Here We Go ... Van Wert VA600 re do .....

Finally cleared away enough crap in my garage to start cleaning up my Van Wert. It is a 1985 vintage. I am a 100% coal newbie here getting tired of vomiting when I see that fuel oil delivery slip stuck in the door Spent a few days cleaning off some surface rust and putting a fresh coat of paint on her. She was in pretty nice shape inside and out.

I have a few questions ... there is a "flange" that bolts to the main unit and then a fire door bolts to that with a sight hole. what seals the flange to the main unit? did not see any signs of a gasket here .. there is a rope gasket that seals the fire door to the flange, though. I also need to replace the rubber gasket on the hot water coil block off plate. Also, the seal that is glued to the ash door fell off and is in bad shape. What kind of seal can I get to replace this? It appears to be a hard woven flat gasket type of material (fiberglass or asbestos ???). There are also spring handles used when taking the fire door off .. can these be purchased somewhere ?? Lastly, is there a seal where the stoker bolts onto the boiler?? no sign of any .. I got the unit with the stoker taken off the boiler already.

Now onto the stoker. There are 2 small cracks in the fire rings. The top ring is not cracked all the way thru, but one of the smaller rings is all the way thru. I believe these are pretty pricey at $600 for the set. What are your thoughts on using them as is? The photos show how grimy the fan housing, gear housing is ... what is the best way to clean this off? was going to suspend the assembly with an engine hoist over a tub and brush down with some type of solvent, repeat, then repaint when done. Any ideas here. What needs to be done with the blower / gearbox as far as maintenance or replacement items. I already have a new electric motor.

Please reply with anything you think I need to do this unit while it is apart to get ready for its maiden voyage. My plans are to tie into my existing oil burner and use 24/7 365 for heat and DHW.

Sorry for the long post .. I have been lurking here awhile and now its time to get to work !!!!

Thanks in advance for the help.

Brad

clean it up with degreaser, as far a the grates see if you can replace just the two or run as is, just inspect everything really well. looks great so far.

That's one beautiful boiler there. With some loving care it will long serve you well.

thanks for the kind words .. it was in pretty good shape when i got it, I have had it in my garage waiting for some time and space to work on it. It must have been one of the later ones produced before they went out of business. I had a pole barn garage put up and this will be the Van Wert's new home once it is all finished ... waiting for the spring for floor pour. I need to find out what to look for, inspect, what to change for maintenance items, changing the gear oil, disassembly, etc. There is not a huge amount of info on this site about Van Werts, but i do see some guys running them ... just want to make sure i do things right

What you do want to do is change the set of burn rings. I see a couple that need to be changed. You want to change them now when it is an easy thing to do. Contact Arnie Huntley for a set. I would change them out as a set. You won't have to deal with them again for twenty years. There are several that go at about the same time. When they go, they make a big hot spot that melts down the pot if left unattended. Nice job on the boiler!

Looks like you are going to need a transmission shortly. When they start slinging oil out like that , it doesn't take long.

will check around for the burn ring replacements ... the transmission comment has me a little concerned ... the pic may look worse than it is .. mostly dust, dirt, etc ... no wet spots from oil. i assume there are gaskets that tend to leak over time? looks like someone kept the chain oiled REALLY well the crud is caked on. if the unit was kept full with oil, even with the leakage, the gears should be fine, no? is there a way to see if there is damage? all i know now is if you spin the pulley, everything moves. what else should i be looking for as i work on this ... what type of oil, where does it drain? will there be any issues if i spray it down with degreaser / solvent and brush off the crud .

I wonder if JB Weld would seal the cracks?

Looks great, nice work!

Do you already have the manual for this?

Van Wert Anthratherm Models VA 400, 600, 800, 110, 150, 190

McGiever .. thanks for that ... i have been unable to find any info on this unit ... looked for an owners operation manual, etc .. came up empty ... thanks for the parts diagram.... will come in handy. if you know where an owners manual can be found, let me know. Merry Christmas ....

I can offer the attached, courtesy of Rob R.

Mike

J B weld will not work on the burner rings. The coal is burning at 2500 degrees for Christ's sake. Melts regular steel. Melts cast if the air concentrates there and blows it even hotter. Talk to Arnie. You will not find a better guy for the Van Werts. He will know about the transmission and will answer all your questions. He does own the Van Wert factory.

Arnie Huntley is a member here and has a parts business for these units. He may be a source for the Operators Manual.
Merry Christmas

http://abvanwert.com/