Gaskets found on a used WSM 14??


 
Y

YoungSon

New member
Hi all,

I recently purchased a used WSM 14, and found a couple of unexpected gaskets attached by the previous owner(s). I don't know if they were trying to address an issue on the smoker, or possibly they were trying to improve the performance. The appearance of gaskets doesn't totally surprise me, since I see lots of YouTubers adding gaskets, but the configuration of the gaskets seems unusual (wrong?) to me. Can you first of all, tell me - did the new WSM 14 even come with any gaskets at all? In the Center Section or main middle cylindrical body, there is a gasket in the groove (the groove which keeps the center from sliding into the lower Bowl Assembly) which happens to be peeling off. Was this original, or was this an attempt at enhancement? The way I see it, having it in that groove doesn't seem to do anything. I could see it possibly helping to reduce smoke/heat leakage if it were on the overlapping/mating surfaces between the Center Section and the Bowl, but that's not where the gasket was applied.

Secondly, I think I know the answer to this already; but the door likely also originally did not have a gasket, correct? And if so, why was the gasket placed here instead of around the very outer periphery of the door, where again, the gasket could potentially have done some good (since it could help create a better seal between the door and the Center Section). Attached are pictures of these gaskets. Please let me know what you know about the WSM 14 and gaskets, and if I should remove them (or maybe re-apply some new ones in the same or different locations). Thank you for your help, Young.
 

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The gaskets are definitely not original equipment. If this were my WSM, I would remove all the gaskets, fire it up, and see how it operates as intended by the manufacturer. If there are "issues" with how it operates, then I'd address those at that point. It's possible that the center section is a bit out of round, leading to an air gap that affects temp control. Maybe the door doesn't fit as well as it could, and needs to be manipulated some. There are lots of ways to fix any issues that may exist, but my preference would be to remove the band-aids from the previous owner, and start with the WSM in its "natural" state.

If you do discover some fitment issues with it, check back here for suggestions on remedying those. :)

R

PS: Welcome!
 
YoungSon said:
The appearance of gaskets doesn't totally surprise me, since I see lots of YouTubers adding gaskets, but the configuration of the gaskets seems unusual (wrong?) to me.
Click to expand...
Yep, the gasket on the door was definitely attached by someone who had no idea where they went.
 
Yes agree with above. The gaskets are not standard. They are not in the usual spots either.
Gaskets are known to be used when there is air leakage. Not so much for keeping smoke in, but for controlling air intake for temp control. The two most common spots are the center lid, and the door. Sometimes the sections are a bit out of round. Sometimes the door seal is less than ideal. The wsm14 is the least prone to issues. The 22 likely the most. There may be a reason the door was done this way. It may help stiffen it a bit. But usually it is placed where it meets the unit. The other gasket is a mystery to me.
 
If anyone really wants to check and find out if it is ... x y or z
1. On a large sheet of paper trace the ends of each section.
2. Use a compass, divider ir any handy object to make a perfect circle to check for roundness. You can even check by overlaying each piece.
 
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