Egg repair

Unknown · June 2005

I am the lucky recipient of large BGE that I inherited from my neighboor during his recent move. The hinge and draft door needed to be replaced, so I installed a new spring assisted hinge and stainless steel draft door. While cooking on it for the first time this weekend (ribs) I noticed that I was unable to regulate the temperature very well and it took a long time for the fire to go out when I was finished. I think this may be due to some space around the draft door assembly that I was unable to seal. Should I put some sort of heat resistant sealant around the draft door assembly to keep unwanted air from coming in? If so, any suggestions on what kind?[p]There also may be a minor leak in the gasket, as I observed a small amount of smoke escaping from one area where the lid meets the base. Is this enough of a problem to have to undergo the tedious process of replacing the gasket?
Thanks in Advance![p]*by the way, the ribs still turned out excellent, and I am now a hooked, addicted BGE fanatic!

Adrian B. · June 2005

Another Newbie, mine came pre-assembled with some clear caulk-type stuff. Maybe it was a high-temp RTV or something. [p]The leak around the gasket may be as simple as adjusting the bands around the lid. [p]It sounds like you got a good deal on an "eggsperienced" egg. :~)

HatchlingJr · June 2005

Hey Another Newbie,[p]It sounds like you may have some air leakage. You can see air leakage during the start-up phase when the smoke is black (look closely around the seal to see where it is leaking) as you described. If it is....[p]The first thing to do is inspect the gasket. If it does not look uniform and it looks very compressed where the air is leaking - replace it. I find that using glue or high temp silicone is typically not a good replacement to a new gasket (it is only temporary). [p]If the gasket looks fine, then follow these instructions:
a) Close the egg
b) Ensure the band on the bottom is even around the edge (it needs to be perfectly straight).
c) Remove (loosen) the band on the lid. Physically move the lid back and forth until you feel it is properly located on the bottom piece
d) Re-attach the screws securely (very tight - you don't want the lid to fall) and ensure the top band is perfectly even. I usually take a pair of plyers to squeeze the tabs while I tighten the bolts.[p]But when you are done - there is one more very important thing to do: Do not forget to light her up, look for new air leakage and enjoy the best tasting food on the planet.

Egg repair

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