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Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2006
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It's been one hell of a year. First my water heater goes. Third one in 6 years. My 59 year old furnace never had a problem all these years,working fine, decided to get a new one installed two years ago, cause of age. Well the new one broke each year so far. Water Softner went. put a new one in, so far so good. had my garage redone. When I put everything back in , my compressor went, bought a new one. Pipes froze in the bathroom, got a portable heater, thawed them out. Now my Torpedo heater for the garage went tonight. I ordered a new one. This one goes one for a few minutes then shuts down. It's kerosene any one have any ideas????
Safety Car
Joined: May 2007
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From: Indiana
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If it has a thermocouple like your furnace, it will shut down if it doesn’t sense heat. Could be a faulty control valve too. You’ve had your share of Murphy’s law haven’t you.
Last edited by Geralds57; Jan 15, 2018 at 08:52 PM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2006
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No spark plug. Looks like just a nozzle and some kind of heat sensor. It goes on works fine for a few minutes then shuts down.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,677
Likes: 646
From: Indiana
2025 c3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C1 of the Year Winner - Modified
2023 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods)
2018 C1 of Year Finalist
It’s probably a thermocouple then. Almost all gas fired furnaces use a sensor on the end of the run. If it goes bad or doesn’t feel heat, it shuts down. I’m guessing your torpedo has the same thing.
Last edited by Geralds57; Jan 15, 2018 at 09:50 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Wi
Torpedo heaters use ignitors. Once the unit is burning for a few seconds the ignitor shuts off and the photocell takes over. The photocell works along with the electronics, looking for a "perfect" (color)flame. If it senses anything else, the unit will shut down. So, it's critical to have the correct pressure set. Even a 1/2 psi of pressure lost can cause fuel starvation.
I would first check fuel pressure, which depending on your unit, will be between 3.0 and 6.0 psi.
I would first check fuel pressure, which depending on your unit, will be between 3.0 and 6.0 psi.
Last edited by skids; Jan 16, 2018 at 07:34 PM.
Safety Car
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Plus, in addition to a good tune up the air pump on the rear of the motor has vanes that get dirty and can cause air pressure through the tip to drop. This air flow creates a venturi effect and lifts fuel up and atomizes it.
The unit probably just needs a good cleaning. I had to do this to mine last year but mine's even older and has a spark plug. Mine needed all tune up parts plus a new ignitor.
The unit probably just needs a good cleaning. I had to do this to mine last year but mine's even older and has a spark plug. Mine needed all tune up parts plus a new ignitor.
