Things are looking good for a weekend cook , after 4 days in PB blaster the vent on the charcoal bucket finally broke free and is usable now , it was stuck open so it would have ran really hot.
I had also sprayed the temp gauge plate screws with PB they came loose as well. I was able to pull out the lid thermometer , unfortunately it's all pressed together and I won't be able clean the face as I wanted , I used a lighter to test it and it moved , it's just very dirty and smokey not sure what I'm going to do yet .
I sprayed all the moving parts with a lubricant and have allowed it to soak in , I'll do a vinegar bath and then hot soap and water a few times , dry and then re season .