Worcester Bosch Greenstar 24i Junior - Leaking Flow Manifold

[singinmgr]

I have located the dripping leak to the Supply Flow Manifold and it seems the part has failed...seen a number reasons why...

The question is should I be able to replace it (bought the new part 87161063560 from Plumb Center; stock item so many must be failing). I am a competent diyer having previously replaced circuit board, fan etc on a Baxi -still working fine. Or do I get a WB engineer out...how much should such a job cost?

Has anyone done one recently if so any tips? I see there are a number of connections and looks fidgety so any help will be appreciated.

 

[DP]

Get a pro to change the part or keep a knife handy to commit harakiri as it is that kind of a job

Above is sound advise take it or leave it. Am talking from experience

 

[conbow]

Tbh it's pretty straight forward usually takes about 45min.

Unlike my 400 plate tomorrow!!!

 

[Agile]

You would really have been better to get a Worcester fixed price repair.

Or to have argued every day for two weeks that the part is substandard and that they should do the repair for you free or at least at a reduced price.

Worcester boilers are generally not apparently designed with any maintenance in mind!

Tony

 

[singinmgr]

Tbh it's pretty straight forward usually takes about 45min.

Unlike my 400 plate tomorrow!!!

Thanks Conbow ...any tips or things to watch out for? Cheers

 

[Gasguru]

I've done many and each time it's a lottery as to how smooth it goes. The last one was a pig....best part of 3 hours. It was a 2005 model and the copper pipework was virtually glued into the manifold by the O rings. It would have been easier to chew up the the copper pipework with the grips and replace them but it was late afternoon that was not an option. I ended up cutting up the flow manifold in situ to get individual bits out.

 

[St0rmer66]

I've done many and each time it's a lottery as to how smooth it goes. The last one was a pig....best part of 3 hours. It was a 2005 model and the copper pipework was virtually glued into the manifold by the O rings. It would have been easier to chew up the the copper pipework with the grips and replace them but it was late afternoon that was not an option. I ended up cutting up the flow manifold in situ to get individual bits out.

Next time just loosen off the isolation valves in the jig, quite a lot of play then to pull them downwards and can pull the manifold out with the pipes in situ. The only one that doesn't work for is the annoying bypass pipe (not all have one).

 

[singinmgr]

Thanks all for your advice and comments.

In the end I got a independent pro to come and change it ...took the poor fellow 2 hours of jostling and fighting. Granted it is a pig of job so was happy to just pay up for the two hours & the part.

Whereas the kind people at WB were of no help at all....."out of warranty" all they wanted to do was sell me services of their engineer at £350 or buy an annual service plan for more that that....thanks customer services WB

 

[Gasguru]

The boiler was mounted just a few inches off the worktop but there's no way I could pull those pipes down...they were glued solid.

Yep, Worcester have cheapened down big time....worked on their original condensors from 2003 today, the HE range....so much better quality.

 

[Tibbot]

all they wanted to do was sell me services of their engineer at £350 or buy an annual service plan for more that that....thanks customer services WB

That is the boiler industry these days.

 

[manortim]

Done hundreds.

Never more than a 45minute job.

 

[Agile]

I am glad that you heeded our advice in the end!

You could see that our advice was, with the exception of the Mighty Tim who is the Dan Dare of the heating world, spot on for us mere mortals!

As a matter of interest what was the total charge for the job?

Tony

 

[DP]

St0rmer, good tip, thanks
Replaced yet another yesterday. Did as you suggested; worked a treat, but then top vent point was bunged up and would not bleed nor boiler go to CH mode as diverter also bunged up. Eventually sorted

 

[St0rmer66]

No worries, I've done so many of them now that I've come across most problems you can have while replacing it! Can get it out of the boiler within 15mins or so in most cases now. Easiest way to remove the plate heat exchanger in my opinion too!

 

[singinmgr]

I am glad that you heeded our advice in the end!

You could see that our advice was, with the exception of the Mighty Tim who is the Dan Dare of the heating world, spot on for us mere mortals!

As a matter of interest what was the total charge for the job?

Tony

The part cost £20 and paid £65/hour so all in £150 compared to £359 the crooks at WB wanted. The chap did struggle as the feed pipes were pretty stuck and hard to shift without destroying them. Thanks again.