Annual Tuneup, now horrible burning smell

I'll go with the tool. And you need to get your new man out there to find it and fix it.

Sounds like he mis adjusted the burner. Sounds like way too much air which can give you an awful smell. Did he do a combustion test and leave the paperwork with the test results?

There have been a few observations that you need to consider.  How long did it take for the technician to perform the service?  Was there a combustion analysis completed, and if so what were the results of the test? And was there a plastic tool left on a hot surface?  

To put this in perspective, in the 1970s when I was taught how to do oil heat maintenance we were expected to complete four “Cleanouts” per day.  That is what we called the maintenance back then because there was always soot to be “Cleaned Out” along with the filter changes and nozzle replacement.  This timing was basically 90 minutes for the actual on the job service and 30 minutes travel time between jobs for a total of the 8 hour day.  

What was done in that 90 minutes included removing the vent pipe connector to the chimney and removing any build up debris that accumulated in the base of the chimney, then removing any cleanout covers to access the heat exchanger and brush the heat exchanger (HX) while operating a vacuum to remove any of the soot and scale that may be inside thar HX. Once that “dirty work was done, you would remove the nozzle assembly and drop it into a container of degreaser to soak while you put your vacuum cleaner back on the truck and pick up the proper strainer cover gasket and nozzle for that burner.  

Now that you are back inside the boiler/furnace room you could perform a few things like cementing the flue pipe connector back to the chimney base and seal the cleanout doors with proper gaskets or furnace cement. Followed by replacing the oil filter cartridge refill and pump strainer cleaning or replacement.  Then perform tests like the safety timing on the primary control, pump pressure and pump cut off with your high pressure gauge attached to the high pressure fuel line, and the ignition transformer spark strength.  Then taking a brush to the combustion fan and wiping down the burner housing and furnace/boiler cover with some cleaning agent. With all that done you now take the nozzle assembly and wipe off the electrodes and replace the nozzle.  Finally you can adjust the electrodes before placing the nozzle assembly back in the burner and put it all back together.  

Now you are ready to start the burner and adjust the flame using your smoke spot tester to be sure you have a zero to #1 smoke spot on the test paper.  With that adjustment locked in you then place the combustion analyzer (or CO2 bottle and stack thermometer) in the exhaust connector to see that you have a properly adjusted oil burner.  Once that is done, you can put all your tools back on the truck and fill out the paperwork including the smoke spot test stapled to the receipt and get paid or have the charge account sign the work order and give them their receipt .   Opps, you are at 93 minutes.  Better get to the next job.   

With all the improvements in oil heat technology today, a properly adjusted oil burner may never need a vacuum cleaning when properly adjusted. That will cut about 30 minutes off the time. So it takes about 60 minutes do all the other items on the list. So I guess the others might be saying the if the new technician took less than 45 minutes to do the tune up, them you may need to find a different oil burner service provider for the future. If the technician spent at least an hour, the you probably have a good mechanic and perhaps just a little absent minded who might be missing a screwdriver.

Hope this helps.

Mr. Ed

Can you post pics? Has the burner been upgraded?

If the flue collector is being held together with tape and cement, it might be time for a new heating system.