HOW TO: Cleaning & Lubricating Weber Gas Grill Valves


 
Sorry folks the launch was scrubbed due to pouring rain during tonights session :( ..........So work continues on Das Franken Grill..........
Removed the reg and the 20210610_214329.jpg20210610_211958.jpg20210610_204320.jpgteflon tape from both connections......got her all yella'd up now proppa. I will assume by the previous owner having teflon in the cone shaped connection of the reg that it didnt ruin any of its natural sealing properties of just the threads and the cone doing its thing. It feels so right having it done correctly.....thanks to Bruce and Larry as usual.
I filled the under side of the starter buttons with 1 million degree JB weld in hopes that no matter how or where I have to position the starter button it will push down on the red knob and click my starter for me..... I had to do this because every 4 or 5 tries due to mal alignment the bottom red button would find its way into a hollow portion of the starter button. This has been driving me crazy because I have it lined up beautifully and it still finds a way to fail. Dang Franken Grill!!! Anyway I would consider tonight what I call........" a good grill night " ....last night.....was a " bad grill night "......I look forward to my next resto with no Franken crap goin' on!
 
Damn those buttons looks so dirty all zoomed in on.......note I have no water at my shop......so I cant just soak them in bleach and water like I do with the resto's done in my home garage.......what a luxury.
I will throw it a lil tip for tonight. I have started using green scubby pads in place of steel wool for some portions of the cleaning process. I will adventure into the diff color scrubby pads soon to see how they differ fine to coarse. Anyway I cleaned the grey end plastic end cap with Simple Green and a green scrubby pad followed immediately by a micro fiber towel.....shazam.....very good results.
 
Yeah I use green scrubby is with bleach all the time period the bleach tears up the steel wool but the green scrubbis hang in there after many uses.
 
In the past I've taken the valve stems, put the top part in a cordless drill, hit it with some wd40 and used a thin strip of fine grit (400+) sandpaper to take oxidation off the stems as the drill turns it. It takes a bit of fiddling to get the chuck to bite correctly so that it spins on center but I've found that it cleans the oxidized stems really nicely. Then I've used lithium bearing grease in very small amounts - which is quite cheap for a tub of it. The one other thing if you're not getting the push off the valve that you want, is to pull on the springs a bit to stretch them back out after 20+ years in compression.
 
Whatever you do with a scrubby do NOT use it on anything that shows like the porcelain parts (control panel, hood) or you will pay a hefty price. They will do horrible damage to those pieces.
 
Hey Chris Cree.......That would be great to clean the valves and stems......but many times I cant get all 6 valve screws out :( That said on these tall stem models they used a more coarse screw with a bigger head.

No green scrubbies on the shiny bits.......but they make a less coarse scrubby .......I might Amazon a multi pack to get the fine medium and coarse and check it out.

Speaking of valve screws.......does anyone have that figured out yet? I would buy 100! I want the valve screws for the typical silver B in the 10 to 15 yr old range. Someone posted many moons a go but I bought what was posted and it was the screws for the old tall stem valves.
 
Don't use anything but 000 or finer steel wool. Anything made of nylon scrubby I don't care how fine will totally ruin the porcelain. Trust me on that one. Like shattering an aluminum cook box I know many things from my own stupid mistakes and pass them on
 
Larry speaks the truth. Those green scrubbies can scratch the porcelain lids. That being said, I still do it from time to time and I have even use #1 steel wool on them on the inside some times. I have even used regular kitchen style Stainless steel wool on the inside of lids. I have not ruined any lids this way, but I don't bear down and am careful about it. Sometimes the razor blade and #0000 steel wool just don't do the trick for the inside. I only use #000 or #0000 on the outsides.

Oh, and I still break out the hammer on the frozen bolts in the cook box too. Larry is a more patient guy that I am it seems.
 
Oh ya.......I reach for the more coarse steel wool fairly often.......It will knock down some heavy stuff but like u said u have to finesse the coarse wool......then follow with the 0000 ....... Scarping inner hoods if my favorite part of this gig.....huge reward when done.

Now about those manifold screws...... where r u guys getting them? There is no way u are getting them all out without stripping a few.......cmon......give it up....... Mcmaster Car sp? But what exact link......cmonnnnnnnn.......I want 1 million of them.....I want to bath in manifold screws because I have sooooo many of them.
 
JimV said:
Scarping inner hoods if my favorite part of this gig.....huge reward when done.
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Jim, I have about 15 lids that need scraping. I could keep you happy for a couple afternoons. I will buy pizza and your choice of beverage.
 
