Cleaning AGA burner

[muddy42]

For my sins, I still have an oil based AGA. Its a great backup for really cold weather or power cuts, as it heats water and doesn't require electricity. The cost of oil is astronomical and as a result I have taught myself to service the thing myself from youtube. Its not difficult really, replace the wicks, scrape out al the carbon , get it level and reassemble.

However there are some difficult to reach areas in the cast iron burner that let the oil flow to the outside. I can sort of reach these with drills, bits of wire and hacksaw blades, but some areas are totally inaccessible and 30 years of carbon has blocked them up totally.

This photo shows me trying biological washing powder (this didn't work). Any other ideas? Electrolysis? An ultrasonic bath big enough would cost about £75, but I cant think of many other uses for an ultrasonic bath?

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Evaporust? You can use it for other work, worth a try.

 

[takbok]

I think I used to use a drill bit to clear those ports, using long nose pliers to turn it.

 

[muddy42]

I think I used to use a drill bit to clear those ports, using long nose pliers to turn it.

Thanks. Yes, tried that and it sort of works for three of the six ports that open towards the burner well. However these ports are rectangular so all I'm really doing is punching a round hole through a rectangle of carbon. Then there are three more ports that are totally blind, inaccessible from any direction

Evaporust? You can use it for other work, worth a try.

could do. I have used that for rust, does it work on carbon?

 

[VSS]

Heat it with a blowlamp, and then chip away at it with a bit of stiff wire.

(I've just done ours).

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Thanks. Yes, tried that and it sort of works for three of the six ports that open towards the burner well. However these ports are rectangular so all I'm really doing is punching a round hole through a rectangle of carbon. Then there are three more ports that are totally blind, inaccessible from any direction

could do. I have used that for rust, does it work on carbon?

Not sure but do a trial test the stuff is cheap enough.

 

[takbok]

Thanks. Yes, tried that and it sort of works for three of the six ports that open towards the burner well. However these ports are rectangular so all I'm really doing is punching a round hole through a rectangle of carbon. Then there are three more ports that are totally blind, inaccessible from any direction

could do. I have used that for rust, does it work on carbon?

Yes, it's rectangular - you just have to chip away at it with a small drill bit or similar. The outer ports are in line with the inner ones. If you keep on top of it every year then it doesn't get as bad every time you do it.

A soak in kerosene will help things.

 

[Will the chippy]

If it's carbon, citric acid works, as you would for reloading.
It worked great In my ultrasonic cleaner doing my dpf valve on my truck.

 

[muddy42]

Yes, it's rectangular - you just have to chip away at it with a small drill bit or similar. The outer ports are in line with the inner ones. If you keep on top of it every year then it doesn't get as bad every time you do it.

A soak in kerosene will help things.

See photo below showing the six ports. This is not my burner but a similar one I found on the internet. The ports circled in green are OK-ish, because I can get at them from the middle (but still dirty). The ones in red are pretty much inaccessible. I have used L-shaped hex keys, but can't really get in there properly.

I clean it twice a year, but it must be 40 years old, so the inaccessible bits get worse and worse.

 

[takbok]

See photo below showing the six ports. This is not my burner but a similar one I found on the internet. The ports circled in green are OK-ish, because I can get at them from the middle (but still dirty). The ones in red are pretty much inaccessible. I have used L-shaped hex keys, but can't really get in there properly.

I clean it twice a year, but it must be 40 years old, so the inaccessible bits get worse and worse.

View attachment 418955

Ah, I see what you mean.- pretty tricky.

 

[reiver]

Can you use a ultrasonic cleaner
Or even use good old fashioned break cleaner and let it soak?

 

[User00056]

A good spray of oven cleaner and and overnight soak, maybe?

 

[HonestJohn]

My aga guy always blowtorches the hell out of them

 

[AlexD]

This is easy work.
We used to have the Aga man come every 6 months, service the Aga, then 6 months later it would be running cold when on the hotest position again. I then switched to servicing it myself, and it runs for 2 years straight without a problem. I have now been doing it myself for 20 years. The process is easy:
1. Get yourself some Force Products Carb & Fuel Injector cleaner on Amazon, it comes in a spray can and removes carbon from rifles, and Agas.
2. Use a drill to drill out the carbon in the inlet, and then poke a wire coat hanger through the short pipe into that port, to ensure it runs freely.
3. Side ports, use the above spray and poke it with the wire coat hanger. Wire coat hangers are just the right size, and go all the way through once you have used the spray.
4. Put in new wick, but ensure it NOT the cotton based oil lamp wick. You need the glass fibre wick.
5. Put the burner back and ensure it is level in both directions using a spirit level. This part cannot be over-emphasised.
6. Put the hot plates etc back on, and turn on the oil. When it starts to drip out the burner, light it.

