Do it yourself

Hi! I am trying to restore a centerhall farmhouse that is 215 years old. As yet I dont have the furnace hooked up as there are no walls finished enough to hang the registers. So, I rely on a salamander (I have 3 of them) to heat the work area. My problem is none of them work! One now needs a motor, the other a transformer and the last and largest I have only fires if the torpedo shaped cover is removed. If the cover is replaced, it smokes hesitates then shuts off. I replaced all the filters, set the pump pressure and replaced the spark plug.. still seems to be starving for air. I could (and have) run it without the cover but it flames out more and really doesnt throw heat very well without it. Anyone know what I might do next? I really need to get one of them going! With the holidays, its hard to tell when the other parts will be in, and as I look out my window its snowing again. Thank you for your time.