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Burnt gasket after 3 weeks...sigh

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Lostboy
Lostboy Posts: 9
edited April 2012 in EggHead Forum
I have been carefully cooking on me egg for the first few cooks at slow and low temps to make sure my gasket was set in well.  Fast forward to three weeks and 6-7 cooks later and I decided I needed to do a clean burn of the plate setter, dome, etc.   Things got a little hot and my top and bottom gaskets came about clean off (well almost).  From what I've gathered its a lot of personal preference on the gasket/no gasket cooking.  I was going to go with no gasket for a while, but wanted to know if there was anything I need to do before doing my next cook.  Do I need to acetone scrub where the gasket used to be?  Sand down the places where there are remnants of the gasket remaining?  Or can I just go ahead as is. 

Surprisingly the gaps are larger than I expected.  I can stick the flat end of the ash tool into some of the areas, but I guess I will see if this affects my cooking at all.
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Comments

  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    edited April 2012
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    i cooked on a gasketless egg, and vent settings seemed no more closed or open either way.  my only issue was that lighter lump did not go out when i shut down. i needed to fuel it with only the amount of charcoal i needed for each cook.  ....versus topping off  (over-filling) for each cook and always having some charcoal remaining when i shut down.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
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    I left mine with large gaps for quite a while with no problems. I eventually un did the band to reset the dome alignment. It didn't make a difference but it did make me feel better.
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,342
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    What you have with the gaps is a potential for more air flow during cooks (can be controlled by vent positions) but as stike notes, you will have a challenge in putting the fire out once you shut down after cooking.  The gaps will feed the fire til the fuel is gone-some people have been able to readjust the bands and improve the dome to base fit.  And lots go commando once the gasket fails-your perference.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    edited April 2012
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    'may' have a challenge putting it out.  some have no problems.  i happened to have two types of lump on hand (cowboy, and weekend warrior).  i loaded the cowboy expecting to use it all weekend, well over the top of the fire  box.  was all ash the next day, and so i had to use the WW.  being much denser, it went out faster
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • chad408
    chad408 Posts: 140
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    I have been carefully cooking on me egg for the first few cooks at slow and low temps to make sure my gasket was set in well.  Fast forward to three weeks and 6-7 cooks later and I decided I needed to do a clean burn of the plate setter, dome, etc.   Things got a little hot and my top and bottom gaskets came about clean off (well almost).  From what I've gathered its a lot of personal preference on the gasket/no gasket cooking.  I was going to go with no gasket for a while, but wanted to know if there was anything I need to do before doing my next cook.  Do I need to acetone scrub where the gasket used to be?  Sand down the places where there are remnants of the gasket remaining?  Or can I just go ahead as is. 

    Surprisingly the gaps are larger than I expected.  I can stick the flat end of the ash tool into some of the areas, but I guess I will see if this affects my cooking at all.
    LOSTBOY go to the green egg web site and email them and tell them that you fried your gasket after just three weeks they sent me a new heat heat gasket for free in just a couple of day. I am sure they would do the same for you.
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  • AZbge
    AZbge Posts: 96
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    Either install a Rutland or go without. I've got a Rutland on my small and XL and haven't had an issue since. We regurally cook at 600+ for pizza's and woking.
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  • Mayberry
    Mayberry Posts: 750
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    Contact BGE. I did the same and they sent me the high heat gasket for free. I say why worry about it, if it doesn't cost anything.
    Athens, GA
    XL BGE, Large BGE and RecTec590
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  • RichardBronosky
    RichardBronosky Posts: 213
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    @Lostboy, add your voice http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1138572
    I finally took the plunge and bought my large Big Green Easter Egg from Roswell Hardware in Roswell, GA 03/31/2012
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