Help Removing and Testing Oil Tank Whistle

AnthVale

My oil delivery driver said the whistle was not going off so he couldn't deliver any more oil.

When I went and checked the tank I noticed a small hole that was unplugged on the top of the tank and I'm wondering if that had anything to do with the whistle not going off?

Here is a photo of the hole that I have now plugged. That last photo in the thread is the entire tank which you can see this plugged hole to the far left of the tank. 

Now that the hole is plugged I'm wondering if the whistle will work and if I can unscrew the whistle and test it? The oil company said they would not deliver me oil until the whistle was fixed. I seem to have a combo oil gauge/vent cap/whistle like shown below.

My first problem is that my monkey wrenches and channel locks are BARELY big enough. But, I can get it to turn, except the part the arrow is pointing to in the image below is actually turning, and not the red piece. Is it ok to test the whistle like this, or do I need to get another wrench to hold that bottom part and remove the red separately?

ethicalpaul

Didn't they offer to fix it?

MaxMercy

AnthVale said:

My oil delivery driver said the whistle was not going off so ....Now that the hole is plugged I'm wondering if the whistle will work and if I can unscrew the whistle and test it?

The hole would reduce the pressure through the whistle,so that could have caused it not to work, but do you know if the plug was missing all this time (in other words, did the whistle work with the plug out?)

You can unthread just the red part or unthread the red part and the adapter together, but you want to make sure when you put it back you orient it the same so the gauge float pivots towards the big part of the tank and not get hung up on the side of the tank. The whistle *could* have been flooded with schmutz if the last delivery driver overfilled the tank (that happened to me). If you remove the whistle, you can clean it with lacquer thinner or some other solvent.

In the meantime, I would call back the oil company, have them verify the tank fill pipe is connected to the tank (it is), and have them try again now that you've plugged the hole. With the vent inside the basement (is that even code??), it will be hard to hear the whistle outside the house so maybe the whistle was working but very softly. If it still doesn't work take it apart and clean it or buy a new gauge/whistle.

AnthVale

They do the oil delivery only; unfortunately, they are not a company that would fix it.

And no, it's not to code. I just bought the house and am trying to fix everything now.

When I bought the house, it was unplugged. But, the seller just put 100 gallons in the tank a week before I bought it, so I don't understand why the whistle worked then and not for my first delivery. UNLESS he unplugged it on me.

My guess is it's clogged from that delivery possibly? Or, the small hole being unplugged was the culprit. Either way, I understand your point about orienting the gauge float. That makes a lot of sense and I did not think of that so thank you.

I'm going to try to get the red part off itself but if I can't I will just unthread it all considering right now the entire thing is hand loose for me.

Intplm.

Tell the oil company what you found and what was done to correct it.
From there they should know that the vent alarm/whistle should be working properly.

All of the air was following the path of less resistance from that missing half inch plug.

They are also going to want the vent to extend out of the wall out doors so they can hear it while filling.
Im guessing it was being done by opening the window to hear the alarm.

If you need to remove, get yourself an 18 inch pipe wrench and go at it.
They are going to want the vent to extend out side eventually.

How did the former oil get delivered? Check for a sticker on the boiler. If there is a service sticker on there, that company might be more understanding and give you a fill up.....for now.

MaxMercy

AnthVale said:

My guess is it's clogged from that delivery possibly?

It's possible but hard to prove without evidence. It happened to me but I smelled oil when I got home. I went into the basement and found a few gallons of heating oil on the floor dripping out of the gauge. I called the oil company and they sent a guy who cleaned it up right away and did a good job, but the next oil delivery I only got 10 gallons because the whistle didn't work. Now, it clearly worked on the over-fill delivery because they put oil in it, but after the tank was flooded, the whistle didn't work (probably a blob of oil got caught in the whistle).

I told the oil company the whistle was fine on the previous fill when they flooded the tank, and they replaced the whistle and gauge, but I got a bill a week later. I sent them a check and told them to consider the check the last one they would get from me and I cancelled my automatic delivery (they had me 20 years at that point). They never cashed my check but they never apologized either..

But without the overfill the prev delivery, I would not have put two and two together.

As long as the casting is loose, just pull it out and clean the whistle (brake cleaner would be fine as well). Once the whistle is clean and the hole plugged, it will work. Make sure your connections are tight on top (use a high quality thick teflon tape to put it back together).

AnthVale

Intplm. said:

Tell the oil company what you found and what was done to correct it. From there they should know that the vent alarm/whistle should be working properly. All of the air was following the path of less resistance from that missing half inch plug. They are also going to want the vent to extend out of the wall out doors so they can hear it while filling. Im guessing it was being done by opening the window to hear the alarm. If you need to remove, get yourself an 18 inch pipe wrench and go at it. They are going to want the vent to extend out side eventually. How did the former oil get delivered? Check for a sticker on the boiler. If there is a service sticker on there, that company might be more understanding and give you a fill up.....for now.

