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Oil comes out of vent pipe

ejp2025
ejp2025 Member Posts: 1
in Oil Heating

After several months of winter weather I called to get an oil delivery. I have a fiberglass 1000 gallon tank buried . I can’t stick my tank due to an offset in the fill pipe and the straight pipe was buried years ago. My issue is the oil company said I took only 68 gallons and the whistle was inoperative and some oil came out the vent. I’m not sure if there ever was a whistle , the tank is 27 years old. I removed my vent cap and did clean out debris dead bugs etc. I then used the exhaust side of a shop vac to force air through the fill to check the vent whistle . There was no whistle and it seemed liked there was some pressure building on the fill end . I tried a few times and held a little longer I then got some oil coming out the vent. Any ideas ?? I can’t believe this tank is only took 68 gallons after all winter 6 months.

Thanks

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 17,601

    If you got oil out of the vent it would seem the tank is full. If installed 28 years ago it should have had a whistle. The oil companies carry a portable whistle in there truck a "Scully fast Fill" that they can use but it will not work in an offset fill pipe.

    The good news is spring is here because you have some digging to do.

    I would dig it up check for a whistle and make sure the vent pipe is pitched so it is low on the tank end. The fill should also be straight with no offset if at all possible

    Mad Dog_2SuperTech
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,712

    It shouldn't have taken anything. No whistle, no fuel.

    yellowdog
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 25,912

    As @EBEBRATT-Ed said, you've got some digging to do. You muct manage to get access at least to the top of the tank and all the tappings. You need to rearrange the piping —- or install some new — so that you have a straight shot into the tank, which gives you a way to stick the tank, and you need to be absolutely positive that the vent — and whistle — are clear and pitched properly. If it were mine, I'd replace all of that stuff…

    Now the next question is — I've always been a belt and suspenders kind of guy — is the outlet to the boiler a top of bottom outlet? If it is a bottom outlet, is there any hope at all that you could arrange a gauge column — inside — where you could routinely check the tank oil level without sticking? There's no substitute for sticking the tank regularly — but a handy inside gauge might not come amiss, either.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 3,180
    edited April 15

    Exposing the straight pipe would be a good idea, assuming you are finding out…

    Just curious , what's on top of the tank ?

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • HydronicMike
    HydronicMike Member Posts: 20

    The last delivery could’ve been over filled or water could’ve got into the vent pipe. And it’s clogged or partially clogged.
    Probably took 60 gallons in a 1000 gallon tank to build up enough pressure to blow whatever was in the vent out and the driver thought it was a full tank.
    The driver did the right thing stopping.

    As others said, the solution is to carefully dig to the top of the tank and replace the fill, vent and whistle. The fill HAS to be a straight pipe so the tank can get sticked to check levels and for the presence of water.

    The most you should do is dig it up. Let the oil company replace the piping to code. Otherwise all spills into the ground are on you.

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