ECB Gasket Question

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mike65

Meat Mopper
Original poster
May 26, 2013
244
12
Florida
For all you ECB owners out there, what size gasket did you purchase to close up the gap around the lid once it's placed on the smoker body? Also, is there a thermometer to replace the same size as the W-I-H that is currently in the lid ?
 
For all you ECB owners out there, what size gasket did you purchase to close up the gap around the lid once it's placed on the smoker body? Also, is there a thermometer to replace the same size as the W-I-H that is currently in the lid ?
Hey Mike;

I used a 3/8" round gasket for mine. I bought it at the local Tru-Value HW Store. I don't believe there is a better replacement for that weak indicator that fits the hole. I bought the "Taylor Weekend Warrior Grill /Smoker Thermometer" on Amazon and also the Maverick ET-732 on eBay. The ET-732 has a meat probe and a probe for the IT of the ECB, so you can keep track of the temps remotely and not let them get too far away from you. (up or down)

I did find that the ET-732 is right on the button temperature wise but the Taylor "Thru the lid" is about 15 degrees off. 

I will also recommend that you buy a tube of Hi Temp RTV for glueing the gasket on. The glue that comes with the gasket kit is not any good at all. 

I drilled a hole for the Taylor and mounted it next to the Brinkmann hole filler. I drilled two small holes in the rear of the unit for the Maverick probes to pass through. 

I only have a few burns on my mods, but they seem to be working pretty well. 
 
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Bobank,

Appreciate the info on the 3/8 gasket.  I ordered one a week ago and still hasn't arrived.  I did a 8 lb Turkey on the ECB on Friday and when I got done, I was exhausted.  I went though 7-8lbs of Kingsford Charcoal and my soaked wood chunks caught fire
wife.gif
.  Hopefully after I install the gasket around the lid, it will cut down on my charcoal usage.  Also looking into adding some dampers.
 
Hey Mike, I did the legs mods and I put my charcoal pan on bricks so I can lift the ECB off of the charcoal and put it back on. Helps a lot. 


There is a qview of my lid with the mods. I couldn't find a black gasket, so I used the white one. I bought a can of black heat paint so I can touch up the gasket, but I haven't done it yet. I figure a couple of sweeps with the spray can would make the gasket look a little better.

In the meantime, you can always roll out some aluminum foil and use it to block up the gap till your gasket arrives. 

The clip hanging on my lid handle is for the thermo probe that goes to the cooking service. Just stuck it there so I don't lose it. 

Hope this helps some. 
 
I mounted my temp gauge through the lid.   Guess I should mount one near the W-I-H that came with the smoker.
 
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With having the damper on the top do you find that help lower or raise temps on the ECB?
 
I don't think you need to be too concerned about the placement of the thermo. I do however use that maverick and I have found it to be very accurate and easy to use. 

I only have the one vent for right now. Still playing around with that. I use mine to help keep the temps up. You have to be careful with the smoke and the amount of vent because if you choke it down to far the smoke makes the food a bit acrid. I made a few fatties and some chicken a few weeks ago and the temps fell off on me a bit due to not having quite enough charcoal in the pan and the ashes choking what was there. I then added some more lump and a few pieces of wood to get the temps up and I should have vented it just a little more. It worked and brought the temps up, but it was too much smoke. 

I had a grate in the charcoal pan to help elevate the coals, but quite a few fell through the grate as they burned down... I have just added a second grate at cross angles to the first to help keep the airflow to the charcoal/ lump moving better. 
 
If that gasket doesn't arrive in time, I would foil the gap and leave a little open so you have some venting, otherwise it will get too hot. Take some pics and do a posting on how the butt does. 
 
I looked at how the lid sat and test fitted the gasket and trimmed it to fit. Then I used a marker and made marks on the lid where the RTV would go (approx) so I would put it on straight. Then I ran the bead of RTV and put the gasket into the RTV and against the lid then I test fitted it to be sure it was sitting pretty well against the lid and outside of the smoker. I then ran a bead of RTV around the top of the gasket right where the lid and the gasket meet to be sure I had a good seal. The hardest part was not touching it for 24 hours so it was good and dry. 
 
