I replaced the oil pump last week and everything was fine until Sunday when it stopped working...I can put the inlet oil feed pipe into an oil can and the pump works fine...but it won't draw oil from the oil tank which is outside...I have blasted air down the feed line and can hear it gurgling in the tank...ive cleaned the filter at both the oil tank and at the oil burner pump...i tried connecting the tank feed line up again this morning but still no luck....any help would be very appreciated...thanks.
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dobbslc
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There's a small posi bleed screw on my pump, undo it and wait until there's no air coming out, you might need to restart the boiler a few times (it can take an age) an air lock might cause the pump not to pull in oil if your tank is a long way off or below the boiler.
Thanks guys for all your replies....the oil tank is situated about 50feet away from the house....its been there for over 20years...never been a problem before.....I have an oil extractor pump that I use to change oil in my car and I can connect it to the inlet feed at the oil burner and it draws the oil up no problem...as I said re blockage, I have connected an air compressor to the oil feed line and I can hear it gurgling in the oil tank....so I take it that the line is blockage free.....and I have bled the system....and it is a 1pipe operation...and there's 1000 litres in the tank....cheers
not done it yet
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Answer Carbon. An engine sump pump is not the same as a relatively tiny head. Same with the air line. - umpteen psi (potentially) versus next to bu**er all in the normsl direction.
I am expecting there is a filter, and expecting it to be duff.
I am expecting there is a filter, and expecting it to be duff.
I've cleaned the filter at the tank outlet and on the pump
not run at all....no oil getting to it
julianf
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Personally, I would take out the photosensor, put my thumb over it, start up the unit, and, once the electrodes start firing, I'd then shine a torch on the photosensor.
This will let the pump keep spinning even though it's not lit.
I'd then (quickly - as in immediately, not after 5 mins) crack off the air bleed grub screw on the pump.
I'd hope that bubbles would come out and then froth, and then a fair bit of liquid fuel. It might not, but I'd still do this as air locks can be a pain in these pumps.
I know it runs from a local jug of fuel, and it will seem like a nonsense, but, from experience, I would still do this. Again without a tigerloop they can be a pain to bleed.
If you get frothing from the bleed, wait a while until it's proper liquid and not just froth and tighten it all up again whist it's still spinning.
If you really don't get any froth even after keeping it spinning for some time with your torch on it, it's time to start thinking about other issues. But it's always good to go for the low hanging fruit / simple tests.
I know it seems like nonsense as you've bled the feed line and it works from a local tank, but, again, they're a pain often and, for the cost of 10 mins, you can then be much more certain as to whats going on.
julianf
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In follow up -
If it was all working and then stopped and there was fuel in the tank (ie it didn't run dry) it's not going to be the wrong configuration of pump setup, nor would airlock be the reason for it failing (may be the reason for it not starting again now though)
Were the filters on the tank in poor condition or were they clean?
What I'm asking is, would their condition have been poor enough to stop things running (and then an air issue be the problem with starting again) or did you open it to find clean filters?
If there were no issues found (like wet blocked filters) then and the tank was still full, then the original fault is probably still in play.
If it was all working and then stopped and there was fuel in the tank (ie it didn't run dry) it's not going to be the wrong configuration of pump setup, nor would airlock be the reason for it failing (may be the reason for it not starting again now though)
Were the filters on the tank in poor condition or were they clean?
What I'm asking is, would their condition have been poor enough to stop things running (and then an air issue be the problem with starting again) or did you open it to find clean filters?
If there were no issues found (like wet blocked filters) then and the tank was still full, then the original fault is probably still in play.
julianf
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When my neighbours boiler failed, I swapped in a badly leaking pump to be sure (it was a knackered pump but good enough to fire up for a test run) before ordering a new pump.
Sometimes the parts canon is needed : (
...but it would be a pig if it wasn't the pump!
The riello rdb whatever pumps are about £60 from eBay sellers.
Sometimes the parts canon is needed : (
...but it would be a pig if it wasn't the pump!
The riello rdb whatever pumps are about £60 from eBay sellers.
