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Egg is stuck--I messed up

Good Morning
After my cook last night, I opened the vents and did a clean burn. Now my egg is stuck shut.
I need to replace the original gasket but afraid to do it. I guess i waited too long.
How do I get it open?
Thanks
Dan

Comments

  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Get a putty knife, and work it around the gasket seam. Most likely, you will find places where the gasket is not melted. Work the blade edge in, and begin to open the seam as far as possible. See if the dome lifts. If not, get a sharper knife, and cut thru the stuff that has fused.

    I've toasted my gaskets any number of times. Generally there is a portion completely burnt away, a smaller portion fused, and the rest, just sort of clingy. I have on occasion opened the bottom vent, put my toe in, and just yanked upwards on the handle.  One time, the dome came right open, with 90% of the charred  top gasket hanging loose. On another occasion, I had to use my weed burner to melt enough away from the outside so that i could get the knife in.


  • Dan4BBQ
    Dan4BBQ Posts: 271
    Thanks
    I was thinking of putting some charcoal in from the bottom and lighting it with my butane?
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    Dan4BBQ said:
    Thanks
    I was thinking of putting some charcoal in from the bottom and lighting it with my butane?
    Can't do any harm, if it is fused due to melted food that you can remelt. A fused gasket due to a high heat cook might need another high heat cook to get it budge. Try the putty/utility knife route and if it doesn't move fire it up. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
    I'd fire it up through the bottom vent.  My Egg was frozen shut this winter and that's how I got it open. 
    That way it will remelt and the gasket and adhesive will be much easier to remove as well.
    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio

  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    What kind of gasket?
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167

    Three good choices:

    1. Rutland

    2. Rutland

    3. Rutland                  with Permatex Ultra Copper  adhesive.

    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
  • flynnbob
    flynnbob Posts: 665
    My dealer told me that vodka works well to soften the gasket adhesive.  Have a few pops and give your egg one too! It will loosen you both up.
    Milton, GA.
  • Terrebandit
    Terrebandit Posts: 1,750
    I fail to see a reason to do a burn off in the first place. I just use a drip pan to catch grease on long cooks and never let the crud build up in the first place. Am I missing something?
    Dave - Austin, TX
  • Dan4BBQ
    Dan4BBQ Posts: 271
    My foot in the bottom opening and a friend and me pulling on the top got it open.

    Thanks for your help.
  • I had the same issue after a cleaning burn last night.  I used a painter's tool (similar to a putty knife, but with cut-outs to open paint cans, and the blade is thicker and more sturdy) to pry the gasket apart.  It only took fitting the tool through one spot on the gasket and prying a little bit to break the seal apart.  It must not have been sealed very badly.  The seal is all still in place.  I won't know if it's damaged and needs replaced until I light it up again, but for now it seems like the gasket's not too badly damaged.

  • RLeeper
    RLeeper Posts: 480
    I fail to see a reason to do a burn off in the first place. I just use a drip pan to catch grease on long cooks and never let the crud build up in the first place. Am I missing something?

    As you continue to use the egg you will get thick build up in the dome and other places that need to be burned off with high heat.
    Extra Large, Large, and Mini. Tucker, GA
  • I have been gasketless for at least a year and it does not really seem to affect my cooks.

    Gerhard
  • Gerhardk, did you smoke or mostly grill over that year without a gasket?
  • I use a sliding blade razor knife. The best original gasket life I have had have been from the ones I've cut open. If you use heat the gasket will come off.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • I do more low and slow than grilling.

    Gerhard
  • I'm the same as Gerhard but I cook every which way. Low and slow to nuke hot pizza. No gasket for most of the year. I didn't even scrape. There are bits of gasket on there I guess but it's not functioning as a gasket. Really don't need one.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,167
    "To burn or not to burn"...just like about any other topic here-many different opinions and all valid.  So, pick your poison and run with it.  From the "no clean burn" camp.  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.