Heatilator door gasket

Anyone replace the door gasket on a ps or cab 50? My manual says 3/4 rope and that's what I used a couple years ago. But the factory one looks larger like a 1 inch rope. The door doesn't seem tight when locked since changing and is worse after a few years. It has failed the dollar bill test.

I was going to try and put a washer or two behind the door latch so it would lock tightly, but I was unsuccessful at removing it.

 

Not sure how the latch is arranged but I took a hammer and bent mine in closer to the stove body on both my 6039's as they are welded to the body's. They started out bolted on but I welded both of them, much more secure.

You may be inadvertently compressing the rope gasket when installing. I renew mine every couple years. I remove the doors and lay them inside up on the bench, pull out the old rope gasket and remove ALL the old cement with a wire wheel chucked in a drill motor until the channel is shiny. Then I lay in a bead of new cement (I used the Rutland gasket kit, comes with the rope and cement) in the cleaned channel and put in the rope gasket but I don't mash it down, just put it in gently. I always start and end the new gasket at the hinge side of the door, never on the bottom and the rope is always too long so what I do is, before I start laying in the rope, I cut the end at an angle and end it cut at the corresponding angle so it overlaps tapered. You need sharp scissors for that.

Always best to start and end the gasket on the door hinge side as you get the tightest compression there. After I lay in the gasket, the door goes back on right away and I let it sit closed for a day so the cement sets up. Always passes the 'dollar bill test' but like I said, I renew mine every couple years. Cheap anyway. TSC has them for 15 bucks with everything in the package. Rope gasket and cement.

Like I said, I bent the latch slightly to effectuate an even tighter seal. Has to reeplace the glass gasket on one stove this year. Same thing applies but no cement. The replacement gasket comes with adhesive on the inside side so you remove the old gasket from the glass, clean off the residue with Scotchbrite and lay on the new one, ending again on a side and reinstall the glass. On mine, the glass is secured with metal bars and screws and the screws were frozen in the door casting, so I drilled them out and retapped the holes a bit larger and used new screws and I put Never Seize on them too. Do my rope gaskets about ever 3 years or when they 'feel' compressed. You can feel that when you close the door.

 

The Quad Classic Bay 1200's use a 7/8" rope gasket. I guess you could always try that.

 

I can't bend my latch, only shim things with washer. The door always latched tighter with the original gasket.

 

I might give that a try, it's not 3/4. I'll post a picture of the original and the replacement 3/4 when I take it off. The door latched better with the Original gasket.

 

Can you buy it from your dealer where you bought the stove at? Like to see a picture of the latch itself if possible and what are 'Magic Turds', never heard of that brand?

The latch that is attached to the stove body on both of mine looks like a relaxed 'S'. All I did was wack it with a hammer to bend it in slightly so the doors latch tighter. Took the bolt out and wire welded them to the stove body as my bolt kept coming loose.

 

I don't have a dealer, got the stove from the farm store.

 

You probably won't like my solution but... You need to remove the door (they usually lift off the pins) and place it face down on a bench and remove the nut holding the latch piece and take an angle grinder and grind the boss down a bit and reinstall the latch and refit the door. Be a trial and error deal. Removing some of the boss will tighten the door up against the stove body. The gasket looks a bit flat but not overly compressed. ....And when replacing the gasket, same procedure applies. Door off and laid face down on a bench and take a wire wheel in a drill motor and remove ALL the old cement to clean metal and install a new gasket in the cement bead. The boss might come free with the latch after you remove the nut. In that case, put the boss in a vise and grind it down a bit. Again, trial and error until you get the tightness you want.

It's almost impossible to replace a gasket and get the channel clean with the door on the stove.

Really needs to come off the stove. Most of them just lift straight up off the pins. You might have to put a squirt of PBlaster on the pins first.

 

You stated the manual reads 3/4" rope. There's your answer I would think

 

One thing I see in your picture and that is, your unit is way too far out on your hearth pad. Carpeting is flammable. Your hearth pad needs to be out another foot at least. Taking big chance there.....

 

Soak the latch with PBlaster first and let it sit 30 minutes.

 

Why it's important to remove the door from the stove and install a new gasket on bench with the door facing down. 1, the channel must have all the old gasket and cement removed and new cement installed and the gasket laid in and not stretched or pulled at all. Then 2, the door reinstalled and then closed against the stove to allow the cement to set up. Pretty much impossible to do with the door installed on the stove.

Like I stated, you begin and end the new gasket at the door hinge side, never in the middle at the bottom or the top. After playing wit this stuff for 20 years, I learned the tricks the hard way.

 

I see you have a 'winter weather advisory' for 3-6. How exciting.

 

Why when you buy replacement rope gasket, it's always too long..............

 

It's been in the 60's yesterday & today. Bright sunshine. Going to be same all week, and near 70* thurs. & fri..

 

Grinding down the boss would actually make the door more loose, there's 3 washer behind the boss. If I could get the boss off and remove a washer or 2 the door would have a tighter fit.

I've soaked the door multiple time in free all my personal favorite rust eater and I've also taken the torches to it with no luck of getting it off.

The gasket is in decent shape, but is flattened a some. The original looked bigger but I never put calipers on it to check. The door does come right off and before I put the new gasket on the channel was completely clean.

 

That's what I thought, but the original looks bigger than the replacement 3/4. The door also fit less snug after replacement.

 

My unit is very close to the back of the pad and meets all requirements of the owners manual. It's been installed for 8 years without problems. I also never have any reason to open the door with it running.