Lid vent stuck


 
K

Kevin Walsh

TVWBB Fan
I got my WSM new in December 2007. Very recently, after a marathon cook session that lasted over 24 hours, I noticed that my lid vent is stuck in the open position. It almost feels as though the vent is glued to the lid. I don't find any stickiness anywhere else in or on my cooker.

I fuel my fires with Trader Joe's / Rancher briquettes, and use hardwood chunks that have been seasoned for several months at least.

Can anyone provide some guidance on how/why my lid vent may have stuck this way? More importantly, does anyone have any suggestions re quickly and easily "de-sticking" the vent?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
 
Happens to me all the time ! Give it a wack with somthing in the right direction it a move . May have to give it a few little wacks . IF you are afraid to wack it get some degreasser or dish soap and soak it a while it a move . I would just wack it ! The handle of a big screw driver works well for wacking stuck vents for me or anything else thats handy like my fire poker . I had to wack the top vent on my cooker tonight . Or you can wait until you heat it up again and it should move then easier .
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YMMV thou .
 
Guy, i'm too old to reckon what YMMV means...
can you help me? Seen this before and it baffles me
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EDIT: got it now (Your mileage may vary)
before, the only thing i could think of was (You make me vomit)
 
I think I like "You make me vommit" better!
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Kevin: It is getting stuck because of the "smoke gunk" drying between the vent and the lid....it dries to a glue like substance. Just like Guy, it happens to me all the time. I usually grab my grill mits and push with both hands to turn and it usually breaks free. Or I take some really hot water and pour a little between the vent and lid to soften up the gunk. Or you can whack it gently like Guy said to break it free. (I usually don't do this as my luck I would hit and damage something I don't want to!
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One thing I do now on longer smokes is to move the vent closed and open a couple of times when the cook is done when cleaning up before shutting it all the way to shut the smoker down. This usually prevents it from getting stuck as the WSM cools before the next time I use it.

Good luck,
Kg
 
All good suggestions. I'll add one more. Aerosol brake cleaner is a good multipurpose solvent that can remove all kinds of greasy gunk from places where it shouldn't be. It has the benefit of evaporating and leaving no residue, as far as I can tell. I think it would free up your vent. Or, if you don't want to use an automotive product on a food cooking machine, a liberal soaking of tequila should work. I once used it to de-gunk our blender blades after having made mayonnaise, since what I basically needed was paint thinner that wouldn't poison me (at least, not quickly).
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I had read the tequila (alcohol) suggestion before and also someone else suggested vinegar.

If my vents ever stick I think will be trying these two methods.
 
I just got my WSM so I haven't had this problem yet. I would try Windex. I got this tip when buying my wife's wedding ring years ago. The jeweler said it works for getting stuck rings off. Windex has silicon in it so it should get it lubed up. I've never actually tried it so if anyone tries this let me know how it works.
 
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary
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Iam 55 I just picked it over the yrs on forums belive me when iI say I am a computer dummy
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Now I say wack it but any of the above methods a work wacking it is just faster for me that and who wants to waste good booze I would say pour some beer on it but thats going in me when iam cooking ! YMMV
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Every cooker I own needs a good wack every now and then just to keep it going stright
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Originally posted by Guy Wallace:
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary
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Iam 55 I just picked it over the yrs on forums belive me when iI say I am a computer dummy
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Now I say wack it but any of the above methods a work wacking it is just faster for me that and <span class="ev_code_RED">who wants to waste good booze</span> I would say pour some beer on it but thats going in me when iam cooking ! YMMV
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Every cooker I own needs a good wack every now and then just to keep it going stright
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Click to expand...

I didn't use "good" booze, I used tequila that somebody left at the house after a party.
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i doubt if wacken a fix mine I gotta do some cleaning not wacking after this weekend ! My cooker went non stop for about 36 hrs . Last cook ended this morning with 3 butts 30 lbs and a 12 or 14 lb packer on the 22 well the packer or and the briskets were close to the edge on 2 sides and grease was running out the bottom vents on 2 sides
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so wacken ain't gona fix that have to break out the degreaser and clean out the gunk ! Then I can go back to wacken
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i wouldnt worry too much about the top vent getting stuck in the 100% open position. i would worry if it was stuck in the closed position or if any of my bottom vents got stuck.
 
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