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I have a Jotul Castine 400. The little rod for adjusting the bottom vent is quite stuck in the closed position. I don't want to force it. How can I get it free?
Open up the doghouse cover that is front and center at the bottom front, right behind the air control lever. It should have two 10mm bolts holding it down. Under the cover you will find the air slider that is the air control. It is a simple lever/slide mechanism. Make sure the slider moves freely and the lever is in the peg slots that guide it. Hint: put some graphite (lock lube) under the slider to make it work smoother.
I still need help. I removed the two screws, the top metal piece they held down, and the 4 inch long or so flat metal piece laying beneath.
Looking through from the top I see the inside end of the vent adjuster. But what do I do now? It's still totally stuck.
Update: I freed the screw that goes up through the adjustment rod into the stove. Of course, that loosened the rod. But if I make the screw tight, it's difficult to move the rod. Leaving it looser helps, but then the screw seems to keep getting looser.
Also, you can hear the internal part of the rod scraping against the stove.
I inherited that stove when I moved to my current house. I've sold it since. But I had the same problem. I ended up having to bend the rod a little bit and grind the sliding plate down a little bit till it moved fairly freely. Still had a little tension at times but was much better doing that. Took a little tinkering at the vise and the grinding wheel but I eventually got it pretty good.
I inherited that stove when I moved to my current house. I've sold it since. But I had the same problem. I ended up having to bend the rod a little bit and grind the sliding plate down a little bit till it moved fairly freely. Still had a little tension at times but was much better doing that. Took a little tinkering at the vise and the grinding wheel but I eventually got it pretty good.