Comments on: How to Prime an Oil Burner Pump (DIY) http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-burner-diy/ Thoughts on God and life from a Christian perspective Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:51:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sean http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-burner-diy/#comment-22819 Sean Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:43:51 +0000 http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-pump-diy/#comment-22819 by the way that's my wife not me in the Pic. by the way that’s my wife not me in the Pic.

]]> By: Sean http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-burner-diy/#comment-22818 Sean Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:32:48 +0000 http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-pump-diy/#comment-22818 Thanks Ray it was so easy I really feel stupid that I paid for a service call the first time we ran out you saved us $127.00 God Bless Thanks Ray it was so easy I really feel stupid that I paid for a service call the first time we ran out you saved us $127.00

God Bless

]]> By: Jonathan http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-burner-diy/#comment-22686 Jonathan Sun, 15 Jan 2012 02:21:06 +0000 http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-pump-diy/#comment-22686 Thanks for the tip! Nice to see that many years later this post is still providing a lot of value. Took 3 o4 tries to get mine bled well. I have new found respect for my oil repair guy. He usually gets it right away and in about 8 oz of oil! Thanks for the tip! Nice to see that many years later this post is still providing a lot of value.

Took 3 o4 tries to get mine bled well. I have new found respect for my oil repair guy. He usually gets it right away and in about 8 oz of oil!

]]> By: Ben http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-burner-diy/#comment-22646 Ben Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:04:02 +0000 http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-pump-diy/#comment-22646 Geez, the "temperatures dropped to the 50's and we quickly changed our mind"! Wow! It must be nice, lol! Here in Maine, if it's in the 50's we don't even turn the heat on! Geez, the “temperatures dropped to the 50′s and we quickly changed our mind”! Wow! It must be nice, lol! Here in Maine, if it’s in the 50′s we don’t even turn the heat on!

]]> By: allen http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-burner-diy/#comment-22637 allen Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:47:24 +0000 http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-pump-diy/#comment-22637 Me too, me too. I ran out of oil. money's tight. used 5 gals of diesel to hold over. No fire! Phone call to my diy buddy who said the nozzle is probably clogged. I took off the motor. Probably not a great idea. Got the nozzle off. Even worse idea. really nasty dirty. I used dish soap and hot water and a needle threader wire from my wife's sewing box to clean out nozzle. I blew a soap bubble through the nozzle, so I knew it was open. [Don't try this at home, I am a professional . . . idiot] Reinstalled tried to run it with no luck. I was sunk. Called the oil people. You'll need a "prime and start". Cost $150 I wondered if there was a diy blog about priming a furnace. Went upstairs. thought that if it wasn't rocket science, I'd give it a shot. I went to the internet and found your article. I helped my buddy bleed brakes so I knew something about it. Great instructions every body. But the bleeder looks just like the nit on the brake cylinder. At first I thought it was a grease zert. 1st bleed: dirty black fuel oil Like italian dressing. second: cloudy red; third: foamy oil from the air pocket that came from the space before new oil; 4th time clean clear fuel and before the motor shut off on its own, when I closed the bleed screw with the tube still connected, the furnace turned on immediately. the "blood" from the bleed was so nasty, I decided not to save it. I agree. If it would have been more complicated, I would have paid someone else to do it. I'll still have a professional come for the annual service contract. Thanks a bunch including all the extra notes and ideas. Me too, me too. I ran out of oil. money’s tight. used 5 gals of diesel to hold over. No fire! Phone call to my diy buddy who said the nozzle is probably clogged. I took off the motor. Probably not a great idea. Got the nozzle off. Even worse idea. really nasty dirty. I used dish soap and hot water and a needle threader wire from my wife’s sewing box to clean out nozzle. I blew a soap bubble through the nozzle, so I knew it was open. [Don't try this at home, I am a professional . . . idiot] Reinstalled tried to run it with no luck. I was sunk. Called the oil people. You’ll need a “prime and start”. Cost $150 I wondered if there was a diy blog about priming a furnace. Went upstairs. thought that if it wasn’t rocket science, I’d give it a shot. I went to the internet and found your article. I helped my buddy bleed brakes so I knew something about it. Great instructions every body. But the bleeder looks just like the nit on the brake cylinder. At first I thought it was a grease zert.
1st bleed: dirty black fuel oil Like italian dressing. second: cloudy red; third: foamy oil from the air pocket that came from the space before new oil; 4th time clean clear fuel and before the motor shut off on its own, when I closed the bleed screw with the tube still connected, the furnace turned on immediately.
the “blood” from the bleed was so nasty, I decided not to save it.

