PE Alderlea T5 air control lever grinding

[dispatcher101]

I have had my T5 for just over 2 months now (still haven't posted install pics yet...) and am absolutely impressed with it. Just recently when shutting the air down with the lever I am getting some "grinding" or "bumps in the last 1/8 of the lever travel. It hasn't affected the operation of the stove in the slightest. I didn't know if anyone else had experienced the same phenom.
I have been using the ash chute door to scrape out the fine ash that is left over at the front of the stove after a complete burn, which I have actually come to like. I thought at first it might be that I had overfilled the ash pan and it was binding up the lever some way, but that has proven not to be the case. Maybe I got alot of ash in the pivot mechanism???
Perhaps it needs lubricated, or is there a way to take it apart safely without the fear of messing up the air control.

I appreciate any and all advice.
Thanks in advance

 

[LLigetfa]

Metal on metal grinding is never good. I'm not familiar with the T5 but could you squirt in a little bit of lube with a long straw? Put a bit of graphite powder in the end of a straw and blow it in to wherever it will reach.

A can of motorcycle chain lube with a straw applicator might be able to reach in to where it's needed but don't go overboard spraying too much of it. You never know what sort of toxins it could release when heated. I use minute amounts of chain lube on my hinges and latches.

 

[begreen]

It sounds like perhaps a piece of charcoal got caught there and is getting pulverized. Remove the ash pan and use a flash light to look at the air control. It will be on the underside, front of the stove. The air control valve is a simple, sheetmetal plate that pivots on a screw on one end and has the air control handle on the other end. Open the air control fully and brush out or vacuum the area where the control pivots.