Diesel for oil furnace, now it won’t start

robtherep

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Hello<br />Ran out of oil yesterday and since I’m switching to natural gas any day now I just put about 10 gallons of diesel fuel in the basement tank. The water heater and the furnace won’t start after I push their reset buttons. Is it that the oil will take a time to get to the burners? Any suggestions would be helpful.<br /><br />Thanks a lot
 

Bondo

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Re: Diesel for oil furnace, now it won’t start

Diesel,+ Home Heating Oil #2, are the Exact Same Oil,... Just Diesel is Taxed Higher.....<br /><br />If you ran the burners Out of oil,...<br />You'll need to Prime Both systems before they're going to Light..(independently of each other, of course)........<br />You should start with the appliance that's the Farthest from the Oil Tank....<br /><br />Both units Should be similar,....<br />Where the Fuel Line connects to the Burner Assembley,.. Usually on the Leftside, There's the Fuel Pump,... It'll have a Bleeder Screw, somewhere very near the Fuel Line Connection.......<br /><br />1,..Find a small pc. of Tubing that'll Slip onto the nipple of the Bleeder Screw,........Position Something to Catch the Oil that's going to come Out the loose end of the Tubing.....<br /><br />2,..Crack the Bleeder Screw Loose(Usually a 3/8s or 7/16s" wrench)....1/4 to 1/2 Turn is enough......<br /><br />3,.. Hit the Reset Button,.. Fuel Should start to flow out the Tubing you installed,.... <br />When it's a Good Solid Stream,...... Close the Bleeder Screw,+ the Burner Should Light............<br /><br />But,.... It Could take more than 1 Reset Cycle to get All the Air Out.....<br /><br />Then go do the Same Thing to the other appliance.......<br /><br />Good Luck........... ;)
 

robtherep

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Re: Diesel for oil furnace, now it won’t start

Warm again<br /><br />Thanks Bondo. I while back it was you that told me that this forum was good for home repair problems, and you were sure right. The burner was exactly as you described and it started right up.<br />Thanks a lot!<br />My wife says thank Bondo as well
 

Bondo

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Re: Diesel for oil furnace, now it won’t start

Ayuh,......... ;)
 

ZooMbr

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Re: Diesel for oil furnace, now it won’t start

Bondo, are talking diesel #1, winter; or #2, summer? Up here I couldn't fine kerosene and sent an inquire to Shell (i think) got a tech to reply and said for my shop heater I could use #1 diesel, home heating oil or Jet A. Jet A is a little high - burn Diesel #1 as no heating oil around here -- all nat gas.<br /><br />And, roboat; check out those 6944 posts(Dec 9 6900): 90% helping someone with a problem. I don't know how he knows so much; but, he sure is valuable!
 

Bondo

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Re: Diesel for oil furnace, now it won’t start

There are Only a couple Grades of fuels,......<br /><br />#1,..Water Clear Kerosene,.. #1 Home Heating Oil,... Jet Fuel,....Range Oil,..K-1,...<br /><br />Those are all names of the Same Oil,.......<br /><br />The names change when you add in the "Who's delivering it to Whom",+ Where they're From.......<br /><br />Yaaaa,.. Maybe the Jet Fuel is Quality Monitored a little closer,....Maybe some "Additives"....<br />But,.... When you Spill it on yourself,.... <br /><br />It's the Same Oil......<br /><br />Just like, #2 Fuel Oil,.. Diesel Fuel,.. #2 Home Heating Oil,..Off-Road Fuel,.. Farmer's Fuel,...<br /><br />All the Same Oil......<br /><br />I Think what You're calling #1 Diesel,.... Would be called Winter-Blended around here........<br /><br />The Best Blends for Extreme Cold is a 40% #1 or Kerosene,+ 60% Diesel, or #2........<br />That way it doesn't Gell, Plugging the Filters,+ Still has enough lubricity for the fuel,+ injection pumps.......<br /><br />Ya Know,......After reading this in the preview frame,..........<br />This might be Truer,+ make more sense,.. <br />If you substitute the word "Interchangeable", with the word "Same" in the above explaination........ :rolleyes: <br /><br /><br />BTW,.......Thank You All,....... It gives Me a warm feeling to know I've helped Somebody keep on keepin on............. ;)
 

Bart Sr.

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Re: Diesel for oil furnace, now it won’t start

Yes--Bondo is a good man.We should all toss in our pocket change and get him a gift.How about a<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />Bayliner 215SS with a 3.0ltr Yamaha Drive :D :D :D :D
 

deputydawg

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Re: Diesel for oil furnace, now it won’t start

I know my boat wouldn't have hit the water as soon as it did without him. Would have taken me days of research and many dollars in books to get it running. <br /><br />Now if he would just come and pull the heads off of my wifes van for me he would be my hero for life! :D ;)
 

PuddleJumper

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Re: Diesel for oil furnace, now it won’t start

The town I live in doesn't have kerosene avail in bulk. It is sold in the farm stores for $20 a 5 gallon jug.Will my kerosene torpedo type heater run on diesel fuel safely?
 

ZooMbr

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Re: Diesel for oil furnace, now it won’t start

deej, see my post above and Bondo's. I run #1 diesel in my torpedo shop heater. #2 diesel has more sulphur in it so it smokes; may not be to good on the lungs. I just check at WM and 9.3 liters (2.56 gal) was 16.98 -- that's why I burn diesel. UP here #1 has a very low gel point as we get -40 up here several times in the winter. And that is cold!
 

deputydawg

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Re: Diesel for oil furnace, now it won’t start

When people around here forget to fuel up for winter temps, or truckers come through from out of state and gel up I have used a good fix. Mix unleaded gasoline, an ethonal or alcohol blend, at a rate 1 quart to 3 galons of deisel.
 

Bondo

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Re: Diesel for oil furnace, now it won’t start

Originally posted by deputydawg:<br /> When people around here forget to fuel up for winter temps, or truckers come through from out of state and gel up I have used a good fix. Mix unleaded gasoline, an ethonal or alcohol blend, at a rate 1 quart to 3 galons of deisel.
I Don't Doubt you abit DD,.......<br /><br />But,... Gasoline has Fumes,....<br />The Oils have to be Sprayed,.. Atomized,.. to Light........<br /><br />I've been Tempted to do that as a Last Ditch effort to get 1 more lap,...... But I Haven't......<br /><br />I see Kerosene as the Best way to Fix Gelling,.......<br />If that can't be found,....<br />Straight Alcohol, of most Any type would be a Great Choice,.......<br /><br />I guess I've just never been pushed far enough to dump Gas in a Diesel Tank,.........
 

deputydawg

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Re: Diesel for oil furnace, now it won’t start

They always make sure it is an ethonal gas so the alcohol is where the benefit comes in. <br /><br />That or the cans of conditioner work good.
 
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