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Crapsman diesel torpedo heater issues?

YotaAtieToo

Thick skull
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
142
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11,076
Loc
Bonners Ferry, ID
Bought the cheap (only) diesel torpedo heater I could find locally last year. Crapsman 80k? Btu for like $150 at Lowes. It worked great all last winter heating a 30x35 unisulated garage in not super cold temps. Always ran diesel.

This year its been not working except maybe once. I thought it may have been the colder temps up here, but my buddy who I lent it to bought his own and said it works fine with diesel.

I just dumped a gallon of kero$ene in and it kinda lit for a bit then went out and won't go again. I took a video right after but it's taking a while to up load.

Where do you start with one of these?
 
Pop the top off and check all the fuel lines. I had one (different brand) that worked the first year, sputtered a little but then wouldnt run the 2nd year and when I opened it up the fuel lines all fell apart (literally crumbled in my hand).
Replaced them with Gates braided fuel hose in the right sizes from the local auto parts store and its been running like a champ ever since.

If the lines are bad, check that it has spark and that it has fuel spraying out of the nozzle in the burner.


Aaron Z
 
but my buddy who I lent it to

So why did he buy one if he was borrowing yours?
 
Pop the top off and check all the fuel lines. I had one (different brand) that worked the first year, sputtered a little but then wouldnt run the 2nd year and when I opened it up the fuel lines all fell apart (literally crumbled in my hand).
Replaced them with Gates braided fuel hose in the right sizes from the local auto parts store and its been running like a champ ever since.

If the lines are bad, check that it has spark and that it has fuel spraying out of the nozzle in the burner.


Aaron Z
This. My father in law had me fix his 2 year old dewalt torpedo heater and it had the same crumbling hose shit. It's like they didn't even try to use a hose that was diesel rated. Fucking pathetic.
 
I'll third the fuel hose issue. We run these in the shop at work and our 3 year old craftsman 80k from lowe's had this issue this year when we started it up for the first time.
 
but my buddy who I lent it to

So why did he buy one if he was borrowing yours?

Well I forgot it was having an issue when I brought it over. He tried messing with it and got it to work here and there. He missed it when it wasn't working and wanted one anyway.

This. My father in law had me fix his 2 year old dewalt torpedo heater and it had the same crumbling hose shit. It's like they didn't even try to use a hose that was diesel rated. Fucking pathetic.

So do I need to clean anything down stream of the hose?
 
Pulled the cover off, fuel lines look fine, one is cracked a little, but not bad. I did get fuel line today, so maybe I'll just replace them anyway.

It was trying to light, spark looks great and I could see fuel spraying pretty good, but I guess I don't know what a bad spray would look like. :laughing:

You can see the 2nd Pic how it was trying to light.
20220105_133242.jpg
20220105_133238.jpg


I also pulled some "filter" deal off on the back and tapped it out, didn't seem to make a difference.
 
Did you even read my link?
Air Pressure is #1, t/s the rest
 
Did you even read my link?
Air Pressure is #1, t/s the rest

No, not yet, out internet has been down and cell service slow af. Anywhere but here has been almost impossible to load.

I was just hoping for the "just set the front on a 2x4 and kick it 3 times and it will work beautifully" post :flipoff2:
 
No, not yet, out internet has been down and cell service slow af. Anywhere but here has been almost impossible to load.

I was just hoping for the "just set the front on a 2x4 and kick it 3 times and it will work beautifully" post :flipoff2:
I'll keep it to text then.

Basically the fuel mixture is set via fuel pressure which is created from the air pump on the back of the fan (behind that foam stuff).
There is little to do in the way of tuning these things outside of adjusting the air bleed to set the air pressure.

So step one should always be set the air pressure. This will insure given good fuel, no air leaks in fuel line etc. the ratio will be correct.
 
I'll keep it to text then.

Basically the fuel mixture is set via fuel pressure which is created from the air pump on the back of the fan (behind that foam stuff).
There is little to do in the way of tuning these things outside of adjusting the air bleed to set the air pressure.

