Jake’s real-world method for diagnosing burners, tuning flame patterns, catching micro-leaks, and guaranteeing smooth ignition on every 80% furnace he installs.
80,000 BTU 80% AFUE Upflow/Horizontal Single Stage Goodman Gas Furnace - GR9S800803BN
🧰 1. The Tool Most Homeowners Don’t Know Exists — And Most Installers Don’t Use Correctly
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There are hundreds of HVAC tools Jake doesn’t care about.
But there is ONE tool he never installs a furnace without:
👉 A torch-style flame detection kit
Most techs think it’s just a “leak detector.”
Jake laughs at that.
He uses the torch/detection kit to:
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Verify burn pattern symmetry
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Check ignition cleanliness
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Detect draft disturbances
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Confirm crossover consistency
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Identify low-flow anomalies
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Spot burner rust or carboning
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Check flame stability under blower load
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Inspect gas valve performance
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Verify pressure changes
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Catch hairline cracks in burners
Jake says:
“This little flame tells me more than a manometer ever will.”
This article is Jake’s entire Precision Tool Pass — the exact sequence he uses on every GR9S800803BN install and every service call.
⭐ Jake’s Precision Tool Pass (The 10-Step Sequence)
This is the exact burner inspection ritual that guarantees:
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Zero flame lift
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Zero ignition pop
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Zero stale crossover
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Perfectly even flame rows
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Clean blue fire
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Quiet, smooth startup
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No rust blowback
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No soot formation
Let’s walk through Jake’s full routine.
🔥 2. Step 1 — Pre-Ignition Safety: Clear the Burner Path
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Before Jake even pulls out the torch:
He cleans the burner vestibule to eliminate:
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Dust
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Insect debris
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Pet hair
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Carbon flakes
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Rust flakes
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Sheet metal filings
Anything loose inside the burner compartment affects flame characteristics.
Jake does:
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Vacuum the burner box
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Brush each burner throat
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Remove and clean combustion orifices
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Blow out crossover ports
This ensures the tool pass reveals real problems, not dust artifacts.
🔧 3. Step 2 — Check All Burner Ports Using the Torch Flame
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Jake lights the torch and sets a steady, fixed flame length.
He holds it parallel to each burner port and looks for:
✔️ Air suction consistency
Flame should pull slightly toward the burner throat.
✔️ No turbulence
Any dancing or flicker indicates:
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Draft issues
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Cracked burner
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Misaligned burner cells
✔️ Port uniformity
Flame should “lean” the same way at each port.
Bad port = bad ignition.
Jake catches them before firing the furnace.
🧯 4. Step 3 — Perform a Crossover Channel Check
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This is where the torch kit shines.
Jake places the flame:
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Exactly at the crossover entry
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½ inch from the metal edge
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With fresh combustion air
He checks whether the flame:
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Pulls evenly across the crossover
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Flickers on one side
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Dies out in any section
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Flares from turbulence
A good crossover means burners ignite in a smooth left-to-right (or right-to-left) wave.
Bad crossover = ignition pop, delayed boom, or flame skip.
Jake says:
“Smooth crossover is clean ignition. Rough crossover is future callbacks.”
🌀 5. Step 4 — Light the Furnace and Observe Burn Pattern Immediately
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With the torch OFF, Jake fires the furnace.
He watches the first 2–4 seconds of flame.
This is where 90% of problems show up.
Jake evaluates:
✔️ Flame color
Clean = Blue
Dirty = Orange tips
Danger = Yellow streaks
✔️ Flame stability
Should be tight and smooth.
✔️ Flame roll
Absolutely should NOT roll out of the burner box.
✔️ Flame lifting
Indicates high static pressure or too much primary air.
✔️ Flame delay
Indicates gas pressure or crossover issues.
Most techs don’t know this:
The first 3 seconds tell the whole story.
🔍 6. Step 5 — Use the Torch Flame as a Draft Analyzer at the Draft Hood
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Jake re-lights the torch and brings it to the draft hood.
