‘76 Defiant pouring smoke out of the back when side door is open

[Greenmason]

Old stove that came with the house we bought this summer. Chimney has been cleaned. Stove has run fine since October. Backplate was bowed with a crack in it which still remains obviously. As of today when I go to load more wood it billows smoke out this back top corner as far as I can tell. Crack in the stove? What would you suggest. Had been firing it hot with this cold routinely up past 600 degress plus before I close damper

 

[Greenmason]

From what I can tell the smoke only happens off the intense initial burn. Once it died down and i reloaded, didnt seem to happen again

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

Are you loading with the damper shut?

 

[peakbagger]

It probably needs to be resealed. With a bow in the fireback, the secondary air system is probably no longer working so its not a very efficient stove. If its two piece fireback, it may be worth replacing the two pieces (sometimes its just the top one) and restoring the secondary air channel. If its one piece fireback the conversion parts cost more than its worth and unless the stove is rarely used like in hunting camp, its time to look for a replacement.

 

[Greenmason]

Are you loading with the damper shut?

Nope. It was a one time thing, not sure what happened there. All good since

 

[Greenmason]

It probably needs to be resealed. With a bow in the fireback, the secondary air system is probably no longer working so its not a very efficient stove. If its two piece fireback, it may be worth replacing the two pieces (sometimes its just the top one) and restoring the secondary air channel. If its one piece fireback the conversion parts cost more than its worth and unless the stove is rarely used like in hunting camp, its time to look for a replacement.

Thanks for this. Yea its a one piece, have looked into it. Plan this summer is to build a masonry heater upstairs and move this stove downstairs and tie it into where old wood furnace was and use it sparingly

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I happened upon a D1A1 that needed a lot, had a D1, i had to buy new backs and a baffle, between the 2 I made one, it wasn’t super cheap, probably 500 in parts, but honestly it is a great stove, and I wanted it for my basement, I am very happy, you cannot buy a new stove for what the parts cost.