Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Gasket Guidance

Options
TEggSun
TEggSun Posts: 244
in EggHead Forum
Hi All,

I have been cooking with a completely melted gasket for over a year now.  I don't see much smoke escaping during my low and slow cooks, nor do I seem to struggle with maintaining temperatures. I do believe it is taking progressively longer to snuff the lump.  I'd like your expert opinions on the following options:

1.  Continue egging in commando fashion
2.  Replace with an OEM felt gasket.  (I'm likely to melt that one in short order)
3.  Replace top and bottom with the High-Que nomex gasket on top and bottom
4.  Replace with Rutland on bottom only

Also noteworthy, there doesn't appear to be much of anything left of the gasket.  I'm not sure how I can even remove what is left.


Transplanted from Austin, Texas to Medina, Ohio

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Options
    My Rutland is nearly 4 years old and has made it through a number of 900° pizza cooks. Looks like new, albeit a little dirty. :). IF I ever have to replace it, I will buy another Rutland. That said, I know a bunch of folks who don't use a gasket at all and are very happy. I like the cushioning.

    I used a single edge razor blade to remove my original gasket. Wasn't too bad.

    And yes, bottom only is fine.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
    Options
    I once was in your same situation.  My "low and slow" minimum temperatures slowly increased up from 210 degrees to 260 degrees.  That was what drove me to changing the gasket.  I went to my dealer, he tried to charge me $16.00 for a similar felt gasket.  That didn't work well with me!!  I went with a Rutland thru RRP on the other forum.  I think the postage was more than the cost of the gasket?  Cheap!!  To my suprise, i never realized how much lump i was wasting during the shutdowns.  Nearest i could figure, was about 30 percent.  That was two years ago, and due to a misaliegnment of the surfaces, i am ready to replace the Rutland again.  I the hinge area, the dome has rubbed the Rutland in half as it grinds itself shut instead of closing down on the gasket.  I will replace the gasket and at the same time - loosen the bands and re-aliegn the two surfaces.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TEggSun
    TEggSun Posts: 244
    Options
    I'm with you on the cushioning, @Carolina Q.  I forgot how different it feels with a fresh gasket until I cooked at the Austin Eggfest on a new one.  

    I think I am eliminating option 2.  If I'm going to the trouble of prepping the surface for a new gasket, I'm not going to re-install something I melted to quickly.  
    Transplanted from Austin, Texas to Medina, Ohio

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bigphil
    bigphil Posts: 1,390
    Options
    I've been without a gasket on my large for awhile but got tired of wasting lump on the shut down never had a issue holding temps . Just installed a rutland that i've had for the longest  time today scraped what was left of the old one and hit the base with a little sand paper to clean it up then cleaned it and installed the gasket took a little over a hour . installed only on the bottom and did the dollar bill test even lit a low temp fire and tossed some wood in to cure and check the seal no leaks and capped it while it was smoking and the only smoke escaped was out the bottom vent 
    Large Big Green Egg , XL Big Green Egg . BBQ Guru, Weber Kettle, Weber Q grill for road trips.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Mama Roneck
    Mama Roneck Posts: 386
    Options
    I'm on a nomex gasket for nearly 3 years and still looking good, but dirty.  Lots of pizzas on it too.
    Mamaroneck
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TEggSun
    TEggSun Posts: 244
    Options
    I'm assuming both the nomex or the Rutland would hold up to 700+ for searing. Am I off base?


    Transplanted from Austin, Texas to Medina, Ohio

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Options
    Rutland, several 900° pizzas. No idea about the Nomex.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
    Options
    Rutland.  Change it once, align everything properly and you'll never have to worry about your gasket again.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TEggSun
    TEggSun Posts: 244
    Options
    @ChokeOnSmoke, just on the base, or top as well?
    Transplanted from Austin, Texas to Medina, Ohio

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NibbleMeThis
    NibbleMeThis Posts: 2,295
    Options
    I went without a gasket on mine for 4 years.  Finally replaced it this year with a Rutland and I'm glad that I did.  I will replace the gasket on my wife's Egg this summer too. 
    Knoxville, TN
    Nibble Me This
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
    Options
    TEggSun said:
    @ChokeOnSmoke, just on the base, or top as well?
    Just the bottom ~or~ just the top, not both.  Rutland is 2-3 times thicker than the original felt.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TEggSun
    TEggSun Posts: 244
    Options
    It sounds like Rutland is the way to go.  Last question:  Do you have any advice on spreading the adhesive?  
    Transplanted from Austin, Texas to Medina, Ohio

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
    edited June 2013
    Options

    TEggSun said:
    It sounds like Rutland is the way to go.  Last question:  Do you have any advice on spreading the adhesive?  
    Take a look at this.  Documented how I did it and I also noted what I would do different if I had to do it again.

    Packerland, Wisconsin

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
    Options

    Very good post, but I would not bother to remove the lid.

    That Gator paint stripper makes the cleaning very easy.  Final clean up with a pumice stone is a given.

    Rutland all the way, you won't be sorry.

    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • onedbguru
    onedbguru Posts: 1,647
    Options
    I just replaced my 3.5yr old original gasket with a new high-temp  (self-adhesive) felt obtained from a local dealer. One thing I like about dealing with a local dealer is that generally speaking if you ask for a discount, you will more often than not score 10-15%.

    Also took the opportunity to add the grill mates (tables).  so I just loosened the bottom band, pulled the top off used a scraper to remove the old and had it back in operation in about 45 minutes - including adding the mates.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TEggSun
    TEggSun Posts: 244
    Options
    This is awesome, @ChokeOnSmoke.  You've made it virtually idiot proof, although when I do this I might prove that false.  I'm an exceptional idiot.  :-)
    Transplanted from Austin, Texas to Medina, Ohio

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Gogogordy
    Gogogordy Posts: 460
    Options
    Forgive the newbie question, but where does one get the Rutland gasket?
    When I'm not Eggin', I'm scootin'   Eggin' and 'cueing from Temecula Ca; an hour from San Diego, an hour and five minutes from Palm Springs, and an hour and a half from Los Angeles (yeah, right. With THAT traffic?)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TEggSun
    TEggSun Posts: 244
    Options
    @Gogogordy, I found it on Amazon.  There might be better ways to order it, but I've included links below to the gasket and adhesive that seems to be highly recommended on this site.
    Transplanted from Austin, Texas to Medina, Ohio

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
    Options
    I ordered mine from RRP on the "other" egg forum.  He had to me before i could get a check in the mail...
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Elmer Fudd
    Elmer Fudd Posts: 65
    Options
    Replaced my gasket with a Rutland today. Used a steel brush and acetone after scraping off the old lousy gasket. Only did the base as the Rutland "rope" is plenty thick and don't need to do both top and bottom.
    Minneapolis / St. Paul. Large & Mini
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    Options
    I have the Contronics woven ceramic gasket if you need it.  1/8" tape goes on the bottom only, then just get the UltraCopper off Amazon or at the auto parts store.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
    Options
    Charlie tuna said:
    I ordered mine from RRP on the "other" egg forum.  He had to me before i could get a check in the mail...
    Do this. 
    Especially if you have a XL.  The kits aren't long enough to go all the way around an XL in one piece.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
    Options
    TEggSun said:
    This is awesome, @ChokeOnSmoke.  You've made it virtually idiot proof, although when I do this I might prove that false.  I'm an exceptional idiot.  :-)
    Glad to help, good luck.  You'll be happy when your done and never have to worry about it again...
    Packerland, Wisconsin

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories