In case you did not already know letting your oil burner pump run dry on your furnace is to be avoided at all costs. But if you do, here is some troubleshooting advice.
Sometimes this happens due to inadequate planning and other times it happens because we think we have enough heating oil to last us for a specified period when in reality we do not. Most above the ground tanks have gauges attached to the top of them so you can easily check the level.
Just for your information not only is it a pain to re-prime your pump but letting it happen too many times can really burn up your pump. In addition, you may not realize it but you are sucking in all the sludge and condensation that sits at the bottom of your oil tank into your lines, filters, and nozzle when you let it run dry.
Your furnace will not just start up after you fill your tank back up with heating oil. In some cases you will be able to just get away with just pressing the red “reset” button. This will cause your system to bleed itself. But more than likely you will have to manually do it.
When you run a burner oil pump out of fuel you get air in the pump. And if the air is not bled out of the pump at the proper place it will not prime.
Here are the steps you need to follow to bleed and prime your oil pump:
- Turn off your furnace. There should be a toggle switch on the machine for this.
- Locate the bleeder valve attached to the fuel pump (looks like a small nipple) and open it up
- Turn your furnace back on
- Allow air, oil and sludge to escape from the bleeder valve until you get a solid flow of oil
- Close the bleeder valve
- Repeat starting at the first step if the furnace still does not start.
I would highly recommend wearing gloves when you are doing all this. Whenever you are dealing with oil of any sort you should wear gloves.
If you do not have access to heating oil right away you can substitute if for diesel fuel. Keep in mind that you are most likely have to do those steps again, and again, and again (are you starting to get the picture) until oil starts to flow.
Also, attach a short section of nylon tubing to the bleeder. Put the other end of the tube into a bucket or container. This is to catch all the oil coming out so that it does not go all over the place. It can be quite messy if you do not do this. Once you have your oil furnace going make certain you tighten the bleeder valve firmly with a wrench.
Please remember that you are dealing with fuel and fire here, so take caution.
This is the general process for most furnaces but this procedure may not work on all of them. If you are at all unsure please call a qualified Burner Service Technician.
If you do not take care, it is possible to make a huge mess. At a minimum, you WILL get oil on your hands. That is why you want to open up the bleeder carefully.
Last, but not least, I would like to point out that it is not uncommon to plug your filter or nozzle when you run a burner out of oil. This may not happen but just be prepared if it does. Sludge sits at the bottom of your tank and this is what your system was sucking. You might have to replace them.
