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So, my gasket....

How necessary is it really.  In my first pizza, the temp got to around 950º and half of it melted away.  Do I need to replace or does anyone just go on about business as usual?
XLBGE- Napa, CA by way of ATX


Comments

  • Kempy
    Kempy Posts: 188
    I know there are some on this forum who do not replace their gasket.  I haven't burned up mine yet and don't know what I will do when the time comes.  From reading from others on the forum you are probably ok without the gasket as long as you're not creating airflow problems without the gasket and you are careful when closing the lid. 
  • @hoofaloos - You just hit upon an area of preference.  Some like gaskets, some go commando (gasketless).  Of those that like gaskets, some like Rutland, some Nomex, some BGE High Temp and others like to make it out of Permatex.  You have to decide what you prefer.  How about that for an answer? 
    Flint, Michigan
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,168

    BGE temperature and fuel consumption rate is controlled by air flow.  If you are good with the temperature control and lump consumption without the gasket ( said another way-you have a decent seal between top and base in the commando mode) then the gasket is nothing more than a shock-absorber.  However, if  the air seal w/o the gasket is causing you cook problems then you can either live with it, adjust the dome to base fit or install a new gasket.  FWIW-

    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.
  • Deckhand
    Deckhand Posts: 318
    Rutland/Permatex.  It won't happen again.
  • Sevy
    Sevy Posts: 6
    I only suspect not using the gasket can cause some heat regulation problems but not impossibility to use without.  I removed the burnt gasket and replace with new...there are options available but I went with the original which the local dealer had in stock.  Easy to replace...instructions are on line.
  • I'm not saying that I'll never put another gasket on, but I haven't had any problems going without on my XL. I did a pork butt for the Super Bowl and it stayed at 225 dome for 6 hours and then I bumped the temp to 400 for another 5 hours without a hiccup. I'm very careful about closing my lid, and that (shock absorber) will be why I put another on down the road.
    "Take yourself lightly, but what you do seriously." - M. Martin XL BGE - Johnston, IA
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    edited February 2013
    (IMO) the gasket is only there for one reason: to make a softer landing when closing your egg. 2 of my Eggs have no gasket (4 years on one and 2 years on the other). One has a gasket but I have only cooked on it once. No gasket needed camp.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • jfm0830
    jfm0830 Posts: 987
    edited February 2013
    Funny, I didn't see this post and put some comments in your pizza pix post. I will add to them here. My vote would be for a gasket. for all of the reasons mentioned above: shock absorber. better control of low temperature cooks and less charcoal usage. I bought a high temp nomex gasket from High-Que and 60 high temperature cooks later it looks brand new. The only discolorations are from spilled charcoal dust in several places. I liked the High Cue because it didn't need pre-shrinking in a dryer nor did it require you to use spray cement to install.  I had my replacement gasket for nearly a month before putting it on. In retrospect I think the longer I waited, the worse it made getting the old gasket off. I wrote a couple blog entries about my gasket replacement experience if you are interested: 


    My new Egg came with the BGE high temp gasket which seems to be holding up well too. I just don't know if the replacement version they sell has double faced tape on it like the High-Que does. One other thing: The High-Que gasket says you should only install it where temps will be above 50 degrees for 24 hours.
    Website: www.grillinsmokin.net
    3 LBGE & More Eggcessories than I care to think about.
  • My factory gasket was shot in a month, and i just ignored it for about a year.  I noticed my "low and slow" temperature had increased about twenty degrees, but lived with it.  Finally, i changed it out and quickly realized a BIG difference in lump consumption!  My shutdowns were much quicker, so i am assuming the "missing" gasket was allowing enough oxygen in to extend the shutdown process.  For the cost and ease to change, i'll maintain my gasket...
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited February 2013

    My experiences with lump consumption, shutdowns, and trouble getting temps less than 250 degrees echo Charlie Tuna.

