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Dollar Bill test: 70% pass 30% Fail... Suggestions
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allsid
Posts: 492
I am not mechanical, but I am logical. I understand how things work, while not the best at fixing things. That is why I am so frustrated with the hinge mechanism on my large. I just don't understand all the idiosyncrasies.
I replaced my gasket last week and have cooked on it twice. Turned out decent, but I am failing the dollar bill test from about 10 o'clock to 2 o' clock assuming the hinge is noon. The rest of the egg is tighter than a frogs behind.
It's not like I can see light or anything where it seems loose, but compared to the passing parts of the dollar bill test its pretty leaky.
Any suggestions for how I can get the remaining area to pass the dollar bill test?
Many thanks- P
Proud resident of Missoula, MT
https://www.facebook.com/GrillingMontanahttp://grillingmontana.com
https://instagram.com/grillingmontana
Check out my book on Kamado cooking called Exclusively Kamado:
http://bit.ly/kamadobook
https://instagram.com/grillingmontana
Check out my book on Kamado cooking called Exclusively Kamado:
http://bit.ly/kamadobook
Comments
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The Dollar bill test is overrated. Are you having difficulty holding a temperture? If not, just go with it. If you're that bothered by it, get a Rutland Gasket. That will solve your problem.
"Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great, Here's to "Down Home," the Old North State!"
Med & XL
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I have an XL, but what I did to get the best seal was to close the lid, Loosen the cinch bolt on the back and then push down on the lid and tighten the bolt again while keeping the pressure on the lid. You may need an assistant to help depending on access to your Egg. It worked for me by climbing on the table and laying across the Egg. I may have also lifted the band in the area by the hinge a little, but I don't remember.A poor widows son.
See der Rabbits, Iowa -
+1 on bettysnephew technique.
Loosen bolt, push down on dome ( even open and close.... carefully) , then tighten.Bx - > NJ ->TX!!!All to get cheaper brisket! -
tazcrash said:+1 on bettysnephew technique. Loosen bolt, push down on dome ( even open and close.... carefully) , then tighten.Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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I would not worry about it unless you can't control temps on low and slow cooks. If it leaks at the felt you'll automatically adjust at the lower slider or upper daisy......I typically change the gasket to do something different on the egg.twww.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
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Assuming you have checked and adjusted the bolt that clamps the dome band, check the nuts that hold the band to the dome. One of my Eggs had a gap where you describe. What I eventually found was that the 4 nuts were all at least a half turn loose.
This happened to me after I left the dome open for a couple of hours after a cleaning session. When I closed the dome, I heard a spring make a slight "boing" sound. I spent weeks messing w. the spring tightness, and other hinge bolts.
My recollection is that I loosened the band, tightened the nuts securing it to the dome, then re-tightened the bolt. No problems since.
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Thanks for all the ideas.I guess I just need to remind myself to chill out, it's just not worth being too hung up on-Proud resident of Missoula, MThttps://www.facebook.com/GrillingMontanahttp://grillingmontana.com
https://instagram.com/grillingmontana
Check out my book on Kamado cooking called Exclusively Kamado:
http://bit.ly/kamadobook -
We can all give you information, but if you're like me, it's cool to actually "see" what someone is talking about. This guy has, in my opinion, the best video out there in terms of band & hinge adjustments - and the funny thing is, he doesn't even speak a word of English - just goes to show that sometimes, the language of BBQ is universal (I know, cheesy) heheDon't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. - Bruce Lee
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I replaced my felt gasket with a Rutland on the bottom rim - nothing on the dome. I tried the dollar bill trick and got much the same result as you. Like yourself, I cannot observe any visual gaps anywhere around - but a dollar bill does slip out much easier from 10-2. I have experienced no troubles holding temps, no smoke leakage, and it shuts down just fine. The way I am looking at it - if smoke won't escape, air won't enter. I have put it out of my mind.One thing I have not gotten around to trying, but would like to just for curiosity's sake, is putting a light inside when it is dark outside to see if I can see any light around the gasket.
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twlangan is a rutland bottom and nothing or who cares on the top a proven method? I am a big subscriber to one and done and dont want to be replacing gaskets over and over. My new one (3 cooks now) is chard on the inside rim despite me making sure it did not overlap on the coal side of the domes.Proud resident of Missoula, MThttps://www.facebook.com/GrillingMontanahttp://grillingmontana.com
https://instagram.com/grillingmontana
Check out my book on Kamado cooking called Exclusively Kamado:
http://bit.ly/kamadobook -
As far as I can tell, putting the Rutland on the bottom rim and nothing on the dome is the way people are doing it. The Rutland is a thick gasket and takes up about the same space as both stock felt gaskets. Been using mine for a couple of months now, doing pizzas at about 600 deg each week and the gasket still looks like the day I applied it. I've been very happy with it.
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After my second Trex steak cooking I am gasket-less and the dome has some minor gap with the bottom.I cooked three butts and two stuffed chickens starting 10pm Saturday and finished 2pm today @230*F and no problem regulating or maintaining heat, just smaller adjustments on the DW.So relax and keep on cooking...
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