Kerosene torpedo heater

[mkirsch]

I've got a 175,000 BTU kerosene torpedo heater. Starts up and runs fine when cold.

After a while, it quits blowing heat, and starts blowing smoke. A while could be 15 minutes or 3 hours. After about 15 seconds of blowing smoke it shuts itself off.

Give it 5-10 minutes, and it's happy again for a while.

What've I got? Bad spark plug? Bad pump? Dirty nozzle?

 

[sflem849]

My gmas neighbor hangs a rag over the back of his when it does this. It starts working again, but no idea why it does it.

 

[Bill in IL]

Your heater is dirty or the pump is weak. Most likely dirty. Install fuel filter and clean or replace the nozzle.

The reason it works when you put a rag on it is cause you are cutting airflow through the heater changing the mix ratio back to what it should be.

I had trouble with mine after 10 years of no service. Started to stink and the center cone would not glow red like it used to. Works much better since I have cleaned it.

 

[danmcdonald]

Clean or replace fuel filter. If it is a newer model clean photo eye also.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I would suggest you get a different heater as you sure don't want your torpedos getting cold.
Those kerosine or diesel heaters went out of style after WWII.
Now days they're mostly running nuclear torpedo heaters.
These nuke jobs keep your torpedos at constant temperature - heat And cooled and rarely need to be refueled.

 

[IHMANKY]

Mine runs great when it's hot, but the first few times cold you try to start it, fires, sputters, smokes like crazy and dies. Third time it always fires and runs. Swapped to diesel since we have several hundred gallons handy and it's fired first time every time since.

 

[BigMarv1085]

Mine would do the same thing, took the top off and found the fuel lines were all cracked, changed them out and it fires everytime

 

[Jerry/MT]

Mine has an over heat relay on it. If it gets too hot it will shut down.
Check the airfilters and make sure the head of the combustor is not clogged with dirt etc.reducing the air flow will cause the fuel to air ratio to increase and so will the temperature and this will cause an overheat shutdown. Check the pressure also. It maybe too high and adding too much fuel. Again this will cause an overheat.

 

[old]

Looks like a hump or also called a flat back. Them things if you get the wrong people mad can cause a whole lot of heat over a very big area and not just one area but many many areas. Right under the sail planes there are the boats numbers welded into the sail but they are always blacked out do you know why that are always blacked out other then and can you tell me when they are not???
Former sub sailor USSBN 633 Cassmiar Pulaski. ET-3

 

[Duner Wi]

The best thing I did for me was to come up with a pressure gauge. If I have steady, even, correct pressure I move on from there.

 

[Errin OH]

Pump, Nozzle - Yes
Igniter, Spark Plug - No

Once it is burning it should keep itself burning. If it is going out it is likely pressure or nozzle related. Sounds like you lose flame but are still pumping fuel (lots-O-smoke). Give it a good cleaning and check hoses and such. Wouldn't hurt to run some fuel out of it to see if you got crap in the tank (disconnect line to nozzle). You will only get the start flow, it will shut down pretty quick when it does not start, so do it a few times and look for crap in it.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

www.reddyparts.com

Lots of troubleshooting info, parts, etc.

Charles

 

[GordoSD]

Repair kits avilable all over town and the interweb.

 

[urbancase]

i seem to have the same problem over the years with them also, most of the time i find a cracked hose and sucking air in the fuel lines etc.. anymore first problem i have with them i take apart and replace all the lines.

 

[VADAVE]

But those flight 1 SSN 688's are sooo old they scraped em.

 

[Indiana George]

Old, were you in vietnam?Is that where you got wounded?

 

[old]

I did not get wounded I fell down the ladder going into the sub which is about an 18 foot or so drop. Clod wet and snow and ice made for a slippery ladder. As for Vietnam I was in for the last of it my first year or so