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Oil line leak

HeatingHelp
HeatingHelp Administrator Posts: 681
in Oil Heating
This discussion was created from comments split from: Oil Drip..... can anything be done??.

Comments

  • LRCCBJ
    LRCCBJ Member Posts: 431

    Appreciate the advice in this thread. I had changed the oil line to the furnace with a new overhead line to get off the floor. The result was a decent oil leak at the bottom of the blower housing. I attributed it to a slight vacuum leak and spent significant time ensuring ALL flares were perfect. Finally confirmed no vacuum leak with a gauge right at the burner. Held vacuum for 10 minutes without any movement on the gauge.

    Figured I was done and the burner would now run without any leaks. Incorrect. Still has a significant leak while running. The fuel pump was replaced when the lines were done so I was doubtful that was the culprit but tested it anyway. Held 80 psi for 10 minutes. Not the problem.

    Figured I would take the aforementioned advice and change the head. Pulled the burner and found that It was basically rusted completely to blast tube so I changed the assembly with a new blast tube/head. Set the Z dimension with the Z2000 gauge.

    Started it up and the fuel leak was GONE. Still a bit baffled by this as the unit never had any issues prior to the change in fuel lines to overhead.

    Thanks for the assistance!

  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 9,460
    edited September 29

    Is there a reason that you decided to Hi jack this 4 year old thread to start your discussion @LRCCBJ?

    You might want to start your own discussion. I will answer you there!

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

  • LRCCBJ
    LRCCBJ Member Posts: 431
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1812294#Comment_1812294

    I view it as an extension of the original discussion. Starting a new thread without any continuity to the problem isn't productive for anyone. Adding relevant information is certainly not a "hijack"

  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 9,460
    edited September 29

    OK then here is my response that has nothing to do with the original discussion. (or I would have posted this answer previously)

    I can not find the text book what has this illustration so I did my best to recreate it here:

    Screenshot 2024-09-28 at 11.34.10 PM.png

    If you click on the photo it will enlarge and you can zoom in even closer to see the slight difference.

    The nozzle is deisgne with a mechanical seal that is on a slight conical shape or bevel. That matches a slight conical surface of the nozzle adaptor, similar to a ground joint union that uses no gasket. A metal to metal seal. As long as you do not over-tighten the nozzle (about 25 inch pounds of torque) then you will always make that leak free seal happen.

    When some one that is not familiar with this design and happens to get a long handle 5/8" box wrench and a 3/4" open end wrench and muscles that nozzle to about 25 Foot Pounds. (Not hard to do with long wrenches) the conical surfaces act like a wedge and will deform the end of the nozzle adaptor causing it to mushroom outward at the metal to metal connection. With that deformed connection you will never get it to be leak free. the more you tighten it, the more it will leak

    By replacing the nozzle assembly, the defective nozzle adaptor is gone and so is the leak.

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    PC7060
  • HeatingHelp.com
    HeatingHelp.com Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 70
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1812294#Comment_1812294

    Thanks Ed. We started a new discussion here to prevent confusion.

    Forum Moderator

  • LRCCBJ
    LRCCBJ Member Posts: 431
    edited September 29

    The interesting part of this result is the fact that the nozzle was previously installed PROPERLY with minimal torque onto a brand new air tube combination and the leak remained. The component that was changed to effect a solution was the air tube itself and the F3 head. Although the F3 head looked proper, apparently it was not. Once the nozzle assembly and the new air tube with new F3 head was installed, the leak disappeared completely.

    I originally chased this problem due to a suction leak which required hours of chasing flares. Once that was fixed, I expected the leak to be eliminated. It was not.

    I originally explained the solution to the problem on the original post on the original thread, and, if you read it, you would know that the nozzle was not the issue.

    It would have been beneficial to leave this result on the original thread for those who search for a solution to an oil line leak. It is not obvious why such a leak develops and certainly not obvious on how to cure it. There was certainly no "confusion".

  • HeatingHelp.com
    HeatingHelp.com Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 70
    edited September 29

    • @LRCCBJ There is a link to that original thread in the opening post here, just a click away. I understand that your issue was similar to the OP on that thread, but troubleshooting two different systems with a similar issue within the same thread can get confusing fast. I'm glad you fixed your leak, shared your solution with the community, and are seeking greater understanding as to why it worked.

    Forum Moderator

  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 9,460
    edited September 29

    I didn't see that you replaced the the part of the burner that uses the nozzle adaptor before you replaced the burner head, and still experienced the leak. The way I read your comment was:

    1. Ran overhead line and leak started
    2. Tested line with vacuum and then repaired flares, still had leak
    3. Tested high pressure line and pump cutoff. Test held 80PSI but there was still a leak.
    4. checked end cone and found it rusted.
    5. Replaced burner head, end cone, air tube, and the nozzle assembly at the same time and the leak was gone.

    The burner head repair may have bin the fix because the old air tube was on an angle sloping towards burner motor.(away from the chamber) and the new air tube was now sloping away from the burner motor (toward the chamber as it should be) so the leak was dripping into the chamber where it can be burnt on the next cycle.

    But without knowing the volume of the oil leak you have, I believed that the nozzle to nozzle adaptor seal may have been compromised before you were there.

    Now that I think about it, I may have jumped top a false conclusion. There was no leak before the overhead oil line. perhaps the torque places on the fuel pump fittings during the overhead line procedure may have caused the burner to pitch the wrong way. When you replaced the air tube and assembly, you put the proper pitch back the way it should be. Maybe a good thing the leak happened. You got to double check all those flares you made, and you found a rusted burner head and replaced it. That isn't a bad thing!!! Is it?

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

  • LRCCBJ
    LRCCBJ Member Posts: 431
    edited September 30

    I failed to have a complete explanation with proper timelines and terminology:

    1. Ran overhead line and leak began at that point. Some air could be observed in the line (using clear tubing on the bleeder) but not enough to shut the burner down.
    2. Observed vacuum gauge and repaired flares until burner held vacuum all the way back to the tank.
    3. Was suspicious of the connection between the nozzle and the nozzle line for all the reasons you stated previously and the potential damage to the nozzle line caused by previous overtorque of the nozzle so replaced the nozzle line and nozzle.
    4. Tested high pressure line and pump cutoff. Held 80 psi. Leak still present
    5. Pulled burner and found end cone rusted.
    6. Replaced air tube and end cone. Nozzle line (basically new) as previous. Burner head was not replaced.

    Since there was no burner head repair and no apparent change in angle between the burner and the furnace, I am fairly confident that the leak, if it remained, would remain dripping into the blower housing and not be dripping into the chamber. We are talking about a leak that is roughly one drop every 4-5 seconds. It is not a leak that should be allowed to remain and trust that it drips into the chamber.

    I do not see how a replacement of an air tube and end cone can possibly change the angle of the burner to a downward slope unless the existing air tube was bent in some fashion due to corrosion (estimated 35 years of age). Note that this air tube does not support the weight of the burner. There is a flange that is mounted to the burner head and the flange is then secured directly to the furnace.

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