I let the oil run out a couple of weeks ago. Got a fill of oil and thought I'd just have to bleed the boiler, but no air and oil escaped from the bleed vent when unscrewed. Took the filter off the tank and it's not blocked. So possibly fine sludge got through the fine mesh of the tank filter and blocked the pre-filter in the boiler. So I was hoping the the oil line wouldn't have to be dug up and replaced, because it's under concrete, and the boiler service people could just clear the line with compressed air or flush it. Tried bleeding again, but still no oil coming out. Tried starting it up and it ran for 30 seconds, then wouldn't fire after another couple of attempts. I tried bleeding again and although bubbles came out, even with the bleed screw removed, no oil emerged, although I could see a film of oil across the opening expanding as air emerged. Anyway, on a final attempt, the boiler fired and ran without stopping for 12 minutes. I'm thinking there may still be a blockage, but suction from the oil pump can overcome the resistance. After 10 minutes, I adjusted the water temperature knob temporarily on the boiler to see whether it would start up again and it ran again for at least 3 minutes this time before I returned the knob to its previous setting. Grant have recommend taking the oil line off the burner to check the flow is ok, but that means taking the burner out of the enclosure and a it's bit beyond my plumbing skills. Still wondering why oil doesn't come out that bleed valve though. I guess time will tell whether it keeps going. Is any pre-filter for the oil pump upstream of the bleed vent?
Sorry, I think I have this in the wrong forum. Doesn't seem to be any way of deleting and reposting.
Sorry, I think I have this in the wrong forum. Doesn't seem to be any way of deleting and reposting.
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