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bbq guru problem

ob
ob Posts: 17
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I cooked two pork butts and a brisket this past weekend and set the guru at 250 degrees. After it had been on for about 4 hrs I went to bed but after about 10 hrs on the egg the alarm was going off and the temp was 325. I put new tin foil on the temp probe but that didn't seem to help so finally I removed the quru and cooked it the old fashion way. My egg gasket was allowing some smoke out, could that be the problem. Any suggestions would be appreciated. First time on the forum.

Comments

  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,676
    Close down (just a little) the damper on the guru and or the daisy.
  • 61chev
    61chev Posts: 539
    Where did you have your probs located? Also where did you have the daisy set? What did your dome temp register?
    gerry
  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
    Welcome to the forum. You might want to mention which fan you have, (4 or 10 cfm) what size egg ( I'm guessing large) and as FlaPoolman mentioned the daisy setting.

    If you have the 10 cfm fan and the damper is not closed down some you made be getting a draft blowing though the unit.

    Others will chime in with more thoughts I'm guessing.

    Regards,
    Bordello
  • ob
    ob Posts: 17
    Thanks for the responses. The egg is a large and it's a 10 cfm blower. The daisy was just barely open and the blower was about half opened. The probe was connected to a clip on the cast iron grate in the back. I have used the guru a few times before with no problems with the same setup. The dome temp was around 325 if I can remember right.
  • Check to be sure your lower vent was completely closed around the adapter. I have had that problem let it get too hot more than once. A solution to this is putting aluminum tape over the connection joints. Then just remove and toss after.
    Hope this helps,
    Tom
  • 61chev
    61chev Posts: 539
    hmmm the only thing I can think of if you didn'y have the temp stabilized before you put the meat on. I have let the daisy slide open when I peeked in before and left it open to far. the gasket shouldn't leak enough to let that happen unless it's really bad
    Gerry
  • 61chev
    61chev Posts: 539
    one more thing did you shut the fan off while you were putting the meat on?
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    .

    Just curious, which guru do you have? How long has it been since you calibrated your dome thermometer?

    The Guru blowers allow free air to flow through. If the damper is too wide open it won't make much difference with good established fire in the lump.

    1/16" open bottom slider (with out a powered vent system) can maintain 250° easily. If the blower is even 1/2 open enough air can freely flow into the lump.

    If you have a DigiQ2 you can tell if there is too much free air by paying attention to the duty cycle of the fan. If the duty cycle is 30% on the damper and or DFTM is too far open.

    GG
  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
    Good call Rusty Rooster,
    That's why collective thinking works so well, one person will think of one thing and another something else.

    Good Call,
    Bordello
    Still Working hard. :laugh:
  • Rolling Egg
    Rolling Egg Posts: 1,995
    If your gaskets are allowing smoke out, thats just like having your daisy wide open. My gaskets are fried also. I noticed today that I cant cook as I use to with my guru because it overshoots even with my daisy barely cracked. I did babybacks today and had to run the daisy completely closed. It was getting all the flow it needed out my fried gaskets. If I cracked open my daisy, it would start climbing. The guru works by being able to completely control how much air moves through the egg. Any cracks or leaks affects it. I say get you a new gasket set up. Good luck.
  • ob
    ob Posts: 17
    Thanks for all the great advise for all that responded. I think I will try replacing the gasket to see if that fixes the problem. Have a goood day.
    ob
  • Hatch
    Hatch Posts: 149
    It sounds like your fan damper was too far open. Half open for a low and slow cook will allow the fire to create it's own draft and draw air into the cooker.
    I would leave the fan damper no more than a 1/4" open for that type of cook.

    Kenny
    Operations Manager
    The BBQ Guru
  • Rolling Egg
    Rolling Egg Posts: 1,995
    For what its worth, I always run my 10CFM fan half way open and daisy barely cracked. Ive never overshot my temp until my gasket started deteriating.