He checks:
✔️ Flame draw direction
Should lean steadily into the hood.
✔️ Spillage
If flame stays vertical or pushes outward → backdrafting.
✔️ Flicker
Indicates inconsistent draft.
✔️ Pull strength
Weak pull = cold chimney or oversized vent.
He tests the draft with:
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Blower ON
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Blower OFF
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Closet door closed
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Dryer running
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Exhaust fans on
Jake’s rule:
“If the vent fails when the homeowner takes a shower, it fails.”
💨 7. Step 6 — Perform the “Blower Disturbance Test” Using the Torch
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Jake places the flame near burner openings while the blower turns on.
He watches the flame response during blower startup.
What he looks for:
✔️ Flame staying straight
Means venting & air control are correct.
❌ Flame bending
Indicates return imbalance or duct restriction.
❌ Flame distortion
May indicate cracked heat exchanger or pressure leak.
❌ Flame being pulled back
Return duct static pressure issue sucking combustion air.
Jake says:
“If the blower changes the flame, the ductwork is trying to kill your furnace.”
🛑 8. Step 7 — Check for Micro-Leaks With Torch Distortion
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This is where Jake’s technique gets advanced.
He traces the flame along:
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Gas manifold
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Orifice connections
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Gas valve joints
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Union connection
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Flex connector
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Drip leg threads
Instead of using bubbles, Jake first watches flame behavior.
If the flame:
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Pulls in
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Pushes away
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Wavers sharply
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Bounces unpredictably
→ There’s a micro leak or pressure disturbance.
THEN he confirms with leak detector fluid.
Jake says:
“The flame finds leaks that soap doesn’t.”
🎯 9. Step 8 — Evaluate Burn Symmetry With the Torch as a Light Source
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Jake turns OFF furnace heat and turns ON his inspection light (or torch flame reflection).
He checks burner heads for:
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Rust
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Pitting
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Carbon buildup
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Uneven metal coloration
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Hot spot signatures
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Deposits inside the flame slots
The torch helps illuminate imperfections that overhead light hides.
Uneven burn signs:
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Dark streaking
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Uneven discoloration
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Warped ports
Jake preemptively fixes burners rather than waiting for failure.
🔧 10. Step 9 — For LP or Low-Pressure Natural Gas, Jake Uses the Torch for Pressure Dynamics
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Low pressure creates flame instability.
Jake leaves the torch ON while adjusting:
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Gas pressure
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Air shutter (if present)
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Manifold readings
He watches how the flame reacts to:
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Slow increases
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Sudden decreases
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Airflow disturbances
This gives him real-time, intuitive feedback.
📈 11. Step 10 — Final Pass: Ignite, Observe, Compare, Confirm
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Jake runs through one final live-fire test:
✔️ Burn pattern
Perfectly aligned, straight, blue.
✔️ Crossover
Smooth, fast, clean.
✔️ Draft
Strong, consistent, no backdraft.
✔️ Disturbance
Blower doesn’t affect flame.
✔️ Leak-free joints
No flame reactions, no bubbles.
✔️ Start-up
No ignition pop or delay.
Jake signs off only when:
“The flame stands at attention.”
📚 External Verified Links (Max 6)
These are safe, reputable, non-competing resources:
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ENERGY.gov — Furnace efficiency & burner basics
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/furnaces-and-boilers -
ASHRAE — Combustion & air control standards
https://www.ashrae.org
🏁 Jake’s Final Word
Jake says this every time:
“The tools don’t make you precise. The process does.”
“The flame never lies.”
His Precision Tool Pass ensures:
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Perfect ignition
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Zero flame lift
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Perfect crossover
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Clean combustion
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Safe draft
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No leaks
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No callbacks
This is how Jake delivers pro-grade burner performance on every GR9S800803BN install.
Buy this on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3L2nAfF
In the next topic we will know more about: The Coil Landing Zone: Jake’s Alignment Strategy for Perfect Airflow When Matching Evaporator Coils to the GR9S800803BN
