33. Q. How does water in the oil affect the fire?

A. Water in the oil will produce popping or kicking with the fire in the
fire-box and at times the fire will die down entirely and then flash up
as the water disappears and the oil reaches the burner. The most
noticeable result of water in the oil is the fact that the fire will get
very low. It will almost go out entirely and then will suddenly flash up
again as the oil appears. Water in the oil produces a very dangerous
condition and should be prevented immediately by draining the water from
the fuel oil tank.

34. Q. Do you consider it advisable to keep the burners clean, and how
often?

A. When equipped with steam blow-out pipes, they should be blown out
before commencing trip so that burners will distribute oil evenly to
each side of fire-box.

35. Q. What position should burner be with reference to level and in
line with center of fire-box?

A. It is very essential that burners be level and throw flames just to
clear floor of arch in order to derive full benefit of heating surface,
as the draft has a great tendency to elevate flames, at opposite end of
the fire-box.

36. Q. Are you aware that in course of time the atomizer port will
become worn too large and will discharge too large a volume of steam to
properly atomize, and the remedy?