So step one should always be set the air pressure. This will insure given good fuel, no air leaks in fuel line etc. the ratio will be correct.

It's back up now, hopefully. We're still getting hammered with snow :laughing:

I'll read the thing you posted some more later and see what I can figure out. Thank you.
 
Mine was acting up this year. Got a filter kit, set the fuel pressure and it's up and rocking again. Guess your supposed to do that once a year. I've had it probably 15 years and it was well used then...lol
 
Found the model number

cmxehao80fak

Google says it's made by Enerco. Hopefully better quality than interco :flipoff2:

Going to get a gauge tonight. And what looks like an 1/8 npt adapter (if needed)

Bonus is, I'll have a low pressure gauge for the tires on my samurai :laughing:
 
Pump pressure was it, didn't even have to take anything apart.

I should have looked at the manual before I bought the Guage as it said to adjust to to make the nose cone cherry red but no flames past the end. 🤷

Set it 4psi as the link said 3-6 psi. Seemed to meet the criteria in the manual also.
 
I noticed the new heaters come with gauges.

I got a free heater cause "doesn't work"
I put a vane kit and rear cover cause it was cracked set air pressure and ta-da good to go.

I just keep a box on the shelf that says "torpedo" heater, if it farts or something I just grab the gauge and check it, it's always incorrect and a tune up gets it going again for the rest of the season.
 
I noticed the new heaters come with gauges.

I got a free heater cause "doesn't work"
I put a vane kit and rear cover cause it was cracked set air pressure and ta-da good to go.

I just keep a box on the shelf that says "torpedo" heater, if it farts or something I just grab the gauge and check it, it's always incorrect and a tune up gets it going again for the rest of the season.

Is there any real harm in just eye balling it like the manual says?
 
I got one for free because "it didn't work".
Pump wasn't pumping well (weal vaccuum on gauge)
Took it apart, couldn't find anything wrong. Cleaned everything, put it back together with some graphite grease.

It works beautiful.
 
Well nevermind, it's doing the same thing again. Air Pressure adjustment doesn't help solve it. I can almost get it to stay running constantly, but it's not right at all, smokey and far from a red nose cone.
 
Basic stuff, filter, fuel lines and fuel would be things I am certain are good even if that means proactively replacing them.
 
Filter as in the little wierd paper thing by the air adjustment?

Why did it work the other day and then take a shit again?
Mine has inline fuel filter, I assume the rear air filter for the air pump is clean/removed for testing.
 
Mine has inline fuel filter, I assume the rear air filter for the air pump is clean/removed for testing.

I don't see a fuel filter, but I guess I need to tear into it more. The foam filter was out when testing, I removed it just now with no change. There is a little fibery paper filter under the air adjustment that I tapped out also :confused:

Edit, just messed with it again and it's working :confused: I really don't know what I changed. I checked the fuel line from the tank, no filter, but blew through it and it was clear. Oh well. It's a pos, but it's working. I'm just going to leave the Guage on it for now :laughing:
 
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Make sue there isn't a puddle of water rolling around the bottom of the tank.
 
Make sue there isn't a puddle of water rolling around the bottom of the tank.
I honestly think that's probably it, that was my first thought. When it runs out, I'll try and drain the rest out. I'm not sure how with the design of the tank.

Is there an additive that would help? Like how turn the water into usable fuel? :laughing:
 
I honestly think that's probably it, that was my first thought. When it runs out, I'll try and drain the rest out. I'm not sure how with the design of the tank.

Is there an additive that would help? Like how turn the water into usable fuel? :laughing:
You could use some of the off the shelf diesel products but for my money just tilt it to one corner and siphon/pump out that corner.
 
interesting
mine was sputtering last time I used it, so I tried feeding it some gasoline so it'd stay lit
didn't work at all

I'll have to fuck with the adjuster bits
 
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