auger pipe replacement

New guy here with a problem. I have no heat or hot water. The problem is the guy that worked on my furnace before I bought my house used a plastic pipe for the auger/feed pipe, and what do you think happened to that over time? You got it, the coal ate it away from the inside. So over the past couple of years of living in my place I've been trying to just patch it up to keep it working well now it is time to try to fix it good because the what is left of the plastic pipe is beyond shot. Between the fire box and the coupling on the outside of the furnace is the only piece of plastic that is left. Can I pull the auger out from the motor side of the furnace and replace it or do I have to try to relocate about 6 tons of coal on the coal bin side to do the repair?

Thanks for the help
Jason

Here are some pictures to better describe what I'm talking about. Okay so I was mistaken, it was plastic up until the coulper then it's metal into the fire box. The pic. shows what I need to replace. Any suggestions on how to do this?

To replace the feed tube it has to be done from the tube side. There should be a coupling on the worm under the tube coupling, slide the bin side of the tube back into the bin and seperate the worm at the worm coupling (left-handed thread). Thread the worm by hand back into the bin to give yourself some room. Remove the worm from the burner, set it on the side. You might have to flex it a little bit to clear the bin worm. Open the ash door, remove the 2 square-headed bolts that hold whats left of the tube in, (they could be tough to losen, dont break them). In the picture it looks like you have some stainless stell tube against the wall, thats what you use. Cut it to lenght and rplace in reverse order.

R.Y

Pa Dealer wrote:To replace the feed tube it has to be done from the tube side. There should be a coupling on the worm under the tube coupling, slide the bin side of the tube back into the bin and seperate the worm at the worm coupling (left-handed thread). Thread the worm by hand back into the bin to give yourself some room. Remove the worm from the burner, set it on the side. You might have to flex it a little bit to clear the bin worm. Open the ash door, remove the 2 square-headed bolts that hold whats left of the tube in, (they could be tough to losen, dont break them). In the picture it looks like you have some stainless stell tube against the wall, thats what you use. Cut it to lenght and rplace in reverse order.

R.Y

It's too late I already broke one of the bolts. I'm in the process of trying to drill it out. After that I'll try what you said to do. And it's not a piece of stainless it's a piece of fence post. That is what I am using as the replacement pipe. works for now.

Jason

how do I go about getting the auger screwed back together and then have the pipe on top of it, then be able to seal the pipe together?

It might be easier to remove the bottom of the pot to work on it. It's held in place by 4 bolts. Disconnect the clean-out rod first. You should change the pot bushing at this time.

Here is a situation we have all been in......and witnessed the "Good Humor Man" really POed!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get the penetrating oil out, start spraying the shaft area at the pot. Another REALLY smart idea is to get the motor side of the tube loosened up. You have figured out the problem with there being not much luck moving the burner pot end too far, but you only need about 3 inches, depending upon where the auger coupling is located.

The old steel tube will be damned near impossible to remove without the 'fire wrench'. (torches) You should have heated the 2 locking screws, otherwise.....oops, you already know that one. The shoe of the burn plate is removable with the hopper if you can get the other side retaining screws loosened after soaking them. The whole hopper will slide off the blower side shaft....if loosened...if lucky enough to get loosened. Now you can bring it to your workshop or bench and work in a better environment. You will need to take a break, wash those bloody hands and arms, take a couple Quaaludes so you don't drive to EFM and create mayhem over the crappy base design. It would be fairly easy to make access ports or panels wouldn't it?????? If you are able to get the pot assembly out, please anti-seize the male and female
connections to make this PITA activity more acceptable next time. R we having fun yet?

Boy! Youse guyse do it all the eeeeasy ways. I would take the cover off around the blower, use penetrating oil on the nuts that hold the whole assembly in, a little heat wrench on them, and yank the whole damn thing out. Leave the other tube in place so the extension auger could be twisted back in. Might have to pound the tube in a little farther first. Then getting the old tube out,,,,,, That is Coal Berners domain!

One thing nice about the Van Wert is the worm goes at right angle off the stoker mechanism. Disconnecting and removing is simple task because the furnace is not in the way. Not sure if this will help in your situation but if there is coal in the bin the pipe can be pounded into the coal pile with a sledge and block of wood. The worm can then be "screwed" into the pipe and coal in it using a big pipe wrench.

stoker-man wrote:It might be easier to remove the bottom of the pot to work on it. It's held in place by 4 bolts. Disconnect the clean-out rod first. You should change the pot bushing at this time.

I just got it lit. I'm just wanting it to make it through the winter. Then I know I need to do a major overhaul when spring/summer come around. I'm just glad I found this site. Seems to be a lot of info here for my furnace/boiler what ever the proper term for it is. The one thing I do need to get hopefully so I can do it this weekend is get the rope caulk or what ever I need to seal up where the feeder tube goes into the stove itself and probably should replace the gasket material on the removeable panel also. Where can I find these pieces?

Thanks for all the support and help
Jason

One other question, from my pictures can anyone tell me exactly what type of furnace I have?

JasonG wrote:Then I know I need to do a major overhaul when spring/summer come around.

Don't give up on it, they last forever with good maintenance. You'll probably be a little shocked when you find out what new one cost.

Jason hate to shock you, but you don't have any kind of furnace...other than in name EFM. If it has water in it, it is a BOILER and don't let 'Stroker Stoker Scotty' tell you any different!!!!

Glad to hear you are back fired up, and I hope you didn't just throw any old pipe in to replace the old rotted one. There is a direction orientation pin in the shoe of the pot and the pipe needs to have a number or 1/4" holes in the top section to send gasses into the burn chamber. If you did not drill the holes or didn't orient the pipe correctly, you should remove it soon and correct the mistake. Also, the chamber will get sludged up with wet coal, so hopefully you thoroughly cleaned up the receiver before reassembly.

I have tried to do the Stokerman removal method, which is excellent IF the 4 bolts that hold the pot base/shoe to the pot ARE removable. Unless you like the smell of PB Blaster, you probably won't succeed....in your lifetime.
DO NOT assume that they are, and if you snap one off, the bloody hands and arms and 4 letter word tirade will probably bring a couple EFM 911 calls. IF you get it apart ( 4 bolts) anti-seize the crap out of the damned thing. GRRRRRRrrrr!!!!!!!!!! In a factory setting and during final assembly, I will donate ALL the antiseize paste you could ever want, Chris. We'll be long dead, but some young buck will say: Man, those guys were thinking of the next guy!
The same holds true for AA and AHS. The shaft/fan assembly replacement.....GRRRRrrrr again. Or as Matt will attest, anything in or near the base on a AA, AHS, EFM, GJ. If it will rust or seize, make provisions to repair it some years down the road. Nothing other than high end machinery is built with serviceability in mind, but WTF, folks.

Go to the hardware store or stove shop and get some 1/4" fiberglass rope. You have a 520, or possibly a 350 model, no less than 30 years old and maybe closer to 50. What is the serial number on the stoker. It should be on the side of the housing opposite the motor.

Morning Chris. Did you bring a case of antiseize with you this AM? Trying to make a point that any of these things can be improved, however thankful for what we have to use today. If you take some time to soak rusted parts, they will probably come apart, but 'Magilla the Gorilla' will twist off every bolt and nut within 50 feet and cause MUCH overtime to affect a repair AND add plenty to the repair costs. Keep making the improvements.....

1992 DF520 3 clicks, 5.5 air, buck, 71 degrees 24/7 3450sq ft 1890 High Posted Cape
1968 900 Heating 10,000 sq ft