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Oil tank ran dry, refilled 2 months later, won't start. Tried bleeding already.

Oil tank ran dry, refilled 2 months later, won't start. Tried bleeding already.


  #1  
Old 12-06-08, 02:35 PM
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Unhappy Oil tank ran dry, refilled 2 months later, won't start. Tried bleeding already.

Hi,

I'm a college student and just moved in with a friend of mine. He has a house but had let the furnace's oil tank run dry since he couldn't afford oil for a couple months. Anyway, we just got the tank refilled, but the furnace won't start.

I understand, in this situation, it's usually because the air needs to be bled out. I opened the bleeder nut and reset the furnace. It made some noise, as though it was running, for about two minutes. Then it stopped. I heard no hissing of air and saw no oil come out.

I tried this about five times at various bleeder nut loosenesses, including having it completely unscrewed and off.

This furnace definitely worked two months ago.

The power was on and the fan was set to auto. I don't know what else it could be. We really can't afford to pay $120 for a service call about this, but we're very cold and the outside temperature is around 5 degrees Celsius these days.

I should add that I don't know if there's like... a flame anywhere. I don't see one but I don't know where it would be.

1. In which area you live and ambient temperatures you usually experience.
Western Canada, brisk winters haha.
2. House style and construction details.
Oldish, pretty simple.
3. Make, model and age of equipment related to the problem.
Seems to be Englis brand, single valve plus a welded-shut dummy second intake valve.
4. Fuel type.
Oil
 
  #2  
Old 12-07-08, 06:03 AM
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OK, I'm no serviceman, but over the yrs I've worked on a lot of diff furnaces, first, when you opened the bleeder, did you get any kind of a flow of fuel? When you filled your tank, did you change-out the filter cartridge on the filter? There's a little bleeder screw on the filter above the outlet, open this, and see if you get flow out of that, mine shoots up about 10" when I take it out to bleed the line after changing the filter cartridge. That will tell you if sludge from the bottom of the tank is clogging your line. If you could get a compressed air line to blow back from the furnace end of the line, that should clear that. Is your tank lower than the furnace in the house? First thing for you to determine, is getting the fuel to the pump.
 
  #3  
Old 12-08-08, 03:56 PM
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pull the filter/check it or replace it...crack the brass nut on the burner from the supply line from the tank ... if the tank is a little above the burner the pipe line should flow and prime itself....catch it with a plastic tray under the nut.....then lock it back up(tight).remove the primer fitting and actually pour the scap oil from the flare bleed off into that hole.that is the pump assembly and when it over flows it is primed.....reinstall the fitting tight wipe up any oil from the bleed off or pouring(coffee cup works good on that primer pour) trick....step back and hit the toggle with the stat calling.if you pop a new filter in keep that spare oil wipe out the canister put the cartridge in,and then fill it up before the top goes back on.keep in mind that pump on the burner has to have oil in it to pull the oil tank supply.when you restart the flame will bounce and short cycle that is air in the incoming line..once it is consistantly burning your line is solid oil
 
 

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