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Flue pipe removal: bust up old furnace cement?

seized123
seized123 Member Posts: 475
edited October 6 in THE MAIN WALL

So I plan to clean my Weil-McLain WGO-3. I've done it once or twice before, and the only thing I dread is taking off and putting back the flue pipe. As you can see the riser is firmly wedged in between the top of the boiler and the elbow, with no play anywhere. Maybe just the right kind of twisting of the elbow will free things up, but I doubt it because that has never happened before, it was always the use of pure force and prayer with me worrying about breaking the elbow, which I think happened once, or cracking the cement.

You guys must face this all the time. Any tips? Is it ever standard operating procedure to just wrench the whole assembly free, breaking up the furnace cement, and reapplying after the cleaning? (And I'm thinking even if I did that, things might still be tight if I pulled the pipe out of the masonry pipe, but if I could push it in, and then pull the elbow out that might give me some play.)

IMG_8596.jpeg IMG_8597.jpeg IMG_8598.jpeg

Comments

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 14,320

    There are probably several smarter ways to reduce that thimble that will make it easier to service.

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 18,645

    Take the screws out of the elbow on top of the riser coming out of the boiler. Then you should be able to pull the riser elbow out of the horizontal section going into the chimney

  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 7,034

    Pop the elbow out of the Tee. Leave the breach alone. I

    HydronicMike
  • HydronicMike
    HydronicMike Member Posts: 153

    There’s not enough cement to worry about it. You can try to take it out at the elbow but it will probably all come out anyway. Looks tight enough to pack it with a rope gasket and cap it with some furnace cement.

    A better solution may be to get a proper piece of stainless in there (unless you have a proper thimble) attached and immovable. Then your flue pipe can be yanked out without disturbing into the chimney.

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