# Jotul F3 Door handle stiff / stuck



## davetapson (Jun 15, 2012)

Hi there - this is my first post, my name is Dave, from a sunny, but not so warm, South Africa.

I'm mighty glad that I came across this forum as wood stoves are a rarity here, particularly Jotuls, and any kind of sensible advice even rarer.

I'm struggling with mine at the moment. The shaft that runs through the door seems to have clogged up with some gunk and the handle is hard to turn. I cannot turn it sufficiently to lock the door fully closed, so you can imagine this is a problem.

I see that there is what looks like a hollow pin holding the handle to the shaft. What I'm suspecting is that I need to drill this out, pull the handle off the shaft, pull the shaft out the door, clean it all up and refit it all?

Questions:
1. any idea why it gunked up?
2. what best do I use for a pin to replace the pin I drill out?
3. do I lube the shaft with anything, or will that just burn and gunk it up again?

Thanks
Dave

Edit: it got itself gunked up over summer - was working fine at the end of last winter...


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## begreen (Jun 15, 2012)

Welcome Dave. I don't have an F3 in front of me, but what you are describing sounds like a roll pin (aka spring pin, split pin) holding the handle to the shaft. If so, it can be punched out with a slightly smaller diameter nail or pin punch. Your hardware store should have a replacement pin on hand.

As for what is seizing the handle shaft, my guess would be rust. Before disassembly you might try a penetrating lubricant or something like a few drops of automatic transmission fluid on the handle shaft and let it sit overnight. Then work back and forth it to see if it starts to turn more freely.


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## Highbeam (Jun 15, 2012)

The operating shaft for my door handle is fairly dainty as well and can get sticky with gunk. Lighter oils and lubes will free it up temporarily but I have found that 90 weight gear oil lasts much longer. Don't drill anything.

If necessary, you should be able to lift the door off of its hinges and perform the lube operation with the door laying flat on a bench so that the operating shaft is vertical. This should make it easier for the lube to flow down the shaft into the joint.


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## BrotherBart (Jun 15, 2012)

Just pulled the door on my F3CB and took a look. The pin is into the handle on the outside and goes into the handle and shaft. Not a roll pin and the only access to it is from the one end. So getting it out would involve drilling it out and coming up with a replacement. I would suggest pulling the door, laying it face down and successive applications of penetrating oil rather than drilling the assembly apart.

Which I see I now need to do myself since it is getting squeaky and sticking some too.


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## davetapson (Jun 15, 2012)

Yep, all the above is exactly right. I was going to post some pics but there's no point. Will take the door off and go mad with penetrating oil etc. Thanks for the help.


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## davetapson (Jul 25, 2012)

Just a catch up. I took the door off, laid it handle side up and dripped my favourite penetrating liquid (brake fluid - don't get any on to auto type paint!) onto the shaft so that it ran down to where the shaft runs through the door. This loosened it up, so I then followed this up the next day with a squirt of Q20 (light oil in an aerosol can - you guys might know it as WD40?), and then as per the suggestion above, 90 weight gear box oil.

The gearbox oil did the trick. The other stuff did free the handle, but it was still hard to shift. The gearbox oil took it back how it was when it was new.

Thanks for all your help.

Regards
Dave

PS: the brake fluid did not seem to affect the paint on my stove.


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## Highbeam (Aug 2, 2012)

That gear oil will put off a light smell when you first get it hot. A bit like sulfur, cat urine, very temporary but I was about to kick something's butt when I first caught that smell. I still use it as needed for my pins.


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## neumsky (Aug 2, 2012)

davetapson said:


> Just a catch up. I took the door off, laid it handle side up and dripped my favourite penetrating liquid (brake fluid - don't get any on to auto type paint!) onto the shaft so that it ran down to where the shaft runs through the door. This loosened it up, so I then followed this up the next day with a squirt of Q20 (light oil in an aerosol can - you guys might know it as WD40?), and then as per the suggestion above, 90 weight gear box oil.
> 
> The gearbox oil did the trick. The other stuff did free the handle, but it was still hard to shift. The gearbox oil took it back how it was when it was new.
> 
> ...



If I'm not mistaken...WD40 attracts dirt!


