3 year old 22.5 one touch gold weber kettle - two issues

[pit2016]

I purchased this grill almost three years ago and have issues with smoke leaking from the lid since the beginning. I was going to let the lid "gunk up" over time and hopefully seal. Well, that hasn't seemed to happen. I decided to make sure the lid was on very tight and did a "feel" test around the lip of the lid. I felt that the lid and body touched in some places and in others, they were a good ways apart and that doesn't seem right to me. I even tried the binder clip fix (with about 10 binder clips) and smoke was still coming out around the lip of the lid.

The second issue I have it one of my one touch cleaning system, one "bar" doesn't actually touch the bowl and will not clean that area. It sits about 1/4 inch off the bowl. I have a feeling this also affects the airflow because one of the vents is still open even if the one touch system is partially closed.

Oh well, any ideas or should I just give them a call?

Thanks!

[RonB]

I'd give them a call. They have been great the few times I called them. I would suggest a gasket for the lid, but if the binder clips didn't fix the leaks, I'm not sure the gasket would either. You might disassemble the cleaning system and see if you can bend it back in place, but I'd call them first.

[JeffJ]

ALL Weber kettles leak smoke around the lid. Don't worry about it.

As for the fan blade - I have the exact same problem. I am pretty lazy when I grill and too frequently I allow grease to accumulate near the bottom of the bowl. Well, one afternoon I was prepping for a cook and the fan blades were frozen solid. I got impatient and used brute strength. Well, it worked but I bent one of the fan blades and now it won't properly cover the intake so I can't kill the fire by choking it - I have to let it burn out. A thrifty, handy person would take apart the 1-Touch system and gently bend the blade back into position. I am not thrifty and I am certainly not handy. So, I just deal with it.

[Huskee]

Lol, been there with the seized blades. You can order a replacement blade system...I'm sure you know this but I wanted to throw it out there in case you didn't realize.

[JeffJ]

I didn't realize. Thank you for sharing. Unfortunately that means uninstalling the old one and installing the new one. Please see my previous post about being 'handy'. Huskee

[bbqoaf]

I stack a few logs on top to help with smoke leaking, add a few binder clips and it works pretty well.

[Jon Solberg]

pit2016 , Are you able to maintain a temp at all? Be it high or low.

[fuzzydaddy]

Welcome to The Pit pit2016. Weber's customer service is top notch. If you end up adjusting the ash sweep blade it should be fairly easy to get it much closer to the bowl...I've swapped out the sweep assembly on my 22" and it wasn't hard at all. Hope you get these issues worked out soon!

[Flavorsavor]

I've also had a problem with my one touch system getting bent upwards due to cranking it against grease, etc. It really was a ten minute job to degunk the mechanism, take it off and bend it back down, and put it back on. Sealed up great and works nice. As for the lid leak, I have tried clips, high temperature silicone, heavy weights, but nothing has made the lid leak go away completely. However, it does not affect my ability to maintain temperatures, so I've made peace with it. I don't even clip the lid any more.

[Huskee]

Mine leaks some, has since day one. I make great food. I hold quite steady temperatures. I don't stress about the leaks. You can adjust your vents to compensate. The good news is Weber kettle lid leaks aren't as bad in the real world as we might think. You can ignore them and stress more over which adult beverage to enjoy, or which sides to have with your smoked meat. At least this is what I do!

If you're the type that simply must squelch all lid leaks, and binder clips haven't helped, then I too recommend calling Weber to see about a replacement lid, or installing gaskets.

[RonB]

As a last ditch effort to seal the lid leaks, you could put a thick layer of high temp silicone on the inside of the lid. Then put some non-stick aluminum foil around the lip of the bowl, (actually I'd do the bowl first). Make sure you get the foil as smooth as possible. Then carefully place the lid on the bowl. Press down to make sure the silicone is in contact with the bowl all the way around, and allow to dry. You will probably have to trim some excess silicone, but that should fix the leaks.

[troymeister]

My very first Weber 22.5 (2008) came out of the box bent. Never would seal correctly. I always had trouble with flare ups. Not knowing if it was supposed to be like this I called Weber and emailed them some pics. They sent me a new replacement very quickly. From the new grill I made a template with 1/8" masonite. From that I was able to see how the grill was mis formed. With patience and a rubber mallet I was able to re-shape the old one like new. I gave the old one to my mom. Still works great.

[Max Good]

For some, including me, this sounds like a task that we just know we won't do: clean and dump the ashes after each use. I finally made it a habit. Leaving the ash is bad for a couple reasons. Ever notice how it gets wet after rain? Wet ashes siting in a metal bowl = bad. The one touch system makes this task easy, so we have no excuse. Although the blades are thin and easily bent, if you clean out the bottom after each use, you don't have to force them. Just a steady left to right even movement will do.

[MBMorgan]

Welcome to the Pit ... and yep, I'd give them a call ... can't hurt!

[DWCowles]

Welcome pit2016

[pit2016]

hi, sorry for the delay -- I am able to hold temps within a 10 degree swing without much effort. Is it true that a leaking lid requires more wood to keep the same effect? I will contact them tomorrow about the lid and sweeper.