Our Sam's Club SS grill has three figure "8" shaped main burners.
They're made of cast iron. The grill gets use almost daily and is now 6
years old. About 2 years back, I disassembled the grill to reach the
burners and found that many of the openings in them were blocked with
rust. They also had a "swelled" appearance and what appeared to also be
some delamination, as if they were made of layers of iron.

I drilled out the openings, wire brushed the burners and blew everything
clean with an air hose. The result was that the burners all lit again
and the heat was quite even. . . much hotter as well.

Last week, I noticed that I had some unususal hot spots and discovered
that one burner had split and that the holes of all were again blocked.
This time, the delamination of the cast iron was very apparent and the
split was the end result of this on the most used burner.

These grills are Chinese made and are sold under about a hundred
different brand names.
http://www.appliancefactoryparts.com...k-y0660ng.html
This is the URL for one parts vendor, which includes a breakdown
and prices of parts. Notice at the end of the parts list that there are
available cast Stainless burners, but that they cost around $100 more
PER BURNER. Do any of you grillers think this would be worth it for a
more regular and reliable flame?

In removing the ceramic flame tamers- they work great- one broke. I
have ordered a replacement one, but see that they offer a ceramic coated
steel or SS perforated flame tamer. Apparently two are required if you
look at the dimensions. Any thoughts on this type over the ceramic ones
that are original to the grill?

--
Nonny
If you think health care is expensive now,
wait until you see what it costs when it's free!

- P.J. O'Rourke

>
> These grills are Chinese made and are sold under about a hundred different
> brand names.
> http://www.appliancefactoryparts.com...k-y0660ng.html
> This is the URL for one parts vendor, which includes a breakdown

I have that Member's Mark grill. Don't use it. Want it?

I'm in Fresno.

Ed

spud wrote:
>> These grills are Chinese made and are sold under about a hundred different
>> brand names.
>> http://www.appliancefactoryparts.com...k-y0660ng.html
>> This is the URL for one parts vendor, which includes a breakdown
>
> I have that Member's Mark grill. Don't use it. Want it?
>
> I'm in Fresno.
>
> Ed

If I was coming out your direction, Ed, I'd take you up on the offer.
As it is, I just went ahead and ordered new burners. I'm a real fan of
the grill and as I posted, we use it almost every night. Here in LV,
it's ridiculous to cook inside the house while also running the air
conditioner full tilt. It's so much easier, cooler and less mess to do
the cooking outside.

As far as the grill itself goes, my friend has a drop-in 3- burner grill
in an island he had constructed. He paid just over $3500 for it and it
gets about 2/3 the use mine does. His is a year 'older' than mine, and
so far he's not had to do anything at all with it. His flame tamer is
the perforated SS covering over the burners, where yours and mine use
the ceramics. AFAIK, he has no more problem with flare-ups than anyone
else, though when he puts his grill into self-clean mode, it sure as the
dickens gets a lot hotter than mine. I counter that by placing foil
over my grates when cleaning. That reflects the heat down and works
like a charm. I do that every 3-4 months or after cooking something
with a brazed-on sugary sauce like KC Masterpiece or Rudy's.

--
Nonny
If you think health care is expensive now,
wait until you see what it costs when it's free!

- P.J. O'Rourke

where yours and mine use
> the ceramics. AFAIK, he has no more problem with flare-ups than anyone
> else, though when he puts his grill into self-clean mode, it sure as the
> dickens gets a lot hotter than mine. I counter that by placing foil over
> my grates when cleaning.



Nonny,


I've had nothing but flare up problems with it. I mean I'll turn the tiles
over and burn off all residue and they'll burn up a chicken next time I use
it. I have to have a water bottle handy to put it out.

Did you do the natural gas conversion? A guy did a real nice web page on
how to do it. google it. If you can't find it, I could make you a copy.

Ed

> http://grill-tools.net/ http://grill-tools.net/On Wed, 15 Apr 2009 08:10:25 -0700, Nonnymus > wrote:

>Our Sam's Club SS grill has three figure "8" shaped main burners.
>They're made of cast iron. The grill gets use almost daily and is now 6
>years old. About 2 years back, I disassembled the grill to reach the
>burners and found that many of the openings in them were blocked with
>rust. They also had a "swelled" appearance and what appeared to also be
>some delamination, as if they were made of layers of iron.
>
>I drilled out the openings, wire brushed the burners and blew everything
>clean with an air hose. The result was that the burners all lit again
>and the heat was quite even. . . much hotter as well.
>
>Last week, I noticed that I had some unususal hot spots and discovered
>that one burner had split and that the holes of all were again blocked.
> This time, the delamination of the cast iron was very apparent and the
>split was the end result of this on the most used burner.
>
>These grills are Chinese made and are sold under about a hundred
>different brand names.
>http://www.appliancefactoryparts.com...k-y0660ng.html
> This is the URL for one parts vendor, which includes a breakdown
>and prices of parts. Notice at the end of the parts list that there are
>available cast Stainless burners, but that they cost around $100 more
>PER BURNER. Do any of you grillers think this would be worth it for a
>more regular and reliable flame?
>
>In removing the ceramic flame tamers- they work great- one broke. I
>have ordered a replacement one, but see that they offer a ceramic coated
>steel or SS perforated flame tamer. Apparently two are required if you
>look at the dimensions. Any thoughts on this type over the ceramic ones
>that are original to the grill?

