Zippo-style lighter won't stay lit or flame is weak

Symptoms

• Flame lights but goes out immediately
• Flame is small, weak, or yellow instead of steady blue-yellow
• Wick looks dry, charred, or too short
• Lighter smells like it's out of fluid

Likely causes

• CommonLighter fluid evaporated or ran lowZippo-style fluid evaporates through the felt pad even when not in use.
• CommonWick charred, clogged, or too shortWicks blacken and shorten with repeated use and need trimming or replacing.
• PossibleFlint worn down and producing a weak sparkA short flint makes poor contact with the striker wheel.
• PossibleCotton packing or felt pad dried out or dirtyThese internal parts wick fuel to the wick and can degrade over time.

What to do

1. Unscrew or lift the felt pad at the bottom of the insert and add lighter fluid until it's saturated but not overflowing.
2. Let it sit a minute so fluid wicks up before testing.
3. Trim the wick tip with scissors if it's blackened or frayed, leaving a small amount exposed above the cone.
4. Check the flint by unscrewing the flint spring at the bottom; if it's very short, replace it with a new flint.
5. Reassemble and spin the wheel firmly to test the flame.
6. If the flame is still weak after fresh fluid and flint, the cotton packing inside may need replacing, which most lighter and tobacco shops can do.

Tools and parts

• Scissors
• Small screwdriver

When to call a pro

A tobacco or lighter specialty shop can service the internals or replace worn parts if refueling and re-flinting don't help.

Safety