Picked up the green ss performer

[SixZeroFour]

PS these both appear to be tank filler adapters, but one has the quick coupler? (not positive) portion still attached to it. Those are nice to keep around!

[namtrag]

I will first thing in full light tomorrow morning.  I kept rubbing it because it felt rough, so maybe it is just really stuck crud.

On a positive note, I easily removed the sweep and bent the blades a little, and it fits really snug now.  It was a breeze to remove the h style, even I  was able to do it

[SixZeroFour]

That stuff can be real nasty... even with a razor scraper you may need to get a bit aggressive if you want it spotless clean. It helps to work in out in the sun if possible as it can be hard to see in some lights.

Good Luck!

[namtrag]

Thanks so much!  If you look at this pic from before I started, see to the left of the nut in the upper left and going around just above the groove?  That's what it's like. Almost like rough rust.  I hope you are right!

[Peaspurple]

Nice find. It'll clean up nice.

[SixZeroFour]

Pretty sure it's just creosote but I could be wrong!

[Hogsy]

That's not rust, it's just built up, hardened gunk and a PITA to remove. It would be pretty hard to damage the porcelain with steel wool as 604 said. A combination of a razor blade, SS scourer and hot soapy water is what I use to clean up that gunk.
I only use 0000 steel wool for the aluminum vents and legs

[namtrag]

I am not sure the number, but it said for porcelain. I hope you guys are right, and it is just really hard crust...it was all the way around the kettle from the top down slightly past that groove.

[mike.stavlund]

That's not a groove!  :-)

But you'll see that as you start cleaning it.  My preferred method is razor scrape, then soak in soap and water, and repeat as necessary. 

[Hogsy]

This is what I use to get the stubborn gunk off along with a razor blade and hot soapy water
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B1FZEW2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1412392583&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40
And this is what I use on the vents and legs
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001JYVDSE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1412392773&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

[namtrag]

Yeah, pretty sure it's hosed.  Doesn't look like baked grease to me. 

[1buckie]

Did you use any kind of chemical  on it?
 I had the same thick, really baked on crust on the big one......see to the left of the food.....





The kettle's at least 50 years old & I think it may not have been deep cleaned ever......as I was scraping, I thought I was actually peeling off the porcelain, that it was 'fused' to the crud.....

Here's what that looked like:


Same 'ridge'..................


This is what it ended out like :



If that's peeled off porcelain, it'll be a first for me....don't ever remember that happening....

[GregS]

@namtrag  what did you use to clean it again?  razors and ??

GregS[/member] - your performer would benefit from going back to the original #7409. It will fit more snug than the newer replacement you currently have installed.

@SixZeroFour  it was actually pretty snug.  i thought about putting a washer between the cross member bracket and kettle but there wasn't any room for that.  i didn't want it "too tight" as i felt it would harm the underside of the kettle.  @MadMax check it over and see what you think, maybe an added washer is needed? 

[Jason]

It's hard to tell from your pic, but mine had very similar looking crud in the bowl. The crud was really fused to the porcelain. At first, I didn't think it was coming off and was about to give up and find another kettle. It took a LOT of effort with the razor blade to get it down to the porcelain.

[dazzo]

I'm with buckie on this one. It would be a first for me.

There's no way you're hosed - it's a Weber kettle. You may get small 1/8th spots of porcelain missing like I've seen on a well used Wood Dale, but you'll be fine.

Make sure you have a box of razor blades and a handle. Always use fresh blades.

If it's shot (which I'm sure you're OK), then you've got nothing to lose.

Pick a spot a start working it with the blade.

You'll be surprised what you find underneath - it'll be shiny porcelain.