I don't know. I purchased a "Sunshine" grill about 7 years ago and
loved the hell out of it. You can see one at
http://www.bbqpeople.com/sunshine2.html

The cast iron burners are closed v in shape and the openings for the
flames are sideways with part of the cast iron v above them. They are
also part of the v so all the burners are one piece. They are hard to
clog. .

What is unique (or was back then) is that there is a cast iron plate
just above the burners. When what ever your grillin juices drip onto
the plate they vaporize, going back up to your food. YUM!

The grate is about 2 inches from the flame. This things sears!

Long story short, I moved and had to leave the grill behind. I now
grill on a garbage picked POS. I replaced the burner with a universal
set for about $20 that I can toss out every 2 years or so. I put a
iron plate above the flame and moved the burner up. Now I can sear
again! Total cost? About $20.

I was loaded with money and could afford the best in grills. Then I
got poor and had to make due. The one thing that I learned is that the
grill does not make the Grillman. You can turn out the very best of
food cooking on almost anything. All it takes is TLC, and less money
than brains

BTW, I think the bursting you mentioned (or swelling) is due to the
figure 8 design.

Cheers!

--

" Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional,
illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous
mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is
entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end"

spud wrote:
> where yours and mine use
>> the ceramics. AFAIK, he has no more problem with flare-ups than anyone
>> else, though when he puts his grill into self-clean mode, it sure as the
>> dickens gets a lot hotter than mine. I counter that by placing foil over
>> my grates when cleaning.
>
>
>
> Nonny,
>
>
> I've had nothing but flare up problems with it. I mean I'll turn the tiles
> over and burn off all residue and they'll burn up a chicken next time I use
> it. I have to have a water bottle handy to put it out.
>
> Did you do the natural gas conversion? A guy did a real nice web page on
> how to do it. google it. If you can't find it, I could make you a copy.
>
> Ed
>
>

I did just that type of conversion with a similar one we had at a second
house, and it worked fine. I'm considering investing in at least one of
the SS perforated flame tamers to set above my ceramic tiles just to see
how it works. BTW- the flame tamer tiles supplied have a tapered
opening in them. Have you tried them both ways- larger opening up and
larger opening down? I've found that having the larger opening down
works pretty well, but then I keep a pretty close eye on fatty foods
when grilling.

--
Nonny
If you think health care is expensive now,
wait until you see what it costs when it's free!

- P.J. O'Rourke

VegA wrote:
>> http://grill-tools.net/ http://grill-tools.net/On Wed, 15 Apr 2009 08:10:25 -0700, Nonnymus > wrote:
>
>> Our Sam's Club SS grill has three figure "8" shaped main burners.
>> They're made of cast iron. The grill gets use almost daily and is now 6
>> years old. About 2 years back, I disassembled the grill to reach the
>> burners and found that many of the openings in them were blocked with
>> rust. They also had a "swelled" appearance and what appeared to also be
>> some delamination, as if they were made of layers of iron.
>>
>> I drilled out the openings, wire brushed the burners and blew everything
>> clean with an air hose. The result was that the burners all lit again
>> and the heat was quite even. . . much hotter as well.
>>
>> Last week, I noticed that I had some unususal hot spots and discovered
>> that one burner had split and that the holes of all were again blocked.
>> This time, the delamination of the cast iron was very apparent and the
>> split was the end result of this on the most used burner.
>>
>> These grills are Chinese made and are sold under about a hundred
>> different brand names.
>> http://www.appliancefactoryparts.com...k-y0660ng.html
>> This is the URL for one parts vendor, which includes a breakdown
>> and prices of parts. Notice at the end of the parts list that there are
>> available cast Stainless burners, but that they cost around $100 more
>> PER BURNER. Do any of you grillers think this would be worth it for a
>> more regular and reliable flame?
>>
>> In removing the ceramic flame tamers- they work great- one broke. I
>> have ordered a replacement one, but see that they offer a ceramic coated
>> steel or SS perforated flame tamer. Apparently two are required if you
>> look at the dimensions. Any thoughts on this type over the ceramic ones
>> that are original to the grill?
>
> I don't know. I purchased a "Sunshine" grill about 7 years ago and
> loved the hell out of it. You can see one at
> http://www.bbqpeople.com/sunshine2.html
>
> The cast iron burners are closed v in shape and the openings for the
> flames are sideways with part of the cast iron v above them. They are
> also part of the v so all the burners are one piece. They are hard to
> clog. .
>
> What is unique (or was back then) is that there is a cast iron plate
> just above the burners. When what ever your grillin juices drip onto
> the plate they vaporize, going back up to your food. YUM!
>
> The grate is about 2 inches from the flame. This things sears!
>
> Long story short, I moved and had to leave the grill behind. I now
> grill on a garbage picked POS. I replaced the burner with a universal
> set for about $20 that I can toss out every 2 years or so. I put a
> iron plate above the flame and moved the burner up. Now I can sear
> again! Total cost? About $20.
>
> I was loaded with money and could afford the best in grills. Then I
> got poor and had to make due. The one thing that I learned is that the
> grill does not make the Grillman. You can turn out the very best of
> food cooking on almost anything. All it takes is TLC, and less money
> than brains
>
> BTW, I think the bursting you mentioned (or swelling) is due to the
> figure 8 design.

I never considered it, but you may be right. It could be thermal
expansion/stress rather than oxidation. If so, the cast SS burners I
ordered should fare equally badly. Time will tell.

>
> Cheers!
>


--
Nonny
If you think health care is expensive now,
wait until you see what it costs when it's free!

- P.J. O'Rourke