. I use an old tooth brush and clean the wick, let it set and soak for at least a half hour then try to light. Just a tip if you let your heater burn out every third tank this cleans your wick. Only burn it out in a well ventilated area as this stinks something bad never do this inside. Don't forget let the wick soak for at least a half hour. If your wick is over three years old replace it. Good luck hope this helps!

First you need to get the shell off the unit, and get down to the main burner area. There should be 4 wing nuts holding the wick tower down to the fuel tank. These must be removed, and the wick and the adjuster apparatus removed up and over the top of the center tower. Having a towel or old rag handy to set the unit on when you get it off is a good idea, so you can work on it. Remove the old wick, taking care to see how the fabric band on the cloth wick is positioned on the bottom edge of the wick carrier band. Install the new wick at the same level as the old one on the carrier and set it aside. Make sure you clean the tower, especially all the black carbon buildup around the center and near the top. I use a wire brush on a cordless drill to buff the stuff off, works great. Remove the old kerosene from the tank and clean the tank best you can, then put the new wick inside the carrier, down on the tower, being careful to get the bottom portion of the wick down into the tank area, (it should be quite loose down there once you get the rest of the carrier on the tower. Make sure the whole apparatus sets down evenly and fairly easily on the bottom tank part and screw it down with the four wing nuts. I use a paper cup to pour clear, K1 kerosene onto the new wick all the way around the tower, then make sure it moves easily up and down with the height adjuster knob and while it's in a down position, pour some more kero in on it. You can pour several cups of kero on the new wick and then when it's working up and down well, turn it up and lite it before you put the whole thing all back together. It's best to do this outside as sometimes you can get smoking, if you don't get the flame spreader cage on quickly enough. Once it's on and the flames come up and look good, then turn it off, let it all cool off and you can put it back together. Remember, don't use anything but absolutely clean, clear, K1 Kerosene in the unit and burn it completely dry at least once a week, if you use it a lot. It's called dry burning, and it's a wick cleaning function. If you do this, the wick can last years and years.

I can't answer about moth balls cleaning the wick but off the top of my head I would not try it as I do not know just what gases your unit would give off. I use kerosene heaters and find that after about 5 tanks of fuel I put on a pair of household rubber gloves, remove the chimney and turn the wick all the way up. Then I roll the wick between my fingers and get the hard carbon off. Once I have the wick clean I use the shop vac to vacuum it all up. I have found that by doing this my wick is never dirty, I do not get any smoke and the wicks last more than 20 years. Probably a better idea than moth balls. Let me know how you make out.

hardrocko

Hi I hope I can help you with your heater. I own 3 of them. Once you light your heater, give it time to completely light around the ring. Once it does, adjust your burner so the flames are evenly around the ring. Make sure you are using 1K kerosene too. That makes a big difference in the use of your heater. If I can help you any other way please feel free to contact me.

could be you got the flame a little too high so its burning off the top of the wick.

You must be very careful and follow the instructions exactly on these wicks. The pins must be inserted into the holes on the wick holder. It is also easy to install the wick holder upside down. Look for a small up arrow on the side.

You must soak your wick for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour. I know it's tempting to light it right away, especially when you are freezing, but you must wait. Wicks work by using capillary action. The fuel must have time to soak in properly.

All wicks are NOT created equal. Buy good ones, under no circumstances should you buy the ones that Walmart sells. They **** and you will be changing it in a day or two. Home depot sells a decent one, but for the really good ones visit Miles Stair wick shop. He also has some good info to deal with condensation and moisture problems.

Also note these heaters will not work if they are dirty. They must be absolutely clean of all dirt and debris, every single part. Especially the parts that come in contact with the wick.

Regular maintenance, good wicks and good fuel will keep these heaters working.