Worcester oil boiler - Drive coupling problem

[Laney22]

Hi,

The oil pump failed on my boiler three weeks ago, and it had also been smelling of oil, so a qualified oil technician came and replaced pump as well as filters, hoses etc.

A week or so later it was still smelling of oil so I asked the technician to come back, and was still waiting for that when the boiler went into lockout again.

It turns out the drive coupling has sheared. The technician is saying it's an old rubber part that has gone hard. I'm wondering if he is pulling a fast one as it seems to me that if the pump wasn't fitted correctly, it could have caused the coupling to fail.

Can anyone advise if this could be the case - or if it has failed due to age, would you have expected it to be checked as part of the strip-down he did when he replaced the pump?

Thank you!

 

[Tibbot]

If he hadn't secured the pump correctly to the coupling how do you suppose your boiler would have worked at all after he left?

 

[Laney22]

I thought it was possible it was connected but misaligned.

What do you think?

 

[Burnerman]

Couplings either drive or they don't.......which burner is it, or can you give us a pic?
Splined coupling failure is very common.
John

 

[Laney22]

So you think coincidence that it's failed so soon after new pump fitted? & this hardening shouldn't have been picked up on when that was done?

It's the Bentone sterling 50 burner. Thanks

 

[Burnerman]

Personally I would have given the drive coupling a good look at, whether or not I had replaced the pump......they are an item that does fail due to hardening by heat, often enough.
They do allow for a slight misalignment between motor and pump.
John

 

[Biggles..]

Wether you look is a personal thing,
You called him out, he correctly diagnosed a failed oil pump, changed it and your boiler continued to run. That drive coupling could havesster years, unfortunately it hasn't but your engineer isn't to blane.

Too much blane culture these days and wanting something for nothing.

 

[Laney22]

Gosh...has someone not had his bill paid! I don't want something for nothing, I just know I've spent a lot on that boiler over the last year and it was kind of surprising that something has gone again, especially when it's a part that is connected to something just replaced. I thought I'd ask for advice from people who know rather than just complaining to the technician.

John thanks for your help


It will get sorted one way or another

 

[Biggles..]

You kerb the wheel on your car, which you have replaced.

Do you then expect that if your brakes fail, ball joint goes, cv boot splits, track rod end drops off, etc that it's the fault of the person changing the wheel.

It may well be connected, but if the new pump ran at the point of test then the coupling was sound!
Whether people would do a deeper analysis and change associated parts is down to their own personal choice.