So, the fill and vent are in a detached barn inside. It all needs to be piled outside eventually. On my list of to dos lol they would have heard the whistle because it's right next to where they pump.

My guess is it's clogged from that delivery possibly?

It's possible but hard to prove without evidence. It happened to me but I smelled oil when I got home. I went into the basement and found a few gallons of heating oil on the floor dripping out of the gauge. I called the oil company and they sent a guy who cleaned it up right away and did a good job, but the next oil delivery I only got 10 gallons because the whistle didn't work. Now, it clearly worked on the over-fill delivery because they put oil in it, but after the tank was flooded, the whistle didn't work (probably a blob of oil got caught in the whistle). I told the oil company the whistle was fine on the previous fill when they flooded the tank, and they replaced the whistle and gauge, but I got a bill a week later. I sent them a check and told them to consider the check the last one they would get from me and I cancelled my automatic delivery (they had me 20 years at that point). They never cashed my check but they never apologized either.. But without the overfill the prev delivery, I would not have put two and two together. As long as the casting is loose, just pull it out and clean the whistle (brake cleaner would be fine as well). Once the whistle is clean and the hole plugged, it will work. Make sure your connections are tight on top (use a high quality thick teflon tape to put it back together).

Thank you. I think I'll just take it out and clean it and maybe test the whistle with a blower or bike pump or something.

Thanks

Robert O'Brien

Fill and vent must terminate outside building.

HVACNUT

There should be a 2 inch black plug there using pipe compound. Not tephlon tape. 

And the driver was literally 4 feet from that bushing pyramid, and he didn't see it?

Big Ed_4

The oil driver is standing right there when filling , he should know how to fill , I hope
That combo oil gauge and vent will have be removed to clean and inspect the whistle . . The oil gauge is a stretched floated arm. No problem installing with an empty tank . With oil in the tank the arm will hit the sides of the tank and twist to ruin . I had more bad luck than good , pulling and pushing on the gauge plunger while wrenching off . With your tank set up , I would just spin in a separate gauge and vent alarm ...

EBEBRATT-Ed

Where is this tank located? It looks like it is inside the building. Is it a carport or an open shed.

MikeAmann

Couldn't compressed air, or air from a leaf blower or vacuum cleaner in reverse have been blown into the tank to test the whistle?

HVACNUT

MikeAmann said:

Couldn't compressed air, or air from a leaf blower or vacuum cleaner in reverse have been blown into the tank to test the whistle?

Yes. I use the discharge side of the soot vac into the fill. Not full on directly. Just enough to hear the whistle.

STEVEusaPA

I doubt this is getting fixed correctly (piped outside) any time soon, so just remove the 3rd bung from the right, and the driver can look directly into the tank while filling it.
At least you're up and running until you get it properly piped.
Or, I have/and have used a number of times, the 2' underground fill pipe on outside tanks with no whistles. Stick it in the fill port (depending on the scully fitting), zip lock bag around the other vent. It'll whistle just fine

STEVEusaPA

Something like this. 

EdTheHeaterMan

If your fuel dealer doesn’t want to deliver fuel, try calling another dealer

Try that with natural gas

ethicalpaul

Natural gas is always there, and state regulated, and never prone to the whims of oil delivery people and companies. Try that with oil!

mikespipe

The open plug was probably the problem. the post that said put the exhaust of a vacuum to the fill pipe will cause the whistle to blow is right . a compressor might work if the blower was wrapped with a rag or tape to seal the rest of the hole. a leaf blower would also work. if these do not cause a whistle then the whistle might have broken off and needs to be replaced. if it needs to be removed unscrew the gauge glass and pull up un the level indicator. if you turn the gauge. out without doing so you will pinch the level indicator against the tank and break it

AnthVale

Thank you everyone. I ended up taking it all apart and cleaning it. The whistle worked fine. They delivered oil today and the driver told me the whistle is just stopping at 3/4 of a tank (on the gauge) and that the gauge may be a little off.

I watched him pump the oil so I saw and heard the whistle working. I'm wondering if when my gauge says 3/4 it's actually "FULL".

He mentioned that they intentionally leave out about 30 gallons for expansion.

STEVEusaPA

AnthVale said:

Thank you everyone. I ended up taking it all apart and cleaning it. The whistle worked fine. They delivered oil today and the driver told me the whistle is just stopping at 3/4 of a tank (on the gauge) and that the gauge may be a little off.

I watched him pump the oil so I saw and heard the whistle working. I'm wondering if when my gauge says 3/4 it's actually "FULL".

He mentioned that they intentionally leave out about 30 gallons for expansion.

All sounds true. Also if they pump at a high speed/pressure, the foaming will stop the whistle sound so you won't get as much in the tank.