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Beckett Furnace leaks a little oil. Normal?

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junior466
junior466 Member Posts: 9
edited February 2022 in Oil Heating
I noticed today when changing my air filter that there’s some heating oil residue below my furnace and some research suggests this to be normal but before I call a tech out I wanted to be sure. Here are some photos with highlighted areas of where I think it’s coming from. 


The furnace is running well and It was last tuned up this past October/November. The oil you see is from daily use since them. 


Comments

  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,841
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    I don't know where you did your research but find some new avenues because that's never normal. 
    There's a weep hole under the center of the housing. You can see the stain below it.
    It could be a few things like a loose or stripped nozzle line, bad pump seal, after drip from the nozzle, or incomplete combustion. 
    It's a fixed air tube so no pitch adjustment needed.
    It's a clean cut pump and haven't had issues with positive shut off.
    Either way it needs to be taken care of. The burner compartment isn't air tight and when the blower comes on it'll draw the odor into the heated space. 
    Normal. Ha! 

    STEVEusaPA
  • junior466
    junior466 Member Posts: 9
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    I understand now so thank you for the explanation. This is the thread I red https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/186905/beckett-furnace-leaks-a-little-oil-normal#latest

    I obviously missed something. 

    I had an issue in the past (over a year ago) where a tech installed the wrong (size?) nozzle in a tune up and my furnace kept shutting itself off. A few days later I called another company and they discovered the mistake. I do have the better company coming out to inspect this issue but is there a chance that something like this happened again?
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,545
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    Some say my eyes are bad but if you look at the bottom of the oil pump (I am looking at your last picture) it looks like bubbles around the pipe plug on the bottom (it could just be the way the light is hitting it)

    Either way its not normal and should be checked could be any of the items @HVACNUT mentioned
  • junior466
    junior466 Member Posts: 9
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    @EBEBRATT-Ed and @HVACNUT I had a tech come out and it turns out (don't quote me since I don't recall exactly) the nozzle wasn't cooling down properly and spraying oil everywhere towards the end of the cycle. He added an extra minute to the end of the cycle so the nozzle can cool down properly. It has been dry ever since.

    Thanks for your help and hopefully it helps someone else that comes across this.
  • Jon_blaney
    Jon_blaney Member Posts: 316
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    What brand of pump is on that burner?
  • Jon_blaney
    Jon_blaney Member Posts: 316
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    That problem makes it leak on the floor?
  • captainco
    captainco Member Posts: 794
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    When oil drips out of the nozzle after the burner shuts down the oil drips in the air tube. Even though the air tube should be pointed slightly downhill, the heat of the burner when firing causes that oil to go uphill and drip where the burner and air tube connect. I am sure some oil guys know what an air tube dam is. Just make a bead of silicone about 3 or 4 inches long a couple of inches ahead of where the air tube attaches and this will allow the oil to eventually evaporate.
    SuperTech

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