How to Bleed an Oil Furnace
Turn the furnace off before starting any work on the fuel pump., Locate the bleed screw on the fuel pump near where the fuel line comes in., Place a small bucket or pan under the bleed screw., Use a small crescent wrench or pliers to slightly loosen...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Turn the furnace off before starting any work on the fuel pump.
The screw is usually a small nipple-like screw. , The bucket will catch any fuel that sputters out as you bleed an oil furnace.
If the screw is in an area that is impossible to put a bucket or small tray under, use a flexible tubing just big enough to fit over the bleed screw.
Place the tube over the bleed screw and direct it to an area where you can fit the tray or bucket. , Make sure the screw remains on the pump and is only a little loose, so it doesn’t fall completely off when you bleed the oil furnace. , As the furnace starts to suck fuel in, air and fuel will spit out of the bleed screw.
Keep your pliers or wrench on the screw ready to tighten it.
This will also ensure the screw remains in place, if you did loosen it too much.
If the furnace cycle ends before the air and fuel mixture stops sputtering, you’ll need to push the reset button again to continue the bleed process until the furnace pushes out all the air from the line.
Some furnaces may have a lockout system that won’t allow you to reset more than one or two times.
If this happens, you can override the lockout by holding the reset button in until the furnace kicks in again. , Be careful not to tighten it too much.
Replacing a stripped bleed screw can be a very costly project. , It should run normally without problems now.
If it doesn’t restart the next time, check the line for air again by repeating the bleed process.
You may not have gotten all the air out the first time, or you may have a debris blockage in your fuel line. -
Step 2: Locate the bleed screw on the fuel pump near where the fuel line comes in.
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Step 3: Place a small bucket or pan under the bleed screw.
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Step 4: Use a small crescent wrench or pliers to slightly loosen the bleed screw.
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Step 5: Push the reset button on the furnace to turn it back on.
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Step 6: Tighten the screw as soon as the air stops sputtering out and a steady stream of fuel pours out.
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Step 7: Let the furnace continue to run.
Detailed Guide
The screw is usually a small nipple-like screw. , The bucket will catch any fuel that sputters out as you bleed an oil furnace.
If the screw is in an area that is impossible to put a bucket or small tray under, use a flexible tubing just big enough to fit over the bleed screw.
Place the tube over the bleed screw and direct it to an area where you can fit the tray or bucket. , Make sure the screw remains on the pump and is only a little loose, so it doesn’t fall completely off when you bleed the oil furnace. , As the furnace starts to suck fuel in, air and fuel will spit out of the bleed screw.
Keep your pliers or wrench on the screw ready to tighten it.
This will also ensure the screw remains in place, if you did loosen it too much.
If the furnace cycle ends before the air and fuel mixture stops sputtering, you’ll need to push the reset button again to continue the bleed process until the furnace pushes out all the air from the line.
Some furnaces may have a lockout system that won’t allow you to reset more than one or two times.
If this happens, you can override the lockout by holding the reset button in until the furnace kicks in again. , Be careful not to tighten it too much.
Replacing a stripped bleed screw can be a very costly project. , It should run normally without problems now.
If it doesn’t restart the next time, check the line for air again by repeating the bleed process.
You may not have gotten all the air out the first time, or you may have a debris blockage in your fuel line.
About the Author
David Rivera
A passionate writer with expertise in lifestyle topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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