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## Jotul Combifire 4 VT (Sep 23, 2014)

neumsky said:


> If I'm not mistaken...WD40 attracts dirt!


Our door handle was stuck and the local Jotul dealer said nothing could be done . After reading this thread we sprayed some


begreen said:


> Welcome Dave. I don't have an F3 in front of me, but what you are describing sounds like a roll pin (aka spring pin, split pin) holding the handle to the shaft. If so, it can be punched out with a slightly smaller diameter nail or pin punch. Your hardware store should have a replacement pin on hand.
> 
> As for what is seizing the handle shaft, my guess would be rust. Before disassembly you might try a penetrating lubricant or something like a few drops of automatic transmission fluid on the handle shaft and let it sit overnight. Then work back and forth it to see if it starts to turn more freely.



Thank you so much for this. Our handle had been stuck and no one had any idea what to do. Even the local Jptul dealer said nothing could be done. After reading your post, we sprayed the shaft with WD40 and we didn't even have to wait for morning. It moved right away.


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## Jotul Combifire 4 VT (Sep 23, 2014)

neumsky said:


> If I'm not mistaken...WD40 attracts dirt!



Did you have a problem after using it?


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## begreen (Sep 23, 2014)

Squirt some graphite powder in there next.


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## Jotul Combifire 4 VT (Sep 23, 2014)

begreen said:


> Squirt some graphite powder in there next.



Thanks for the tip. I just ordered some on Amazon. I hope the WD40 doesn't cause problems. We're just so glad we could finally close the door!


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## skinanbones (Sep 24, 2014)

I love WD40 for these issue.  I will always keep adding more until the WD40 runs clean from the other side. It take a long time, but so worth it to now that all the rust it out.  I than use the dry graphite spray as it's somewhat heat resistant


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## fitter9 (Sep 25, 2014)

use  penetrating oil to get it apart like everyone said. then use high temp never seize to lube it before re assembly. that stuff is rated for over 2000 degrees.
 im a steam fitter by trade and we use that stuff on everything


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## Nick Mystic (Sep 25, 2014)

I have a Jotul F600 that has a different handle from yours, but I too have had some issues with the door handle not wanting to stay locked completely. It didn't let the door open even enough for air to get through the gasket, but it bothered me to look down and see that the door handle had popped again. No help from the dealer, so I started experimenting with the nut on the backside of the mechanism on the inside of the door. By loosening it or tightening it a bit I was able to remedy the irritation.


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## Carolina_Jim (Jan 6, 2016)

davetapson said:


> Hi there - this is my first post, my name is Dave, from a sunny, but not so warm, South Africa.
> 
> I'm mighty glad that I came across this forum as wood stoves are a rarity here, particularly Jotuls, and any kind of sensible advice even rarer.
> 
> ...


Hello Dave
I have had the same problem and found that Carburetor cleaner works fast and immediately , you may want to try to get some high temp anti seize on it once you get it free. The temp on the anti seize that I use is good to 2400 degrees so should  be resistant to the heat generated in the stove.


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## aaron1 (Nov 13, 2017)

I am now having a similar problem with the side door on my F500.  I went to use it this year, and the side door handle is incredibly hard to move.  I have to pull VERY hard, and it still doesn't really work.  The front door handle looks fine.  It looks like the handle should move in and out, compressing a spring as you close and open it.  The side door handle does not move in and out.  It just seems to stay out, like the handle won't move in closer to the door when you try to close it.  I sprayed a bunch of PB Blaster penetrant onto the shaft and into the area with the spring and inside the handle and then wacked it several times with a rubber mallet.  It is still super stiff.  Should I take the pin holding the handle on out and try to take apart the entire mechanism and clean and lubricate it?


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## Tulltrain (Aug 13, 2018)

Hi just found this page I have an recycled Jotul "8" just installed in my home in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Just a problem with the door it keeps getting stuck closed but it's not the handle it turns and opens just a little but no further. Have jiggled and smacked the door and walls. Sometimes it suddenly opens. Very frustrating. Any advise?


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## begreen (Aug 13, 2018)

With the door open, check the latch assembly to see if inside latching tong is loose.


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