Hi there... I've been having this problem with my furnace... it began the end of last year, I had a tech come and give my furnace a good cleaning, and it appeared to work fine but now that the cold has settled in the same problem is coming back.

I have an Oil Furnace, about 11 years old "CLARE" is the make, occasionally, I'll come home to a cold house. The only way I can turn on the furnace is by pushing the reset button. Sometimes, the furnace will run for a few cycles... sometimes for a few days with no problem, and then it shuts down. Other days, I do this "resetting" 4 or 5 times a day just to keep the house livable. Upon observation, I noticed that what was happening was as follows. I would push the reset button... the fan would then come on for a few seconds, and then the light would flash inside briefly like it was trying to light... (but not stay lit) a few seconds later the fan would turn off... this is what happening, but for whatever reason, sometimes it allows the furnace to cycle over and over again, and other times, as I said, I'm running to reset multiple times in a day..

Any idea what's going on here? Thanks a bunch !

You probably could use a complete tune up and check on your furnace. On oil it should be done every year. Call for service.

I had that done last year, cost me about $200.00 so that's why I'm thinking there is something more going on... any ideas?

From your description of a temporary flame in the furnace it seems to me you might have a oil supply problem. An intermittent oil supply will definitely cause your problems but what causes it is another thing.

You mentioned ((the fan would then come on for a few seconds)). Which fan? The oil burner fan that blows air into the burner OR the main furnace blower motor?

I watched the process... I'm not sure which fan... but here's the way it goes normally... the furnace/fans turn on for a few seconds, then, the little light inside is ignited and stays on and that turns on the rest of the furnace, and everything is fine... BUT.. When I'm having the problem the light just flashes (doesnt stay on) and then after a few seconds the fans that were on turn off (probably some sort of cut off some point because the only way to start the furnace is to hit the reset button after that)...

Could be a intermittent hi volt transformer or in the wiring to it.