     

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • RLeeper
    RLeeper Posts: 480
    Depending on the dealer and how long you have had your Egg you may be able to get a free replacement that way the only thing you lose is the time spent replacing
    Extra Large, Large, and Mini. Tucker, GA
  • jerryp
    jerryp Posts: 232
    Gasket camp here. I've had my nomex for almost 3 years. It's getting crusty in the back, but it still works.  I accidentally dropped the lid down once, so I will always have one as cheap insurance on my expensive investment.
  • jfm0830 said:

    Funny, I didn't see this post and put some comments in your pizza pix post. I will add to them here. My vote would be for a gasket. for all of the reasons mentioned above: shock absorber. better control of low temperature cooks and less charcoal usage. I bought a high temp nomex gasket from High-Que and 60 high temperature cooks later it looks brand new. The only discolorations are from spilled charcoal dust in several places. I liked the High Cue because it didn't need pre-shrinking in a dryer nor did it require you to use spray cement to install.  I had my replacement gasket for nearly a month before putting it on. In retrospect I think the longer I waited, the worse it made getting the old gasket off. I wrote a couple blog entries about my gasket replacement experience if you are interested: 



    My new Egg came with the BGE high temp gasket which seems to be holding up well too. I just don't know if the replacement version they sell has double faced tape on it like the High-Que does. One other thing: The High-Que gasket says you
    should only install it where temps will be above 50 degrees for 24 hours.
    Very informative blog & post jfm. I'd like to give that a try. I'm a bit hesitant bc I don't know if my egg had the newer gasket on it or the older wool. It looked dark gray to me but I saw one on a large at a dealer that was what I would call white or almost white. Mine definitely was not that light. Is that the newer one? Another issue I have is temps outside. I think even in mid summer, I can't guarantee a 24 hr period over 50° in Alaska.
    XLBGE- Napa, CA by way of ATX


  • jfm0830
    jfm0830 Posts: 987
    edited February 2013
    Thanks hoofaloos. I got my first Egg in August 2012 and I understand that they started shipping Eggs with the new gaskets around September 2012. If your Egg was bought before September you most likely have the wool gasket. After that time you may have the new gasket depending on how many old Eggs your dealer had in their inventory before they started selling the new ones.

    The old gaskets are a dark brown color and the new ones are a light grey. They are easy to tell apart once you've seen both. I will attach photos of the gasket on my two Eggs. The first pix is the old wool gasket. It sounds like the one you saw at your dealer was the high temp version.

    As for the temperature, perhaps you could remove the old gasket outside, let the fumes from the solvent evaporate for a day or so and then bring the Egg indoors to a heated space, or perhaps a garage with a space heater. Now FWIW I had a leftover piece of the High Que gasket material that I used on the chimney of my Egg to help seal the ceramic & metal caps. This was put on with the outside air temps in the 20's. It is still stuck on real good.

    Jim


    Website: www.grillinsmokin.net
    3 LBGE & More Eggcessories than I care to think about.
  • jfm0830 said:
    Thanks hoofaloos. I got my first Egg in August 2012 and I understand that they started shipping Eggs with the new gaskets around September 2012. If your Egg was bought before September you most likely have the wool gasket. After that time you may have the new gasket depending on how many old Eggs your dealer had in their inventory before they started selling the new ones.

    The old gaskets are a dark brown color and the new ones are a light grey. They are easy to tell apart once you've seen both. I will attach photos of the gasket on my two Eggs. The first pix is the old wool gasket. It sounds like the one you saw at your dealer was the high temp version.

    As for the temperature, perhaps you could remove the old gasket outside, let the fumes from the solvent evaporate for a day or so and then bring the Egg indoors to a heated space, or perhaps a garage with a space heater. Now FWIW I had a leftover piece of the High Que gasket material that I used on the chimney of my Egg to help seal the ceramic & metal caps. This was put on with the outside air temps in the 20's. It is still stuck on real good.

