FROG MAN Posted December 13, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 13, 2009 Really I do! I can't think of a #@^* thing I would rather be doing then working on the furnace at 1:00 AM in the morning. It did not act like a bad thermocouple. The pilot light would stay on and light the burner one time. After the burner shut off it blew the pilot out. I noticed the pilot was low but the pilot adj would not increase gas flow. So for the second time tonight I removed the gas valve and burner assembly. I cleaned the pilot orfice and adjusted the thermocouple position. Just got it back together and fired it up. It's coffee break time while I wait and see.That old furnace is 30 years old. I hate to replace it. It runs like a first gen just needs some tlc once in a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Annie Posted December 13, 2009 Share #2 Posted December 13, 2009 I'll have a coffee with ya while you wait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROG MAN Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted December 13, 2009 So far so good. The pilot light is staying on. Just had to sync the carbs and adj the idle. I mean sync the thermocouple and adj the pilot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smely Posted December 13, 2009 Share #4 Posted December 13, 2009 FROG MAN, Had the same problem with my last furnace. Cleaning the pilot orfice usually takes care of the problem. If you decide to replace it one day, the new ones come with an electronic pilot. In the meantime, if you keep the old girl for awhile, when the weather starts to get cooler each year, go ahead and clean that sucker before you start the heat for the first time of the season. May save you a trip under the house or in the attic at 1:00am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yama Mama Posted December 13, 2009 Share #5 Posted December 13, 2009 Froggie you know after 30 years many things have trouble igniting at night. I would see if Ramona can help you. Yama Mama:smile5: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Annie Posted December 13, 2009 Share #6 Posted December 13, 2009 So far so good. The pilot light is staying on. Just had to sync the carbs and adj the idle. I mean sync the thermocouple and adj the pilot. Okay, we got time for pie then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROG MAN Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share #7 Posted December 13, 2009 Froggie you know after 30 years many things have trouble igniting at night. I would see if Ramona can help you. Yama Mama:smile5: I can think of a thing or two :rotfl:It would be H to pay if I woke her up right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilBeaver Posted December 13, 2009 Share #8 Posted December 13, 2009 Good luck with that!! Although, I thought that's what kids were for... Staying up late fixing stuff around the house so the parental-units can sleep. Well... that is what my dad used to tell me anyways I certainly learned a thing or two about furnaces, sump-pumps, etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bongobobny Posted December 13, 2009 Share #9 Posted December 13, 2009 I can't think of a #@^* thing I would rather be doing then working on the furnace at 1:00 AM in the morning. To quote Marv Levy, "No place I'd rather be than right here, right now!" Yes, we lost that Super Bowl as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROG MAN Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share #10 Posted December 13, 2009 Yep she still running like a new one.:banana: Just needed a little :smash2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted December 13, 2009 Share #11 Posted December 13, 2009 Really I do! I can't think of a #@^* thing I would rather be doing then working on the furnace at 1:00 AM in the morning. My furnace blower motor cr@pped out during the last cold snap we had out here. Went down to SAM's and picked up one of those space heaters to knock the edge off the temp., and then I called a local HVAC business and they came out and repaired it. $325 bucks but dang that thing puts out..... It's only money..... BTW the furnace is 50 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROG MAN Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share #12 Posted December 13, 2009 I replaced the blower motor on mine about 5 years ago. I try to do all the work myself. She got a new gas valve about 10 years ago. Living in the country repair people are hard to find. Mine is an old intertherm and parts are available online only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted December 13, 2009 Share #13 Posted December 13, 2009 I replaced the blower motor on mine about 5 years ago. I try to do all the work myself. . I'm getting too old to wrestle an old heater. This is the second motor I've had to put in. The last one was 30 years ago. I did the work then. I did ask the guy what it would run to replace the whole thing. $2200!! Opted for the motor for the time being.