The height of the burner legs is critical. It should give you a good heat on setting 1.

If you need any help, PM me and I would be happy to show you the process.

NB: The reason the Aga man got it to coke up in 6 months, is because he used a tiny drill to remove the build up on the inlet port. Very clever, gave him repeat business right on cue. Use a 3mm drill.

 

[muddy42]

This is easy work.
We used to have the Aga man come every 6 months, service the Aga, then 6 months later it would be running cold when on the hotest position again. I then switched to servicing it myself, and it runs for 2 years straight without a problem. I have now been doing it myself for 20 years. The process is easy:
1. Get yourself some Force Products Carb & Fuel Injector cleaner on Amazon, it comes in a spray can and removes carbon from rifles, and Agas.
2. Use a drill to drill out the carbon in the inlet, and then poke a wire coat hanger through the short pipe into that port, to ensure it runs freely.
3. Side ports, use the above spray and poke it with the wire coat hanger. Wire coat hangers are just the right size, and go all the way through once you have used the spray.
4. Put in new wick, but ensure it NOT the cotton based oil lamp wick. You need the glass fibre wick.
5. Put the burner back and ensure it is level in both directions using a spirit level. This part cannot be over-emphasised.
6. Put the hot plates etc back on, and turn on the oil. When it starts to drip out the burner, light it.

The height of the burner legs is critical. It should give you a good heat on setting 1.

If you need any help, PM me and I would be happy to show you the process.

NB: The reason the Aga man got it to coke up in 6 months, is because he used a tiny drill to remove the build up on the inlet port. Very clever, gave him repeat business right on cue. Use a 3mm drill.

Thanks. When you say side ports, are these the ones outlined in red in my photo above?

 

[VSS]

My aga guy always blowtorches the hell out of them

That's what I do.

 

[AlexD]

Thanks. When you say side ports, are these the ones outlined in red in my photo above?

Yes. You have to bend the wire coathanger end to do it. My Aga had a burner with offset holes like that, and I changed it to the one with the holes that align and go all the way through, shown below, because it takes a fair bit of time when they are offset and adding that time up over your life makes it cheaper to buy the better base. With the change to aligned holes, it is a quick job.

On the blowtorch suggestions to burn off the carbon, I would not do that unless you are really practised, because the part is made from cast iron. Cast iron cracks easily, and if you heat up one part more than another too much, you could end up needing a new burner. Also the blowtorch takes longer than the spray, and does not work on the pipe that goes into the burner (because is made from copper). The spray and the drill works on the whole lot.

 

[muddy42]

Yes. You have to bend the wire coathanger end to do it. My Aga had a burner with offset holes like that, and I changed it to the one with the holes that align and go all the way through, shown below, because it takes a fair bit of time when they are offset and adding that time up over your life makes it cheaper to buy the better base. With the change to aligned holes, it is a quick job.

On the blowtorch suggestions to burn off the carbon, I would not do that unless you are really practised, because the part is made from cast iron. Cast iron cracks easily, and if you heat up one part more than another too much, you could end up needing a new burner. Also the blowtorch takes longer than the spray, and does not work on the pipe that goes into the burner (because is made from copper). The spray and the drill works on the whole lot.

View attachment 419003

Thanks for this and your previous post about level-ness etc. (which I am well practised in achieving). You are clearly very knowledagble.

Yes its the offset holes that are the problem. The aligned holes are OK and I use all kinds of wire to reach them. Plus a drill.

I dont want to fork out for a new burner yet. I’ll give the spray a go. Thanks,

 

[AlexD]

Thanks for this and your previous post about level-ness etc. (which I am well practised in achieving). You are clearly very knowledagble.

Yes its the offset holes that are the problem. The aligned holes are OK and I use all kinds of wire to reach them. Plus a drill.

I dont want to fork out for a new burner yet. I’ll give the spray a go. Thanks,

You are too kind. Knowledge comes from doing things, and especially the mistakes one makes when doing things, so I have made a lot of the latter before figuring out or learning the better way, You are doing the right thing in getting stuck in and doing it.

 

[Mr Tree]

I have found that Kerosene additives have improved the burn, cleaner & hotter.