    Jim


    That's the info I needed, thanks.  Mine was definitely the gasket in the first picture even though I bought in January.  Inventory doesn't turn over in Alaska very much I guess- especially in the dead of winter.  The garage is heated and since I have to take the egg apart to do this, shouldn't be a big deal to get it into the garage.  How would you compare the new BGE gasket to the nomex one?
    XLBGE- Napa, CA by way of ATX


  • jfm0830
    jfm0830 Posts: 987
    hoofaloos said:
    How would you compare the new BGE gasket to the nomex one?
    While I have had far less time with the BGE gasket, it seems to be holding up equally well. But there is a qualification. I learned about thermometer wraparound by getting my second Egg up to 1000+ degrees one night. The gasket did burn a bit where the lids had some underbite or overbite and the therefor the gasket was exposed to direct flame at that temperature. It is blackened but not reduced in thickness. The burnt area hasn't spread or gotten any worse so I'd say they are probably similar in performance.

    If I was you, I might go to the dealer and complain "nicely" about the fact that cooking a pizza damaged your gasket. Perhaps they will give you the high temp gasket, particularly if you mention you'd heard/read that new Eggs were coming with the high temperature gaskets as far back as September. So you didn't expect any problems cooking a pizza. Just leave out the 950 degrees part. The wool gasket wouldn't last long anyway, you just sped up it's demise a little bit.

    I'd also do some homework perhaps on this site to see it the new BGE high temp gaskets come with double sided tape on the back (I believe they do) and wether they need to be pre-shrunk in the dryer (I believe they don't). Then find out the price of the BGE gasket so if you can't get the dealer to cough one up you can decide wether to go with the BGE model, the High Que ($29.99) or some other model.
    Website: www.grillinsmokin.net
    3 LBGE & More Eggcessories than I care to think about.
  • Hoofaloos

    Take the egg in the garage-it'd cold-but no need to tale apart to change gasket. Open lid, scrape old gasket, clean with acetone, spray with glue and install new gasket. Close lid. Job done. Read instructions on time before cooking and maybe do a couple of low and slows before firing up hot.
    I called the mothership and talked to customer service. They sent me a new high temp gasket. My egg had a felt gasket.
    By the way, predictions of a cold front here-highs below 70- next week. I think I can find a long sleeve shirt.
    Bob
    Cookin' on the coast
    Shellman Bluff, GA
    Medium BGE

  • flemster
    flemster Posts: 269
    I have replaced mine a couple of times using the new BGE high temp gasket.  I found I had lump consumption issues as described above without a functioning gasket.  If I didn't already own a can of 77 spray and a spare gasket I would buy a High Que.  Looks like the self adhesive is much quicker.  Ive got some crusty bits on the inner 1/3 of my current gasket but it is holding on.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Keywords: Gator, Nashvegas, LBGE, Looftlighter, Thermapen in Racing Green (faster than the red one!), PSWOO2, Spider with CI, IQ120

  • Hoofaloos

    Take the egg in the garage-it'd cold-but no need to tale apart to change gasket. Open lid, scrape old gasket, clean with acetone, spray with glue and install new gasket. Close lid. Job done. Read instructions on time before cooking and maybe do a couple of low and slows before firing up hot.
    I called the mothership and talked to customer service. They sent me a new high temp gasket. My egg had a felt gasket.
    By the way, predictions of a cold front here-highs below 70- next week. I think I can find a long sleeve shirt.
    Bob
    Just called the mothership and they are sending out a new one this week.  Thanks for all of the help folks!
    BTW Bob, while those cold fronts might be nice, I wont envy you one bit when you're creeping around 100º+ for all of May-Sept
    XLBGE- Napa, CA by way of ATX


  • Hoofaloos

    We do not have those temps here on the coast. 100+ is rare. Maybe 90's during July and August only. I've seen enough snow in my lifetime to last a lifetime and have no desire to return to cold weather.
    Bob
    Cookin' on the coast
    Shellman Bluff, GA
    Medium BGE

  • I changed mine about two years ago, got it from RRP on the other forum.  The problem i have is in the hinge area.  I guess i don't have the dome adjusted correctly and it is binding in the very back.  This binding has about four inches loose, the rest is perfect and gives me a good seal for shutdown, and a good cushion during closing.  I will make some adjustments when i change it in about a year, or when i see my lump consumption increase..