Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - Oil Burner kicks on to much during a cycle??

Yesterday my furnace backfired with such force it blew the flapper valve off the flu and struck a wall about 12 feet away. Tech came out and basically said the unit failed to ignite causing oil to build up and when it finally lit ....KABOOM! it sounded like a shotgun went off.
He replaced the nozzle and adjusted the electrodes. He also said the burner is kicking on to much during a heating cycle. I'm new to oil furnaces so I don't know much about them. The little research I've done, sounds like the burner should kick on first thing, warm up then the fan comes on blowing the warm air through the house. Well, the burner will come on every one or two minutes during a heating cycle. Is this normal? Should I have a tech come back out? Any advice would be appreciated.

Has the burner cycled on and off that often before?

Once the blower is running, does it still do that?

On the burner, remove one of the wire on the T, and take a jumper wire and jumper both T on the burner, and see if the burner stays on the whole time. If it cycling on and off as before, let us know.

Has the burner cycled on and off that often before?

Once the blower is running, does it still do that?

On the burner, remove one of the wire on the T, and take a jumper wire and jumper both T on the burner, and see if the burner stays on the whole time. If it cycling on and off as before, let us know.


The burner will come on several times while the fan is on. This is my first fall/winter in this house, but yes, so far the burner has been doing this since I started using the heat. I'm sorry, but I don't feel competent enough to fool with the wires. What do you mean the "T"?

Thermostat heat anticipator setting may be too low. Needs to be higher than for gas furnaces.

On the burner is the primary control, that is where the t-stat wires goes to... it goes on to the two T's on the burner.