Oil Fired Boiler Problem!!

[Lorri E]

I'm hoping someone can help me. I foolishly ran out of oil and now the oil has been delivered the boiler still won't start. I assumed it was an airlock or something as the boiler itself tries to start as normal (it's a very old Pathfinder boiler).

On someone else's suggestion I bought a little manual suction pump from Amazon to try and help it through. At first, it brought through a tiny amount but then it stopped and nothing is coming through at all. The oil tanks are quite a long way from the boiler. The oil seems to be coming out of the tanks fine. I've followed the route from the tanks to the boiler and there are two "gadgets" that the line goes through. Does anyone know if either of these could be the problem and if there's anything I can do to try and get the oil through if so? Thanks. (pictures attached)

 

[Burnerman]

The first picture is of a filter which is connected between the oil tank and the tiger loop (second picture).....this is a device that takes any air / gases out of the oil before the oil is fed to the boiler burner.
The filter must be clean, and the bowl full of kerosene. There are two bleed screws on the top of the filter to let air out, and the filter element inside should be replaced every couple of years.
Your suction syringe should be able to pull oil through if connected correctly, but we don't know the state of the filter or whether any of the other valves in the circuit are closed, such as the main tank valve or fire valve.
John

 

[ericmark]

First is clearly a filter, not sure if second a filter or what. I realised that oil boiler jets wear over time, so I paid for a service, well I will do not got bill yet, he as part of the service removed the filters and replaced or cleaned, and replaced seals on pump checked pressures and set the boiler so no nasty smell when running, to my mind well worth while.

I am sure you could remove and clean filters yourself, but this is the time of year to get it serviced, gas can go for years without a service, my last house serviced once in 35 years, but oil needs that service, well today gas also needs the filters cleaning my old boiler did not have a condensate filter, but oil needs some one to adjust setting every year.

 

[Lorri E]

Thanks so much for your reply. This one is serviced regularly but not due to have the next one yet.

 

[Lorri E]

The first picture is of a filter which is connected between the oil tank and the tiger loop (second picture).....this is a device that takes any air / gases out of the oil before the oil is fed to the boiler burner.
The filter must be clean, and the bowl full of kerosene. There are two bleed screws on the top of the filter to let air out, and the filter element inside should be replaced every couple of years.
Your suction syringe should be able to pull oil through if connected correctly, but we don't know the state of the filter or whether any of the other valves in the circuit are closed, such as the main tank valve or fire valve.
John

Thanks so much John, this is really helpful. I'll try the bleed screws and if that doesn't work perhaps try to get the filter replaced to see if that helps

 

[Burnerman]

Pleasure, Lorri!
Tell us - is that red filter near to the tank, and hopefully the tank is higher than the filter so you can bleed with gravity?
If so, you should get oil at both of those bleed screws on the top......one bleeds before the filter element, the other after it.
Not much comfort I know, but the amount of gunge that just gathers and settles in the oil pipes over the years is considerable.
John

 

[Lorri E]

Pleasure, Lorri!
Tell us - is that red filter near to the tank, and hopefully the tank is higher than the filter so you can bleed with gravity?
If so, you should get oil at both of those bleed screws on the top......one bleeds before the filter element, the other after it.
Not much comfort I know, but the amount of gunge that just gathers and settles in the oil pipes over the years is considerable.
John

Sadly, not, it's a pretty long way from the tank. It's hard to tell about the levels as you can't see both at the same time. If anything, I'd have thought the filter might be a little higher. As soon as it's light in the morning I'll be out there to give it a try. Fingers crossed

 

[Burnerman]

To make things easier, if the oil level in the tank is higher than the filter, it will gravity bleed. If not, its a case of drawing the oil through with the syringe I'm afraid. Normally the pump on the burner will do this but its not a good idea to run it dry.....hence the syringe to help things along.
It looks like a Crossland filter but no guarantees!
John

 

[muggles]

That Tigerloop looks like it's overdue for replacement. Unlikely to be causing your present problem but it should be done, they only have a 10 year lifespan

 

[Lorri E]

To make things easier, if the oil level in the tank is higher than the filter, it will gravity bleed. If not, its a case of drawing the oil through with the syringe I'm afraid. Normally the pump on the burner will do this but its not a good idea to run it dry.....hence the syringe to help things along.
It looks like a Crossland filter but no guarantees!
John

Thanks again for the information John. Yes, you're right, it says Crosland, Nottingham on it. Tried removing both the screws in the top but nothing comes out of either of them. Would it be a foolish thing to try to unscrew the nut on the right-hand side of the unit where the pipe is attached (which is the side that leads to the tanks) and see if the oil is even getting as far as the filter?

 

[Burnerman]

This all depends on the level of oil in your tank being higher than the filter, Lorri.....if this is the case, then opening the screws on the top of the filter should let first air out and then kerosene - gravity being your friend. If the oil level is higher and there's still no flow then either the valve on the tank is shut (there will be one) or there is a sludge blockage in the pipe from tank to filter.
I assume the tank is on the left side of the filter, with the white covered pipe heading for the boiler?
If the tank is lower than the filter, opening screws or pipes lets air in, and we have to rely on your oil syringe to pull the kero through.
John

 

[snb]

i would first check the filter a the tank, followed by the next filter, then the tiger loop and then at the boiler. Are you certain you rang out of oil? it could be that the fire valve has activated and then you will not get any oil flow. If it has you should be able to reset it. one type is press in to reset, the other is pull out to reset. Most likely you will need to get an engineer out to sort it