Has anyone ever rebuilt their burner? - Power Wash Network "The Power Wash Contractors Forum"

Mark Dadian · #1 (**permalink**) 05-13-08

Hi gang. I guess it's been a while since I last visited. Hope all is well for all you waterboys (and girls).

I have a burner that's blowing a lot of flame from its top and making mountains of ash. I think it needs to be rebuilt.

Any ideas?

Thanx for your time.

Mark · #2 (**permalink**) 05-13-08

Mark,

Welcome back!

Sounds like you could need a fuel
pump, and a de-soot job.

Douglas Hicks · #3 (**permalink**) 05-13-08

Or the fuel nozzle could be plugged, the electrodes could be burnt or out of adjustment. The air band may be out of adjustment. I would try the air band first. If that does not fix the problem, Mark could fix you up with the needed parts.

Mark Dadian · #4 (**permalink**) 05-13-08

Not sure if the first one went out correctly. If so, please forgive the re-post.

Hey Mark, Good to see your smiling face. How's everything on the west coast?

Thanx for the tips, I'll look into repairs after I finish my week long job. Maybe I've never noticed before, but there seems to be a lot of packing lying clumped around the neck of the smoke stack. Also, is there a chance that a deflector plate has been burned away?

Hi Doug, the fuel nozzle and electrodes are relatively new (hours used vs. date replaced), but it doesn't hurt anything to get it tuned up periodically. Thanx for the suggestions.

Mark

DAFF · #5 (**permalink**) 05-13-08

Has the insulation surrounding the casing fallen into the burner?? Our burners sit on the top of the truck and are getting pounded by the rough roads. Seems they need a quick go through every 3-5 months. Usually they get tired and start loading up with fuel before they ignight. Although the 10' of flame shooting out of the top is neet to se during the night time washes.

Watch out for fine line cracks in the porcilin spark ignighters. These cracks will make the unit gound out and burn up the transformer. I actually put a remote ignighter on the burner. This helps to reduce the heat from the burner and keeps the transformer cooler. All that is needed is two spark plug wites and some connectors.

Good Luck

DAFF

Larry L. · #6 (**permalink**) 05-14-08

I agree with Daff,could be only fuel build up.
Let it burn for awhile and see if it'll settle down to a nornal burn.

Dan S · #7 (**permalink**) 05-15-08

Yo Mark D ............ Long to no hear

As far as your burner problem > Sounds like everybody is going to have a different answer So here is mine ! throw it away ! .............

HAHA ! it is un-spent fuel and it's laying inside your packing , Then evertime you turn it on again it is burning that un-spent fuel , And it has the potentional to catch on fire. Like the one I just worked on for a buddie of mine . His coils / And packing had fuel laying all thur it , One day when he shut it down-closed the doors got 3 miles down the road and he kept smelling smoke .... he stopped to check it out , Only to find out that his machine was on fire. burnt every wire that was near the burner .

First you gotta find out why it is dumping fuel .... Then you must take off shroud -un-hook coils - get new packing . ........... If you have a local oil-furnace tech in your area I would have them take a gander @ the burner . I have found that is the "best" way " instead of just buying parts guessing.

Are you still doing Caltex ? ...... Have you talked to Kevin ? Just wondering how is is doing !

Take care and shoot me an E-mail sum time when ya gotz time !!

Mark · #8 (**permalink**) 05-15-08

Mark,

Lots of ideas & suggestions here,
have you looked in to the burner issue yet?

Call me if I can help.

DAFF · #9 (**permalink**) 05-15-08

Any luck yet???

For any one who has the diesel duild up issue it normally lies in the ignition side of the burner. Fuel is being dumped but the spark is too weak, no spark at all or the gap ignighter is out of adjustment. Have a look at the injector tip and make sure the fuel filter is changed reguarly.

If you have no fuel, the issue lies in the pressure switch 99% of the time. Keep an eye on those yard sales and talk to the local heating and cooling guys. They often come around good heating stuff (diesel) where the customer switches to natural gas. Normally you can get these things for almost nothing. A case of beer will go a long way in the parts department.

DAFF