Interior rust treatment

[AbieInNJ]

I've been blessed (cursed?) with a Summit Gold 4 burner LP grill. My mother had it sitting unused outdoors and covered for close at least 13 years (since ~2007); it's in remarkably better shape than I expected. My mother even had brand new unused Flavorizer Bars and SS grates; the only thing that I've needed to replace was the igniter and the door stop for the cabinet.

However, and this is where the curse comes in, there is some minor rust damage to the inside wall of the back of the cookbox (where Weber made the unfortunate decision to use stainless steel instead of aluminum). Since 1) it's SS and 2) the cookbox isn't manufactured anymore, Weber has declined to cover it via the warranty. My only choice seemingly is to somehow repair it myself. My question - is it safe to use something like POR-15 for touchups on the interior of the firebox? I would like to somehow stop the rust now before it gets out of control and eats the entire part. Or is there an alternative repair/maintenance option?

 

[Bruce]

Oh, no, I would NOT use POR15 or anything like it on the inside of the cook box. NO WAY.

 

[LMichaels]

That area really should not cause you too much trouble. One thing you will find out about those grills is they get HOOOOOOT if you like that sort of thing

 

[Kyle in Woodstock]

Best way to keep the inside of a grill from rusting it to cook on the grill often. Keep it seasoned / spray a little cooking oil on the problem areas and that should keep rust in check.

 

[AbieInNJ]

Oh, no, I would NOT use POR15 or anything like it on the inside of the cook box. NO WAY.

Noted. Figured that there may be some toxicity issues.

That area really should not cause you too much trouble. One thing you will find out about those grills is they get HOOOOOOT if you like that sort of thing

Fingers crossed. I'm fine with a HOOOOOOT grill, I have a WSM for low and slow

Best way to keep the inside of a grill from rusting it to cook on the grill often. Keep it seasoned / spray a little cooking oil on the problem areas and that should keep rust in check.

Good to know, will be using frequently (of course!). Nice tip about the seasoning.

 

[Jon Tofte]

POR-15 is definitely not rated for that high temperature.

I am with Larry that the deterioration you show is not a show stopper. At least yours is SS and not porcelain plated steel which inevitably rusts through.

Good luck with a really cool grill to restore, especially given its family history!

 

[Eric Portland]

Wow, that’s a nice grill to be given! A 6 burner popped up near me, but the front metal is severely corroded. Not sure what would do that, but maybe check the front on yours?

 

[LMichaels]

That thing is toast. Stay away

 

[Jon Tofte]

Wow, that’s a nice grill to be given! A 6 burner popped up near me, but the front metal is severely corroded. Not sure what would do that, but maybe check the front on yours?

Heat, corrosive acids in food and environmental factors. If it is porcelain plated steel, the expansion and contraction from the grill heating up and then cooling down in time causes cracks that humidity exploits to make rust. Eventually you have what you see on that lost cause grill.

 

[AbieInNJ]

Heat, corrosive acids in food and environmental factors. If it is porcelain plated steel, the expansion and contraction from the grill heating up and then cooling down in time causes cracks that humidity exploits to make rust. Eventually you have what you see on that lost cause grill.

I think the Summit Gold has stamped steel for the front and back of the cookbox; please correct me if I'm wrong. The design defect is that the grates sit directly on the steel lip and the movement of the grates scrapes away the paint (I think it's paint), causing the steel to be exposed and rust.

 

[Bruce]

No, not paint. Porcelain. But, yah, while it is still much harder than paint. It is subject to "cracking" such as having a heavy grate drop on it not to mention being in close proximity to the heat where it heats up quick and cools down quick further putting stress on the porcelain coated steel. Just not a good engineering design by weber.

 

[AbieInNJ]

Shoot! Was hoping it wouldn't have that issue.

My maintenance plan for now is to:

• Use it frequently so that humidity/moisture doesn't build up. Although it seems like this is a catch-22, because the more often the porcelain is heated/cooled the more prone it will be to cracking.
• Rub [cooking] oil on the spots that have minor corrosion.
• Anything else?

How many years of usage can I expect before the front/back steel of the cookbox will be beyond salvation?

Random aside question, if I'm not mistaken the WSM is also made out of porcelain enameled steel, but doesn't seem to have this cracking/rusting issue?

