Moral support, bare ceramic....

Doc_Eggerton · August 2012

OK, my LBGE has started shedding big flakes of dead gasket. I have been cooking for 7 months now with classic fried gasket, but am close (on both the L and the XL) to bare ceramic. The only thing that would get closer is taking a putty knife to them, and I am wondering if that wouldn't be a good idea.

OK guys, I have no enthusiasm to giving up cooking for a couple of days or going to the effort to install a new gasket.

Convince me that I don't need to.

PS, after removing all gasket, do I need to reset the dome?

nolaegghead · August 2012

If it doesn't close evenly, and I'd suspect with the gasket removed and the hinges set up with a 1/8" or so material gone, it would contact first in the front and have a gap growing larger in the rear. Only one way to find out....

Hillbilly-Hightech · August 2012

(in the spirit of Jeff Foxworthy):

If you're leaking smoke from where the gasket used to be...

if you're noticing that you cannot get up to, or down from, temp easily...

If there's a noticeable gap between the base & the lid...

If you are a classic "butterfingers" and are afraid that you'll inadvertently drop the lid from max height & let it slam down onto the base...

...you might need a new gasket.

(otherwise - COOK ON)!!

SkinnyV · August 2012

The change was easier than I thought. I used alcohol, scraper, putty knife and I was done. Granted it was a mini I took apart but same concept. It just looks cleaner with a gasket

Howdy_Doody · August 2012

My personal experience is that I went without a gasket for about a year. It didn't cause any problems with the regular grilling, roasting, woking, etc., but I found that with a low and slow, such as brisket, I had a hard time controlling the temperature at a low temperatures.

So, I replaced the gasket. Works fine now. However, there was a dome alignment adjustment about the same time, so I'm not 100% sure of the most effective solution. I would do both to make sure.

travisstrick · August 2012

I have no gasket. My dome and base have an horrible fit. In fact, it wouldnt pass the deck of cards test, let alone a dollar bill test.

I have no problem holding 180, 200, 220, ect. It actually works better without the gasket.

nolaegghead · August 2012

Gasket or no gasket, the dome needs to be aligned the base to minimize leakage, leakage that you can't control like you do with the dampers. It's easy to do if you understand how the straps are going to torque the top. There are some videos online that do a good job explaining the process.

ccpoulin1 · August 2012

sounds like a new gasket is in order. I have a new one to install myself, but i am waiting for my kitchen to come in so i can just change it then. the XL will be easier to move with the lid off! it does not seem like a big deal. Lots of folks here swear you don't need it at all ( and i am sure they are right) For me though, it was designed with a gasket, so a gasket it shall have!

Fred19Flintstone · August 2012

Can I state the obvious? Do one at a time as I see you have an XL & L. That way you can keep Egging!

troutgeek · August 2012

Hey! You have an opportunity to try the new gaskets from BGE!

the_alchemist83 · August 2012

I did a new gasket (a nomex) after owning my egg for only roughly 3 weeks. It was time consuming (mostly taking off the old & scrubbing with acetone) but easier than I thought. I also aligned my dome & better tightened the straps than the people that I paid to put my egg together. I checked today after doing a few cooks on it and my drag is even better than it was before. It really only knocked out 1 day of cooking. Just do a big cook on it the day before you plan on doing it so you have some leftovers to get you through the day.

nolaegghead · August 2012

Hey! You have an opportunity to try the new gaskets from BGE!

Reminds me, gasket is covered under warranty - Year or two, I don't remember. You can look at the warranty and make a claim if you meet the criteria. Free gaskets. The felt, IMHO, is a design flaw that they haven't, for some reason, corrected.

gumbo_bill · August 2012

With no gasket the charcoal may not go out as fast when you shut down the egg after cooking. An air leak can waste your unused charcoal.

troutgeek · August 2012

nolaegghead said:

troutgeek said:
Hey! You have an opportunity to try the new gaskets from BGE!
Reminds me, gasket is covered under warranty - Year or two, I don't remember. You can look at the warranty and make a claim if you meet the criteria. Free gaskets. The felt, IMHO, is a design flaw that they haven't, for some reason, corrected.