I did see where someone found a source for those little buggers (Valve screws). I think it was a sewing machine shop or something. Try searching the forum to see if you can locate the thread.
 
I shouldnt have said anything......30 min after saying how.much i enjoy scraping hoods i was greated by the most difficult of my short career.... :( .....she had been cooked in for sure.......i hunkered down and got the job done only to have my big reward spoiled by the inner hood fade. :(........of sure it looks shiny and a whole lot better than any other hoods in my market.....but i sure enjoy when a black hood comes out perfect inside and out.....although rare at this point. Ok i will search again for.the valve screws......i want so many that i will fill my hollow umbrella stand with them vs sand just because i can!!!!
 
JimV said:
I shouldnt have said anything......30 min after saying how.much i enjoy scraping hoods i was greated by the most difficult of my short career.... :( .....she had been cooked in for sure.......i hunkered down and got the job done only to have my big reward spoiled by the inner hood fade. :(........of sure it looks shiny and a whole lot better than any other hoods in my market.....but i sure enjoy when a black hood comes out perfect inside and out.....although rare at this point. Ok i will search again for.the valve screws......i want so many that i will fill my hollow umbrella stand with them vs sand just because i can!!!!
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I did a copy and paste below.......I just ordered a bunch of 3mm allen heads......via ebay...I dont have much confidence in this but will let u know if it works.

Mystery solved, at least for MY Summit 450. Saw a Utube video that showed someone doing the valves on what looked like a Summit 450, BUT, the screws looked like regular sized, and the valves looked like a black plastic body. Mine are all metal and the screw is WAY smaller. After a trip to the local hardware store, and looking through lots of bins, the winner ended up being, a 3mm size screw, metric thread, that a 2mm allen wrench fit. I went with a button head allen, lord how I hate phillips head screws. In the SAE section, I did find a 3-48 screw and a 4-40, but no 4-48.
 
JimV said:
Hey Chris Cree.......That would be great to clean the valves and stems......but many times I cant get all 6 valve screws out :( That said on these tall stem models they used a more coarse screw with a bigger head.

No green scrubbies on the shiny bits.......but they make a less coarse scrubby .......I might Amazon a multi pack to get the fine medium and coarse and check it out.

Speaking of valve screws.......does anyone have that figured out yet? I would buy 100! I want the valve screws for the typical silver B in the 10 to 15 yr old range. Someone posted many moons a go but I bought what was posted and it was the screws for the old tall stem valves.
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Jim, I got mine off eBay. M3 x 12 mm brass and they worked in my 3000 and Silver C. Make sure you select the size, length and quantity.

Wow that link is long. Let me know if it works?

www.ebay.com

10-100PCS M2 M2.5 M3 Brass Phillips Pan Round Head Cap Bolts Screws | eBay

MATERIAL: Brass. I send goods within 12 hours. Usually I will respond in 24 hours.
www.ebay.com
 
Thanks Richard......I would think 12mm would be very long.....I ordered 3mm x6.....I am only assuming they will be long enough. I can go grab the link if it would help someone else. The thing that concerns me about your message is that a 3000 and possibly even a silver c might be the older more coarse thread......I want the ones that fit more modern Silver B's. The only reason I know they are different is that I was desperate for a valve screw for a silver B but was only able to get a screw out of a manifold from 1000 and they were different. All that said.........I havent had any success yet so I will wait until I receive my order and pass the info along.
 
Here is what I orderd....but again I have no idea if it will work :)

www.ebay.com

M3 x 6mm 304 Stainless Steel Hex Socket Button Head Cap Screws Bolts 120PCS | eBay

Description: Designed with 304 stainless steel material. 304 stainless steel material provides strength and offers good corrosion resistance in many environments. ideale for use in confined areas where the head needs to be flush or below the surface. Fixing component, industrial and construction...
www.ebay.com
 
JimV said:
Here is what I orderd....but again I have no idea if it will work :)

www.ebay.com

M3 x 6mm 304 Stainless Steel Hex Socket Button Head Cap Screws Bolts 120PCS | eBay

Description: Designed with 304 stainless steel material. 304 stainless steel material provides strength and offers good corrosion resistance in many environments. ideale for use in confined areas where the head needs to be flush or below the surface. Fixing component, industrial and construction...
www.ebay.com
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Jim, I measured one of the screws I got out of a valve and it was 12 mm long. It did stick out the bottom of the valve so you might be alright. They were fine thread though. The ones I ordered had a Phillips head but I am putting never seize on them so removal next time is not an issue. 😆
Keep us posted on how yours work when you get them.
 
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