Jotul-3TDIC - Consequences of failing to repair missing/damaged gaskets?

[ontheneck]

Poking around my Jotul 3TDIC-2 (vintage 1990), I noticed significant chunks of two 'internal' gaskets had come loose from their channels. The first is a "damper gasket" and the other is a "cat cover" gasket, as best I can determine from a diagram/parts lists provided: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/help-with-jotul-3tdic-2-setup.163105/ - scroll to the bottom to see diagram/list . Also - see attached photos of both gaskets. One is obvious - the other, you have to look really hard to see it hanging loose in the middle-right field of the pic. I took a good look at nuts/bolts that hold together the plates/etc that need to be removed for gasket replacement....they look ok - w a bit of penetrating oil and careful pressure, I'm guessing I can loosen them w/out snapping them off, but that's merely speculative. I'd rather NOT find out. The whole job - removing and reinstalling heavy plates from a 30-year-old stove and hoping everything'll fit back nicely, w no leaks, etc.- seems daunting. The stove has worked perfectly up until now- right now, after noticing the gasket 'problem', I'm doing an all-day burn and detect no smoke leaks or notice anything out of the ordinary. My question is this: what ARE the consequences of being lazy and not replacing those gaskets? What will be the 'tells' of something gone wrong? Smoke leaks? What else should I be expecting? Thanks!

 

[begreen]

Consequences are a poorer burn and hot spots in places where they shouldn't be. Eventually this may lead to cracks, warped baffle, etc.

The top plate is gasketed and the top pops off after removing a couple of shipping bolts. This is to facilitate cleaning. I'm not sure about the 3-TDIC, but on the F3CB, there is a small Allen screw on each sides toward the top over the big number 3. Loosen them until the top can be lifted off.

 

[ontheneck]

Thanks AGAIN, begreen. I already replaced an iron baffle that was warped....perhaps the deteriorating gaskets are the reason. The replacement method you describe doesn't fit the 3-TDIC. I'm certain that there are a few nuts that have to be unscrewed to remove the damper unit from the back interior of the stove....for starters....The allen bolts you describe don't apply to this model. As I said in the OP, I'm really reluctant to start messing w those nuts/bolts because of age and wear - afraid to crack a bolt clean off. If another iron top baffle warps in a couple of years, or come other problem crops up, I guess I won't be able to avoid tackling it, but by then the nuts/bolts will be even older....

 

[begreen]

If a bolt snaps, it's not the end of the world. There are ways to extract it or drill it out and retap if necessary.

@D. Hermit, do you know how is the 3-TDIC lid bolted on?

 

[ontheneck]

The lid just lifts off, and its gasket if fine. It's the one behind the damper unit I have to deal with....I used to extract cracked bolts when I worked on cars in my late teens. Haven't touched an easy-out in 50 years....a little hesitant. But thanks for all your help. Appreciate it.

 

[D. Hermit]

If a bolt snaps, it's not the end of the world. There are ways to extract it or drill it out and retap if necessary.

@D. Hermit, do you know how is the 3-TDIC lid bolted on?

No bolts. Just pops on and off. These were weird times for Jotuls. 90s Jotuls are not my favorite, late 90s smaller are ok. Like the OG 3cbs, 602Ns in green were always cool.

. The whole job - removing and reinstalling heavy plates from a 30-year-old stove and hoping everything'll fit back nicely, w no leaks, etc.- seems daunting.

Not daunting, exciting! Haha. You vs the bolt thats been holding steady rusting in place for 35 years! Live or die, all or nothing, just you and some Aerokroil preparing for battle!

But as someone who tears apart stoves this old and older full time, you would be surprised on how easy some of tbe bolts do come out. The stoves that are real bad are the ones that have been sitting idle for 25 years just rusting in place.

But yea, you will break bolts sometimes. Is what it is, grind flat, center punch, drill, tap and move on. Many of these old bolts on Jotuls are very easy as well, mainly through bolts. But there are a few that are not, and they are generally 10mm deep, and get a bottoming m6x1 tap.

If you do take on tbe job reach out to me of the proper OEM gaskets needed for damper and cat cover gaskets.

 

[ontheneck]

No bolts. Just pops on and off. These were weird times for Jotuls. 90s Jotuls are not my favorite, late 90s smaller are ok. Like the OG 3cbs, 602Ns in green were always cool.

Not daunting, exciting! Haha. You vs the bolt thats been holding steady rusting in place for 35 years! Live or die, all or nothing, just you and some Aerokroil preparing for battle!

But as someone who tears apart stoves this old and older full time, you would be surprised on how easy some of tbe bolts do come out. The stoves that are real bad are the ones that have been sitting idle for 25 years just rusting in place.

But yea, you will break bolts sometimes. Is what it is, grind flat, center punch, drill, tap and move on. Many of these old bolts on Jotuls are very easy as well, mainly through bolts. But there are a few that are not, and they are generally 10mm deep, and get a bottoming m6x1 tap.

If you do take on tbe job reach out to me of the proper OEM gaskets needed for damper and cat cover gaskets.

Aright, D. Hermit! Inspiring. Thanks for taking the time. The bolts I can see are, indeed, through-bolts that run from the back of the Jotel and hold the damper unit in place. That, I believe, is a thicker gasket, something like 3/8". The other one - what I assume is the cat cover gasket - i have no idea how to get to. If you look carefully at the photo of my OP, you can see it hanging out of its track when you look through the neck of the stovepipe collar. That one is thinner....3/16"? I'm assuming that I might have access to it once I take the damper off?

 

[D. Hermit]

Aright, D. Hermit! Inspiring. Thanks for taking the time. The bolts I can see are, indeed, through-bolts that run from the back of the Jotel and hold the damper unit in place. That, I believe, is a thicker gasket, something like 3/8". The other one - what I assume is the cat cover gasket - i have no idea how to get to. If you look carefully at the photo of my OP, you can see it hanging out of its track when you look through the neck of the stovepipe collar. That one is thinner....3/16"? I'm assuming that I might have access to it once I take the damper off?

I would have to double check exact specs, I believe the sizes you stated are right, I think the 3/16 is HD gasket though. And yes, you should have better access with the damper off.

 

[ontheneck]

Thanks much for your time/expertise. Appreciate it.