Well, let's see how this new gasket design works out. Nobody is talking about the new egg and gasket changes as of yet. Nothing big for the egg design change (the plate setter sets into the fire ring a bit), but there is a new gasket, and I believe the Nomex version is being discontinued because of it.

tazcrash · August 2012

FWIW, I put the Nomex gasket on as instructed (heck they sent it to me, so i figured, why not), I also used some course sandpaper to get a nice fresh surface for the 3M to stick to.

acronym time: YMMV IMHO The super 77 is junk. I've been re-sticking the gasket with Permatex (orange) and a Popsicle stick where it comes loose, and that stuff is staying in place, even at pizza temp.

With a warm grill, the old gasket came off smooth and easy with a putty knife.

Took the lid off (figured I would have to adjust bands anyway).

Put moving blanket in base to hold top.

Used sandpaper wrapped around brick to prep surface.

Glued, and set lid back on base so weight helped set glue.

The big PITA is giving the glue a day to set.

tazcrash · August 2012

Pics from that day

nolaegghead · August 2012

I used a die grinder and 3M polishing pad to remove the gasket. Did it in situ (didn't remove the dome). Nomex, self-adhesive. Been a couple of months, no lifting.

nolaegghead · August 2012

hmm..pic didn't upload

troutgeek · August 2012

Bump. BGE has changed their gasket.

nolaegghead · August 2012

Bump. BGE has changed their gasket.

Finally! Guess they used up their old stock of flammable felt. Yay

nolaegghead · August 2012

The Nomex is pure white.

You'll get more than you need...maybe snip off a little section and it it with a torch. See if it burns or melts. If it burns, it's organic. If it melts, it's probably inorganic (glass). If it just turns brittle and black, probably nomex or one of the Kevlar family of amine based fibers.

nolaegghead · August 2012

I was suspicious of the self-adhesive backing on the Nomex, but it works like a champ. I did a knock-out job of cleaning the ceramic. Probably less forgiving than a liquid adhesive if you don't do a good job cleaning the substrate.

troutgeek · August 2012

My dealer just told me about the new gaskets this week, along with the changes to some of the eggs. Apparently, the high temp and original gaskets are going to be discontinued.

the_alchemist83 · August 2012

FWIW, I put the Nomex gasket on as instructed (heck they sent it to me, so i figured, why not), I also used some course sandpaper to get a nice fresh surface for the 3M to stick to.
acronym time: YMMV IMHO The super 77 is junk. I've been re-sticking the gasket with Permatex (orange) and a Popsicle stick where it comes loose, and that stuff is staying in place, even at pizza temp.

With a warm grill, the old gasket came off smooth and easy with a putty knife.
Took the lid off (figured I would have to adjust bands anyway).
Put moving blanket in base to hold top.
Used sandpaper wrapped around brick to prep surface.
Glued, and set lid back on base so weight helped set glue.
The big PITA is giving the glue a day to set.

I haven't had any problems with the nomex sticking at all. Did you spray the adhesive on just the egg or just the gasket? I sprayed both as in the fredmusicandbbq video and I haven't had any problems. I've been at 650 for pizza as well.

tazcrash · August 2012

I sprayed both as shown on that fred video.
It to be honest it only started pulling after a high temp cook and i guess i got a drop of glaze on the gasket and it pulled apart when i opened the lid.
However when for 2 cooks before that i was running about 450, i could feel the gasket "wiggle" if i touched it. Like the adhesive turned stretchy.

tazcrash · August 2012

I ran without the gasket for weeks. Did the install before going on vacation so in my mind it had plenty of time to cure.

Strange that you got something other than nomex. Did you try to burn a piece?

Garlic · August 2012

The High Q gasket is way better and easier to install than the factory nomex gasket. Well worth the price too.

Moral support, bare ceramic....

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