Accucraft Edrig steaming problems

[BryanW]

I hope you good people will be able to help me with an Accucraft Edrig that has steaming problems.
By way of background this is a second hand purchase. I have owned the loco for about 6 months but I estimate that it is approximately 20 or 25 years old. It has never steamed well but it is getting much worse - to the point where yesterday it would not complete a circuit of my 100 foot track.
It can be temperamental to light - sometimes burning in the smokebox before I have to shut it off and start again. When it does light "properly" it is very fierce (noise) and the gas regulator valve is difficult to adjust to a steady or low setting : it is either fierce of goes out. Although I believe I am putting in enough gas (butane/propane mix) it seems to disappear quite quickly (gas leak and/or fierce burning). Having done some research on the internet I believe there are available gas regulator valves with a finer thread but these seem to be only available from the Train Department in the USA. I also don't know which one to order.
I think I need to change to a butane only gas (at least in the summer) and try and get hold of an "improved" gas regulator valve and maybe change the gas inlet valve.
Has anyone any advice on what may be the problem and solution(s) other than the ones I have mentioned. Are these "improved valves" available anywhere in the UK?

Thank you in anticipation

BryanW

[Scrat]

Hi Bryan,

first thing is to check the nozzle if it is clean.
Then I would apply compressed air to the gas tank with the gas valve just a little open and put drops of dishwashing liquid along the gas line to check for any leaks. The symptoms you described make me think about a leak in the gas pipe.