 

[Jon Tofte]

Pretty hard to answer your life expectancy questions...too many variables. I doubt that cooking oil or anything else will be of much help in the areas exposed to extreme heat, but you could try. It would seem to me that you use it until it becomes a more serious issue. Then you have to look at a fabricated replacement.

WSMs and Weber Kettles are all made of porcelain coated steel. They generally hold up amazingly well, but the same issues appear at stress points such as where the handle connects to the lid or bowl and in the bottom of the bowl if you allow charcoal to rest directly on the metal.

 

[Kyle in Woodstock]

Shoot! Was hoping it wouldn't have that issue.

My maintenance plan for now is to:

• Use it frequently so that humidity/moisture doesn't build up. Although it seems like this is a catch-22, because the more often the porcelain is heated/cooled the more prone it will be to cracking.
• Rub [cooking] oil on the spots that have minor corrosion.
• Anything else?

How many years of usage can I expect before the front/back steel of the cook box will be beyond salvation?

Random aside question, if I'm not mistaken the WSM is also made out of porcelain enameled steel, but doesn't seem to have this cracking/rusting issue?

Are you talking about the grill from your original post?
Or that ugly one Eric Portland showed?

Your original one doesn't look bad at all. You have many years to go on that one.

 

[BPratt]

Wow, that’s a nice grill to be given! A 6 burner popped up near me, but the front metal is severely corroded. Not sure what would do that, but maybe check the front on yours?

The Old Summits are OK for free. There are some compatible parts like the wheels, tables, side burner, cooking surface, etc. to older Webers that can be salvaged.
Putting them back into service can be very costly

 

[ERenaud]

For anyone with the front/rear cheap enameled coated metal parts in decent condition, has there ever been any talk about lightly fixing up small holes and then powder coating? Wouldn't that be a permanent fix?

 

[Chris Allingham]

For anyone with the front/rear cheap enameled coated metal parts in decent condition, has there ever been any talk about lightly fixing up small holes and then powder coating? Wouldn't that be a permanent fix?

Not that I'm aware of. Most of the time we see photos of rust so severe that the conversation turns to replacement, not repair, or anger, gnashing of teeth, etc.

What do others say?

 

[LMichaels]

For anyone with the front/rear cheap enameled coated metal parts in decent condition, has there ever been any talk about lightly fixing up small holes and then powder coating? Wouldn't that be a permanent fix?

Sadly no. Because it never addresses the original design flaw. If you look at the damages it's 99% the front panel. The reason? Some may think it;s because it gets hotter, or because of more deposits. But it's far more than that simple. It's always around the openings where the burner goes through. When the raw steel part is made it's die stamped. So now where those holes are the steel structure has changed, What happens is it expands and contracts much differently than the surrounding steel causing hairline fissures and cracks. Now the raw steel is exposed to the elements, cooking juices and so on. Rust forms, and once it forms it's all over. Also in my experience it goes from "oh there is a tiny rust point" to oh s&*t the thing is eaten away in literally a few cooks. The only "fix" is if Weber would do the right thing for those of us who were cheated at their hand and make a high quality stainless panel. But they won't not as long as they have people willing to pay thousands for a rust bucket

 

[ERenaud]

So I decided to have "fun" today while taking advantage of the warm weather. Here is where it started after a very quick brushing of all the gunk.



The raw "through" panel is pretty well untouched. I haven't polished it yet, but it is in fantastic condition.



The 2 front porcelain coated firebox panels? Not so much.


The rear is in very good shape, and the right side cast aluminium piece is in pretty good shape, while I actually have some form of rot on the left side, right behind the bottom rear panel (you can see my finger through the hole). The panel had actually been pushed in from all the dust created from the oxidation.




I really wish Weber still had fireboxes as I don't think I can save this one. It can be used for a few more years, but that wasn't my expectation when I bought it last month (for about 110usd).


Advice from anyone? Or should I just clean it up, get a couple of new pieces to "spruce it up" (ignitors and cross tube) and hope I don't lose any money?

I'm planning on having some fun with electrolysis to clean it up further as I used a random orbit on the burners, and an angle grinder with a soft flap wheel on the smokebox and crossbars.




I put it all back together so as to not leave a mess in the backyard for the wife to find...

 

[LMichaels]

Is this something you're going to sell? I can tell you the flavorizer bars are toast. The cross bars are supposed to be welded to the field bars. You currently have no protection for the Xover burners. They will easily cost you more than you can sell it for. IIRC the ones I got for my brother's Summit were $250!