How to adjust oil furnace electrodes and flame?

[Logic316]

Hi folks, I have an old cast iron boiler that used to burn coal back in the 1940's, and had been converted over to heating oil. It uses a pretty standard looking 3450 motor that's about 30 years old, and I clean and maintain the boiler myself (a pretty damn messy job, I know). The only problem is, I'm not sure how to properly adjust the ignition electrodes. I just vacuumed out the boiler, replaced the oil filter, and then replaced the fuel nozzle with exactly the same kind that it was using before (60 degrees spray angle, 1.35 gallons per hour flow rate). The problem is that even when I open the air intake band all the way, the flame is still long, red and smoky. I tried another new fuel nozzle with the same results, so I'm pretty sure that the nozzle isn't clogged up. I'm guessing it has something to do with the position of the ignition electrodes possibly interfering with the fuel spray pattern, and I suppose I could go back and forth about a hundred times disassembling and reassembling the fuel gun assembly until I get the electrodes perfect, but if anybody out there can give me the proper specifications I would very much appreciate it (there is no specs label on this motor, I checked).

Also, can anybody give me some tips on adjusting the flame? I have some general idea that the flame should be made as big as possible, without giving off any smoke or long red "fingers". When I adjusted it last year, the furnace seemed to run pretty efficiently and there wasn't much soot in it when I cleaned it out, but it would be great if anybody could give me any tips on this. Thanks in advance :-)

- Logic316

"I don't mind what Congress does, as long as they don't do it in the streets and frighten the horses." -- Victor Hugo

[Mark]

I just vacuumed out

Sounds like you have too much oil flow or not enough air flow...

Are you sure the old nozzle was 1.35 gal per hour and not less?

Did you mess with the pressure regulator?

Is something clogging up the air flow?

Also some burners have two sets of air bands, on is a coarse adjustment and one is a fine adjustment?

Mark

[Logic316]

I didn't touch the fuel pressure regulator screw, I already know from what I've read on the web that that's a big no-no without having the proper meter. The fuel nozzle is definitely the same as what was previously on there (I had also tried a smaller nozzle that's 1.00 GPM, and it's just as smoky). I had cleaned out whole the air intake last year and it's still clear now. There isn't a fine adjustment anywhere, just the big collar on the left of the motor.

- Logic316

"A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for."

[clare]

Is the flame retention ring in position, and did the nozzle position gen changed?

[Logic316]

The retention ring has no way of being moved up or down along the fuel pipe, though it can be twisted around slightly. It looks pretty primitive, as it's permanently machined in place and there is no adjustment there. I see no way to adjust the position of the nozzle either, you just change it and that's it.

- Logic316

"If you think there is good in everybody, you haven't met everybody."

[Pete C.]

Take 12 weeks of evening oil burner service classes at your local tech school for a few hundred dollars, buy $600 in test equipment and then spend the next few decades *not* giving any business to the paranoid little twits you see responding to you from alt.hvac. It's too complicated to learn from a newsgroup post, but it certainly isn't brain surgery.

[Tekkie®]

Logic316 posted for all of us...

Oh, like high CO coming out?

[zero]

I think you might need a new burner? What else could it be?

-zero

[trader4]

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New burner? It's only 30 years old. LOL. The furnace is 60 years old and was designed to burn coal. You think it just might make sense to buy a new furnace? With the price of oil today, it's hard to imagine how you could not save enough in fuel costs to justify a new furnace. You're likely sending substantial $$$ up the chimney, while fretting over how to try to tune up a dinosaur, which even if burning as best it can, still is inefficient compared to a new furnace.

[ransley]

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What is it, he first says cast iron boiler, bubbass dreams up furnace, now its a cast iron furnace? If cast furnace its 50-60% efficent, a boiler maybe 65% overall, He should dump whatever it is and get a high efficency unit, what a waste.

[Logic316]

I don't make threats, Booboo, I only issued you a challenge. You're perfectly free to take it or leave it. I have a hard time taking "keyboard warriors" seriously, and I'm curious to see if you're as boorish in person. Go ahead and send me a private email address, and we'll take things from there. Or you can just keep on talking trash and showing everybody that's all you can do.

- Logic316

"Welfare's purpose should be to eliminate, as far as possible, the need for its own existence." -- Ronald Reagan

[Logic316]

I have two CO detectors in the house, as well as a big old brick chimney with a strong draft. This boiler and chimney were originally designed for burning coal, so it operates on a draft system that is more than capable of venting out excess fumes. Besides, with oil heat you're going to smell the unburnt hydrocarbons long before the CO becomes a problem, that's why oil is relatively much more safe than natural gas. But I guess you knew that, right?

- Logic316

"We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur." -- Vice President Al Gore, 9/22/97

[Logic316]

Suggestion noted, and rejected. Tell you what Booboo, when YOU'RE the one who pays my oil bill and has to clean out my boiler, then you can complain and insist on having it maintained YOUR way.

- Logic316

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." -- Popular Mechanics, 1949

[Logic316]

Thanks, I'll look for that. It amazes me that I've been doing my own car repairs and roof work for years, yet nobody ever bitched at me simply for not being a state-certified auto mechanic or roofer. And working on a car or a roof can get you killed if you don't pay attention to basic safety procedures, yet it's something an amateur can be quite capable of doing properly. But if I even dare to mention around here that I touched MY own furnace, all of a sudden it's like I stepped on the toes of the oil mafia. Makes you wonder.....

- Logic316

"...trusting the government with your privacy is like having a Peeping Tom install your window blinds." -- John Perry Barlow

[Logic316]

What is it, he first says cast iron boiler, bubbass dreams up furnace, now its a cast iron furnace? If cast furnace its 50-60% efficent, a boiler maybe 65% overall, He should dump whatever it is and get a high efficency unit, what a waste.

It's a boiler. I'll agree it's a dinosaur that should be replaced, but for now I just want to make the most of what I've got.

- Logic316

"...trusting the government with your privacy is like having a Peeping Tom install your window blinds." -- John Perry Barlow

[salty]

Nothing to wonder about if you have followed the same patteren here for many years. If you have, then you know that most HVAC techs are those who failed at being screen door repairmen or locksmiths. They are an angry bunch of failures, and it shows.

[Steve]

You got told what you needed to know...If its not what you wanted to hear, tough...get over it. now go away.

[Steve]

Actually, your wrong on all counts... but I guess you knew that and are just trying to stir the pot.

[Steve]

I bet your still driving a 60 year old car too just to make the most of what you have.

[The Daring Dufas]

*Chuckle* What a nasty thing to say. I'm glad HVAC is not the only thing I work on or I would be pissed off all the time. BTW, what does your PhD cover?

TDD