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nighthawk II Posted December 13, 2009 Share #14 Posted December 13, 2009 Gerald, do you get your gas piped in from a company or is it from an oil well? If it comes from a well when the level gets so low in the deposit the oil companys inject chemicals into the well to raise the level so the oil can be pumped out. They do this without telling anyone. This dirtys the gas and causes the people who gets their gas this way problems with their heaters and other appliances. Even filters don't help to clean the gas. This happened in this area a couple of years ago. Just for info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROG MAN Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share #15 Posted December 13, 2009 Got a gas well in the back yard. Yep they screw it up once in a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kregerdoodle Posted December 13, 2009 Share #16 Posted December 13, 2009 I`ve got Gas...just can`t figure out how to get it piped into the heater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yammer Dan Posted December 13, 2009 Share #17 Posted December 13, 2009 Found a leak in my AC coil this year. Charge it every year or replace the thing for $ 1500.00 Was told JB Weld might hold on coil. Problem is leak is so small meter I have won't pinpoint it. Hard to put JB Weld on it if you don't know where. Thinking to avoid problems down the road replace entire unit. Price to replace complete furnace & AC shocked me. That would get me a Great 1st Gen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarges46 Posted December 13, 2009 Share #18 Posted December 13, 2009 What exactly is a cold snap down there Condor!? We are having one here right now...its a balmy -30 C with a wind chill that makes it feel like -47C. One week....one lousy week and we will be sipping fruity little drinks on the beach in Punta Cana!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kregerdoodle Posted December 13, 2009 Share #19 Posted December 13, 2009 Dang.... we just had the inside unit, heater and A-coil and blower replaced it was around $1800.00 and I thought that was bad...but it has cut the cost of my elect. bill in half... Found a leak in my AC coil this year. Charge it every year or replace the thing for $ 1500.00 Was told JB Weld might hold on coil. Problem is leak is so small meter I have won't pinpoint it. Hard to put JB Weld on it if you don't know where. Thinking to avoid problems down the road replace entire unit. Price to replace complete furnace & AC shocked me. That would get me a Great 1st Gen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cecdoo Posted December 13, 2009 Share #20 Posted December 13, 2009 Hey Gerald, glad you got the heat fixed and didnt have to wake Momma up either:big-grin-emoticon: Geez ya got your own well in the back yard, free gas eh.... you guys in WV sure know how to live. I just keep feeding the wood stove. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
campfire12 Posted December 13, 2009 Share #21 Posted December 13, 2009 As far as the gas to the house is concerned you might want to have a look at the gas pressure.. In my experence the gas lines to the house are usually steel. The gas line rust and gets pin holes in it. The pressure in the gas line is less then 1 psi. messured in inches of water colum.Ground water will find its way in and lay in low parts of the line. With the burners fired up the gas pressure should remain the same out of the gas valve.Aprox3.5 inches of water colum. If it has water in it the gauge will drop pressure and bounce back back up and down and if you have a gas hot water heater you can fire it up while watching the furnace burners. If one or the other burners drop pressure you will notice it. Only hope then is replaceing the gas line. This is just one of the worst things that can happen. Hope its not happing there..Many things can make the pilot blow out. cracked heat exchangers can expand the crack open when the burners are on and blow the pilot out as soon as the burners go out. Check out the heat exchanger with a small mirror and flash light. if theres a registrer on the plenum then maybe you can get a look at the heat exchanger there..Any way goood luck with your troubleshooting. hope its just a week pilot,thermocouple, or gas valve.. I"ve been in the furnace business now for over 30 yrs and these are some of the things i've found..Good Luck. Buy the way guys. People buy new cars for 25,000 and trade themin in less then 10 years, You buy a furnace for 3,000 and expect it to heat your home for 30 years or better? Go figgure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfwitt Posted December 13, 2009 Share #22 Posted December 13, 2009 We had a 30 year old furnace a few years ago. Then God blessed us with a flood. 42" of water in the basement. Now, thanks to our flood insurance, we have a two year old furnace in the basement! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArticusMedicus Posted December 13, 2009 Share #23 Posted December 13, 2009 Worked on one a few days ago that was having issues with gas pressure at the burner and pilot. Line pressure was fine. I was getting ready to swap out the gas valve when I did something I normally don't try ( they aren't exactly rich). I stripped down the valve and when I did, I found a spider in the orifice. He had a nice little home in there... right up till they fired up the furnace for the winter. I have no clue how that little bugger made his way in there. Glad I didn't put in the new valve and charge them the $300 for it. Bad enough I had to bill them for 3 hours of labor, but they were happy with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROG MAN Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share #24 Posted December 13, 2009 Jack of all trades here. A country boy can survive. I do my own plumbing both water,gas,and electrical. Repair the furnace and appliances. I remember my neighbor went to through out a new gas dryer that quit running. I have had it now for 10 years works fine.I do the maint on my place best I can.I hate working on the gas well in the winter but since it's only 20 yards from the house and those regulators need some attention now and then.I blew the drip last week and got the water out.I have to go out once in a while and crack open the gas well to get the pressure up. Those well tenders turn them in when the price is down and causes the line pressure to drop.If I could get my hands on a NG carb conversion kit for the portable generator that would be cool. I wonder how the first gen would run on NG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now