I agree. If it would have been more complicated, I would have paid someone else to do it. I’ll still have a professional come for the annual service contract.
Thanks a bunch including all the extra notes and ideas.

]]> By: jeff http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-burner-diy/#comment-22636 jeff Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:54 +0000 http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-pump-diy/#comment-22636 Thanks for the tips, i'll leave one in return. Home heating oil, deisel, and kero are all the same thing. Diesel has a dye in it to indicate road taxes have been paid. Kero is cheaper, since ur not paying the road tax. Thanks for the tips, i’ll leave one in return. Home heating oil, deisel, and kero are all the same thing. Diesel has a dye in it to indicate road taxes have been paid. Kero is cheaper, since ur not paying the road tax.

]]> By: Nick http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-burner-diy/#comment-22626 Nick Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:58:01 +0000 http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-pump-diy/#comment-22626 Worked perfect, took 5min, if that. Thanks!!! Worked perfect, took 5min, if that. Thanks!!!

]]> By: Lynn http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-burner-diy/#comment-22501 Lynn Fri, 23 Sep 2011 22:26:12 +0000 http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-pump-diy/#comment-22501 I too ran out of oil & got diesel to hold us over, but the furnace would not turn on. I pressed the reset button, tried bleeding the valve but nothing happened. I thought my only hope was to call a repairman & spend more money we don't have. Then I came across your post about holding the reset button down for 40 seconds. It took two tries but then oil started spitting out and the furnace turned on after two tries. I'm so excited & relieved right now!!! Thanks for sharing your story & helping me (and clearly many others!)God bless. I too ran out of oil & got diesel to hold us over, but the furnace would not turn on. I pressed the reset button, tried bleeding the valve but nothing happened. I thought my only hope was to call a repairman & spend more money we don’t have. Then I came across your post about holding the reset button down for 40 seconds. It took two tries but then oil started spitting out and the furnace turned on after two tries. I’m so excited & relieved right now!!! Thanks for sharing your story & helping me (and clearly many others!)God bless.

]]> By: Jose http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-burner-diy/#comment-22497 Jose Sun, 18 Sep 2011 01:27:49 +0000 http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-pump-diy/#comment-22497 Thanks for the help. I forgot it was 40 seconds and not 15. I guess after all this rain { 1 week worth } my underground tank has water in it and now I'm in the process of bleeding all the water out. Perhaps it will take me 2hrs :{ Thanks for the help. I forgot it was 40 seconds and not 15. I guess after all this rain { 1 week worth } my underground tank has water in it and now I’m in the process of bleeding all the water out. Perhaps it will take me 2hrs :{

]]> By: Jenna http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-burner-diy/#comment-22458 Jenna Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:37:32 +0000 http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/04/17/how-to-prime-an-oil-pump-diy/#comment-22458 I know this is an old post, but I wanted to say thank you so much! Unfortunately my bleed line is bigger than the 1/4 inch rubber tube, so we just used beer bottles to catch the oil. Only needed to hit the reset once to get a steady stream, the furnace started as I was tightening the bleed line and now we have hot water! I know this is an old post, but I wanted to say thank you so much! Unfortunately my bleed line is bigger than the 1/4 inch rubber tube, so we just used beer bottles to catch the oil. Only needed to hit the reset once to get a steady stream, the furnace started as I was tightening the bleed line and now we have hot water!

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