Hi all,

I bought one of those big stainless JennAir grills a few years ago... has
4 burners, heatshields, and either ceramic or porcelan grates.

It's been a great grill - makes grilling a lot easier that it was on the
colemans/etc that I've had in the past.

However - this season, during both of the times I've used it I've had
terrible flare ups. The heatshield used to vaporize the drippings as the
fell, but now the drippings ignite & the whole thing shoots flames onto the
food.

I ran the shields through the dishwasher thinking that too much gunk had
accumulated over the years... it cleaned them up a bit, but not completely
- and there is some rust showing. I tried grilling burgers again after
cleaning with the same result.

Should I try hitting them with a pressure washer? Will it help, or do I
just need to break down and buy new shields?

Anyone know???

"Alex" wrote in message

Should I try hitting them with a pressure washer? Will it help, or do I
just need to break down and buy new shields?

Anyone know???

I doubt it is the heat shields at this point. Once the residual grease is
gone, it is gone and there is nothing to burn. A putty knife can get it
down to bare metal and that is the best you can do.

How is the burner? It may not be heating evenly and causing hot or cold
spots that affect how the shields function.

On 20-Apr-2007, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:

"Alex" wrote in message

Should I try hitting them with a pressure washer? Will
it help, or do I
just need to break down and buy new shields?

Anyone know???

I doubt it is the heat shields at this point. Once the
residual grease is
gone, it is gone and there is nothing to burn. A putty
knife can get it
down to bare metal and that is the best you can do.

How is the burner? It may not be heating evenly and
causing hot or cold
spots that affect how the shields function.

What Ed said! I just inherited an old Decane two burner
grill that's seen better days. But it did come with new
igniters. Initially, it didn't want to light with the built
in
igniters and I couldn't even hear any gas flowing. I exposed
the burners and found about half of the holes were
plugged shut. After opening them up and re-aligning the
spark lighters all is well. The little SOB pegs my oven
therm at over 600° on high blow.

I suggest you take a look at your burners. I think you
said the grill has a few years on it. It might be about
time for a little maintenance.
--
Brick(Youth is wasted on young people)

Thanks! I'll check that out... am I looking to make sure that there are
flames coming from each of the little holes in the burners and that none
are clogged?


How is the burner? It may not be heating evenly and causing hot or
cold spots that affect how the shields function.

I posted a while back that my cast iron burners had really decreased in
output over the years. I finally disassembled the burners from the tub
and had to drill out the holes. They were clogged with both natural
rust and drippings. Once put back together, the grill was like new.
Another problem outdoor grills face is spider webs in the works.
Spiders are attracted to the smell of the gas or scent put in gas,
building webs in air intakes. This will also cause problems. If the
web is in the ambient air intake of a pressure regulator, for instance,
you can be getting an incorrect amount of gas pressure at the valves or
burners.

Nonny

Alex wrote:
Thanks! I'll check that out... am I looking to make sure that there are
flames coming from each of the little holes in the burners and that none
are clogged?

How is the burner? It may not be heating evenly and causing hot or
cold spots that affect how the shields function.





--
---Nonnymus---
Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

"Alex" wrote in message
. ..

Thanks! I'll check that out... am I looking to make sure that there are
flames coming from each of the little holes in the burners and that none
are clogged?

Yes, and that there is no corrosion and a big flame coming out of a corroded
hole.

I took a look at them & the seem to be ok... they look like this:


http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/9...02largexg1.jpg


I think the orange parts were from the wind blowing a bit, but I could be
wrong. None of the holes seemed to be clogged & it also gets as hot as it
used to 400-500 after 10 minutes or so.

Do they look ok to you all?

"Alex" wrote in message
. ..

I took a look at them & the seem to be ok... they look like this:


http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/9...02largexg1.jpg


I think the orange parts were from the wind blowing a bit, but I could be
wrong. None of the holes seemed to be clogged & it also gets as hot as it
used to 400-500 after 10 minutes or so.

Do they look ok to you all?


Aside from a few spots, the flame looks very good. The spots that have
extended flames don't look all that bad and may be caused by wind. It can
also happen if there is corrosion in those spots. Can I assume you checked
that?

One more thing to check is a pan or heatshield that is under the burners.
Be sure it is still in proper position and not letting heat out the bottom.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/