Kenny Lang Posted February 16, 2022 Report Share Posted February 16, 2022 I must have inadvertently tightened the cap when closing it off... now that it has completely cooled down, it is impossible to loosen. Presumably when I heat the KK up next time it will loosen the cap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony b Posted February 16, 2022 Report Share Posted February 16, 2022 Common problem. Your "shutdown procedure" should always include 2 things, once you know the fire is out ( dome temperature drop of at least 50F) - 1) bump the top vent off its seat and, 2) move the lid latch to the 1st position to take the pressure off your gasket. The easiest fix for this is to heat up the top vent from underneath - use a torch, put a charcoal chimney of lit coals on the top grate, etc. One big thing - DON'T use anything to leverage (torque) the top vent "ears" - you can break them off. Once the top vent heats up a bit, try to open it with just your hands, it should be easier. Good Luck! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted February 16, 2022 Report Share Posted February 16, 2022 Heylo Kenny.. Your grill has a new feature.. the tri-set that your damper top shaft screws into has a bolt on the side that lets you release the threaded center. This will release the pressure.. Please call me if you have any problems. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony b Posted February 17, 2022 Report Share Posted February 17, 2022 21 hours ago, DennisLinkletter said: Heylo Kenny.. Your grill has a new feature.. the tri-set that your damper top shaft screws into has a bolt on the side that lets you release the threaded center. This will release the pressure.. Please call me if you have any problems. WOW! You never stop innovating, @DennisLinkletter! That's why the KK stays at the top of the market! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syzygies Posted February 17, 2022 Report Share Posted February 17, 2022 (edited) On 2/16/2022 at 7:49 AM, tony b said: 2) move the lid latch to the 1st position to take the pressure off your gasket. Wow. Old-timer here. I'm embarrassed that I never asked myself what that first position was for. Can one still extinguish a fire, saving remaining charcoal, in first position? I've actually never had my top damper get stuck, without knowing this. I have learned on this coast not to tighten jar lids too tight if I want to stay married; maybe my top damper habits are just my California mode. A friend once had an off-brand cooker (K5, for other old-timers) get its damper stuck after a winter of disuse. We needed to use some solvent that needed to be cooked off, and an improvised strap wrench. One needs leverage, or else one could get hurt, but not so much leverage that one destroys the cooker. For comparison, there's an old Pavoni Europiccola out there (we gave it to a friend) with a badly dinged main body from a misguided strap wrench episode. We ended up soaking the errant joint in acetone for an hour; that worked. Edited February 17, 2022 by Syzygies I just love how editing one character, five seconds after posting, earns one the "edited" scarlet letter. Is it possible to allow a grace period? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
