bbb Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Cooked some ribs and hamburgers yesterday. When taking the hamburgers inside, I opened the vents to burn off the grate. Once I got inside I forgot what was going on outside and watched too much TV. Then it clicked. I ran outside and the dome gauge was bottomed out at 700 degrees. I shut everything down. The top vent was very hard to close like it was melted. The lid gasket is crispy. What else should I check and what needs replacing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keeperovdeflame Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Do you have a vent gasket on the Akorn? If so that may be toasted as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 Do you have a vent gasket on the Akorn? If so that may be toasted as well. I haven't added anything to the grill. It's stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosch Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 There is a black plastic o ring on the top vent that prob got toasted as well. That would not make it hard to close the vent though. Does it open and close better today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Punisher Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 How hot is too hot for the akorn? I did steaks yesterday at around 600°. I shut it down afterwards, but it was there for about 10-15 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toe Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Sigh... how many threads like this will we have to read before people get the message that burn-offs are a terrible idea? Halifax Aussie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Yes, burn offs on Akorns grills are probably not advised, but in the real world, #### happens. Rather than scolding, perhaps you can direct him where other gaskets might be located to check out. Doesn't the bottom ash pan have a gasket that becomes compromised when under extreme heat? Pop Rouge, John Setzler and Sam314159 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtbChip Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 700° and my Kooker is just right for cooking a steak. No kidding. I do "burn offs" all the time, esp after a few pork shoulders or ribs when the coal basket is "soaked" in pork fat. No problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 There is a black plastic o ring on the top vent that prob got toasted as well. That would not make it hard to close the vent though. Does it open and close better today? The vent moves easy today, too easy. It's a little loose. The good news is, I just fired it back up and got a good smoke going then closed everything off. Not much more smoke escaping than normal. Maybe there isn't too much damage after all. Teajunkie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckreef Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Burn off or not is irrelevant. The cardinal rule that one should never break......... Never leave a kamado unattended with the vents wide open!!! Mode Red, Halifax Aussie and bierbrewer 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toe Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 ^ It's much easier to forget about a blazing-hot kamado when it doesn't have your dinner in it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 I had a fire in mine and the ash trap gasket was fused to the cooker. I scraped it off with a plastic scraper --crumbled the carbon out of it and am still using it. Those stock gaskets on the AKORN are pretty tough when if comes to heat. I do burn offs on the AKORN the thing is I never leave until the smoke is clear and I have closed the vents. After a cook it will hit 600 in a matter of minutes. philpom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 Burn off or not is irrelevant. The cardinal rule that one should never break......... Never leave a kamado unattended with the vents wide open!!! Yep, won't leave unattended again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICDEDTURKES Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 I have completed this exact same scenario LOL. When all the damage was surveyed I ended up ruining the ashpan factory gasket, the ashpan BGE Felt, Lid BGE Felt and the O ring on the top vent.. I went the route of using self adhesive nomex on bottom lid and on top and bottom of ashpan.. It worked on ashpan only having 1/8 and 1/8 of Nomex.. Still need to replace top O ring but with hunting season upon me its been escaping my list of priorities. I have never attempted another burn off.. Instead for cleaning now when creosote build occurs I use a big wad of foil scraping all into ashpan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cue Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 I am guilty of this on more than one occasion, sometimes I get distracted with my son or something else and that Akorn will get fired up to hellfire temps in no time flat! Especially if I have recently done a low n slow butt cook. The gasket near the lid hinge got a little deformed on this last runaway but it seems to be functioning fine. I agree that one shouldn't leave ANY cooker unattended but as someone else said, stuff happens. There are plenty of resources here in regard to gasket replacement/upgrade. I personally would just get a replacement Char-Griller gasket and be more cautious in the future. Good luck to you, whatever you do. philpom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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