Oil burner problems OT

2nd - dont let them use one of those easy electrode setters. Get the one made for the Beckett - its a flat rule.

And just a guess from here on in - sooting with lots of draft and 3 smoke - A: The nozzle is probably wrong, oversized most likely - but in that burner it should be a solid nozzle - probably .85 or under, and a 70 or 80B (or H). B: Your air is restricted too much. If your tech has increased the nozzle size, this is VERY likey. The air adjust is to immediate right of the pump. C: Your pump may not deliver enough fuel. It has to be able to put out 100psi at a flow that will satisfy your nozzle. In other words, it should be able to show 100psi on a guage and still be able to give a trickle of fuel - a .85 nozzle needs to deliver .85 gallons per hour at constant flow. D: If the nozzle is right, your ignitor drawer is most likely too far forward.

Gosh - most guys make a vrooooo oom sound with their lips and I tell them it's such and such. I think your problem is three-fold - wrong nozzle, wrong setting, wrong drawer setting. A & B are easiest to correct.

Often, chimneys, especially those on the ouside wall of the house, have little or no draft when cold, or are not high enough in relation to surrounding roof peaks or buildings, and can even down draft when cold.

So, every time the furnace starts a new cycle, and the chimney has cooled, there is little or no draft for the first minute or two of operation, and that's enough to soot up the furnace.

Cleaning the chimney (if needed), increasing it's height, or installing a draft inducer fan that starts before the burner MAY help.

(Of course, if there are any problems with the furnace that have been overlooked, the chimeny may not be the problem, but I have personally worked with a number of installations that were sooting up due to the reasons I've mentioned and draft improvements cured the problem.)