Boiler is dripping oil

[swanny1958]

noticed a stain appearing under my boiler - it's a WARMFLOW - Riello 40 G2S - 4 24 T50 <<< the numbers will mean something to someone but they are all I can really decipher off of the plate attached to it. It's about 15 years old and at first I thought it was the flexi pipe running from to the boiler from the valve thingy where the oil flow pipe enters my garage. I strategically placed some cardboard sheets around the area after cleaning away all the cobwebs to attempt to determine where the leak was coming from. The flexi pipe and valve have stayed dry but the sheet I placed under the front of the boiler where the reset button is ( a red box shape attached to the main boiler ) was wet through. I have now places a tray under this box and it is catching drips. No drips when the boiler is firing but when it stops it is like an "overspill" that trickles into the tray?

I am in mind to call a Boiler maintenance firm to come and look at it but with it being the holiday period I know I'm going to have to pay through the nose, but the boiler does need a service so I didn't know whether to offer that as a bait also.

Anyone got any ideas as to what the problem might be and if it is something I could attempt to "fix" myself?

All replies greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Swanny

 

[gremlin16]

The red box is just the burners cover. Normally held in place with 2 screws.
If you feel confident take it off and see if you can locate the leak. Removing the cover will not effect the boiler performance.

 

[swanny1958]

Thanks, what will I find inside?? I'm looking through the manuals on the Warmflow site at the moment but obviously they have upgraded their boilers. I can't find a T50 manual yet But I will keep searching.

Do you have any hints / clues as to what the leak may be? It is definitely dripping from under the "burner cover". I know the flexi pipe enters that "box" but what is / should it be attached to?

 

[gremlin16]

End of flexi attaches to oil pump, check that its not leaking from hose union

 

[swanny1958]

Cheers, now going to look Hope I'm back soon.

 

[Agile]

Whilst finding gas leaks needs guesswork, an electronic gas detector and some leak detection liquid, an oil leak can be seen as oil leaking!

Tony

 

[swanny1958]

Cheers for that Tony, yes, I've got the cover off and traced the flexi pipe, that doesn't appear to have been leaking despite being damp from spilt oil. Now I don't know what any of these parts are called but the flexi attaches to a drum and a thin copper tube exits that - I think.
The dripping seems to be coming from what I can only describe as a goldy coloured part to the right of the reset button as you look at it.

Still baffled, as I can't really see where I need to see due to the fact there is a freezer and tumble dryer in the way of where I need to position myself.
I think I'm going to have to get a bigger tray and hope for the best until daylight hours when I can remove the obstructing Freezer etc. to give any forumistas a better description.

Unless you really are the magical beings I was told you were and you actually know what this idiot is talking about?

 

[ajrtd]

Hydraulic jack.

View media item 7105

 

[gremlin16]

The dripping seems to be coming from what I can only describe as a goldy coloured part to the right of the reset button as you look at it.

By your description I think you mean the hydraulic jack that controls the air damper. Its one of many boiler parts that are replaceable. Not that expensive.

If you are getting an Oftec engineer to service/fix the boiler tell him that its leaking oil from hydraulic jack.

Just remember oil leaks can start fires.

 

[swanny1958]

I'm not sure that is the part where the leak is occuring. The gold bit is about 6 inches in diameter and I think this is something similar

the rounded part seems to be in two sections on mine and is gold in colour and the drips seem to be coming from the join

 

[oilman]

That is not a Riello 40 G2S - 424T50.

 

[swanny1958]

That is not a Riello 40 G2S - 424T50.

I realised that, I was just trying to give an idiots description of what I think the bit looks like

 

[oilman]

The "goldy coloured part" is probably the fan casing, and was once coloured aluminium but is now oil stained. The leaking bit is the hydraulic cylinder seal, or joint. It probably needs a new seal.

As you have a significant leak, I suggest you turn off the oil supply to boiler until it is fixed.

 

[swanny1958]

Have now switched boiler off and shut off the valve from the oil tank. Luckily still got an electric immersion heater in the water tank ( though not sure if that still works - not been used for years ) Got to try and sort some form of heating out now for a few days as all local boiler maintenance people / plumbers are on holiday until 5th Jan.

 

[casius66]

Oil firm called Emo Oil have a base in Diss and have engineers in this week...