I looked at how the lid sat and test fitted the gasket and trimmed it to fit. Then I used a marker and made marks on the lid where the RTV would go (approx) so I would put it on straight. Then I ran the bead of RTV and put the gasket into the RTV and against the lid then I test fitted it to be sure it was sitting pretty well against the lid and outside of the smoker. I then ran a bead of RTV around the top of the gasket right where the lid and the gasket meet to be sure I had a good seal. The hardest part was not touching it for 24 hours so it was good and dry. 
Well I got it on @ 9pm.  Will let it sit until 9pm tomorrow and will be putting on the pork @ 6am on Friday.   Kinda wish I got a wider gasket, but the 3/8 will do. 

Appreciate all the help.
 
Just was wondering if I don't have any dampers on the ECB, will it get to hot with the pork since I'm using the gasket now?
 
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Got the 6lb Pork Butt in the fridge with Apple wood rub.  Going to get up @ 5am and make sure the pork is ready to go on @ 6am.
 
I bought a 1/2" gasket for mine - just put it on this past Monday and the trial is tomorrow. For controlling

the airflow, I found a website that a guy had done showing a ton of easy mods on. I bought some

vents from Weber and put 3 on the bottom and 1 on the lid. Still had air issues because of the lack

of lid seal - now that I've added the gasket, I'll see if that is an improvement tomorrow. Still need to add

a more accurate thermometer but that is hopefully the last mod I need.

Will try to post what I find when I get a chance. My gasket came from ebay for <$12 (1/2" x 7', no glue).

Bought a tube of high-temp RTV at AutoZone for another $6 or so. Worked great but the 'leave it alone

for 24 hrs' thing was hard....patience isn't my strongest virtue!

Good luck - I'm hoping this makes my temp management a lot better!

jb
 
 
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Just was wondering if I don't have any dampers on the ECB, will it get to hot with the pork since I'm using the gasket now?
Hey Mike and jrbab;

I think the gasket will be fine, yeah Mike a vent in the lid is needed as otherwise where is the smoke, etc going to go? If you don't vent it somehow the Q will get acrid from the smoke, not to mention the fire won't be able to breath. 

You are going to have to allow it to vent somehow, either by cocking the lid a bit so it doesn't sit on all the way around or I don't suppose you know anyone in the neighborhood that has an old weber grill you can steal the damper of off? 

If you go to Amazon and type in weber damper you will see the options. The vent is also shown in this pic of my lid. View media item 241962
I would just use a 10d nail or something to prop the lid just a bit to let it breath.

I also learned another couple of good tips today.

If you use water in the water pan, foil the pan and fill it with boiling water OR

fill it with play sand and cover it with aluminum foil to keep it clean OR

get a brick or piece of granite (cobble stone) or similar to use as a heat sink. Foil the pan and foil the brick and put it in the pan. They will help you get up to temp faster and maintain it longer. 

Consider using the minion method for your fire. What are you using for fuel? Lump or Briquets? 

Good luck tomorrow. I will be around so keep us posted on how things are going. I'm also doing a couple fatties and some chicken thighs. The fatties are a chicken cordon bleu, a coney island fatty and a JD hot sausage, mexican cheese and jalapenos. I am not starting mine till the afternoon. 
 
Good Morning


5:00am


5:45am


 9:00am


11:30am


First time using the oven gasket mod for the ECB.

What a HUGE difference.


2:00pm


9:00pm

Completed 6lb Pork Butt


I think the next smoke I do, I will be using something other than Kingsford Blue. It's a good product, however there is to much ash and I think it takes to long for it to get hot.

Enjoy the pics.
 
Great looking butt, Mike. Great pics. I love the pic of the alarm clock! I am going to do another thread over in fatties for my cook today. 

If you go to the charcoal section they make recommendations for lump charcoal. I bought some cowboy lump but it really isn't all that good. I'm looking around for some better lump now. here is the lump charcoal http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/products/category/charcoal

great job on the temps too. 

I am also going to post some more pics of some of the mods that I made to my ecb today.

Nothing new to the forum, but just my take on them. Specifically the charcoal pan and what happens if you don't get the charcoal up a bit and how the charcoal drowns in its ash. 

Meant to tell you that if you get some smoke around your gasket still you can mark the side of the grill with a marker and run a bead of rtv in that area on the lip of the wall of the smoker to seal it up a little tighter. 

Gotta run and start building fatties! 
 
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