The striker will not light the grill - it is only a 16th of an inch from the metal plate. The thermometer says the grill is 500 to 600 degrees when I believe it is much cooler. The sensor is bent off at about 10 degrees-can this be bent straight? and if so will it make a difference.This is a Camco Olympian 5500 BBQ Grill,just purchased and assembled.

Probably bad thermometer. Double check with a cheap oven thermometer. Warranty?

This is a common problem if you're trying to cook when its cold outside. Traeger sells insulating blankets for grills that are being used at 35 degrees or less. However, it could be an augur alignment problem that's keeping the augur from dunping enough pellets in the firebox. Here's Traeger's FAQ for that problem.

Q. I've been noticing that my grill temperature keeps dropping lower. What is the problem?

A. You need to "true" your auger. To do this:

1. Run the unit out of pellets.
2. Remove the allen screw and nut out of the auger and motor shaft.
3. Try spinning the auger shaft over the motor shaft. The auger shaft should spin freely over the motor shaft without binding.
4. If the auger binds, loosen the 7/16th inch bolts on the motor bracket and move bracket until you can rotate the auger shaft over the motor shaft. Then re-tighten 7/16th inch bolts. Make sure auger shaft still rotates over motor shaft, or repeat step 4 again until it does.
5. Reattach auger and motor shafts using the screw and nut which you removed in step 2.

You probably should contact Traeger customer service at http://www.traegergrillscom to confirm that this is your problem.

If you are using a 20Lb LP Gas Tank, rather than hard piped to the grill or you're using Natural Ga, here in may lie the problem. If it is Natural Gas, was the grill converted or ordered for Natural Gas? If not, that's why it' not heating well.

If you're using a 20Lb grill tank, do the following:

1. Turn the Propane Tank Valve OFF and disconnect the hose from the tank.

2.Wait 5 minutes and reconnect the hose to the tank. Open the tank valve VERY, VERY SLOWLY (Slow motion, slow).

3. Once the valve is fully open, light the burner farthest from the tank first and turn the control knob to HIGH. Does the flame height look correct for being on HIGH? If so, light the remaining burners the same way, Do all the flame hieghts look correct? If co, close the lid and allow the grill to preheat for at least 20 minutes. Did the grill thermometer go higher that 200 degrees F. If so, you solved the problem. Always remember to turn the tank valve ON very, very slowly.

If that did not solve the problem, the thermometer may be incorrect/faulty. I had this happen myself, with a new grill. To test it, invest $5.00 in an Oven Thermometer, like you use in a regular oven, It sits on the oven shelf. But, in this case it will sit on the center of the grill's cooking grates.

Light the grill and preheat it for 20 minutes. Loo k at the grill thermometer and then lift the hood and look at the oven thermometer. The oven thermometer may be as much as 200 degrees higher. That's because it's actually reading the temperature at cooking level, not up in the air, where the grill thermometer is.

I never replaced my grill thermometer. I continue to use the inexpensive oven thermometer, because it's giving me the actual temperature, at the level I'm grilling at. And I, do a lot of grilling.

Hope this helped you troubleshoot and solve the problem. Pleas let me know and Happy Grilling.

I suspect the problem, is a result of either dirty and/or clogged burners and venturi valves (part of the burner). Or the grills gas regulator is partially locked close.

Since the regulator problem does not involve any real dismantling of the grill, I'll start with that solution first. The most important thing is - Do you have enough gas in the tank, for the grill to perform as it should? If it was recently filled, do the following.

1. Turn the gas valve on the tank OFF.
2. Disconnect the hose from the tank and wait 5 minutes.
3, Reconnect the hose to the tank and turn the tank valve ON, VERY, VERY SLOWLY (Slow
Motion, slow)
4. Once he tank valve is fully open, light the burner farthest from the tank first and turn the burner
knob to HIGH. Dose the flame height look correct? If so, light the remaining burners the same
way, until are are lit and burning. Do all the flame heights look correct when set on HIGH? If so,
you solved the problem. Close the grill's hood and allow it to heat in excess of 350 degrees. It's a
good idea to confirm that the thermometer on the grill is accurate. Place an inexpensive Oven
Thermometer (about $6.00) that will set on the grill grate(s), while you preheat the grill. When the
grill's thermometer reaches 350, raise the hood and compare it with the reading of the oven
thermometer. if they read approximately the same, then your grill thermometer is accurate. If the
oven thermometer reads higher, the grill thermometer needs to be replaced. Frankly, mind failed
to read accurately. Rather than replace it, I always use the oven thermometer, because it's not
reading the air temperature at the hood level, it's reading the temperature at the cooking level.
Which is really what I want to know.

If the above did not solve the problem, you will need to replace the grill's Hose/Regulator Assembly. You can purchase one from any home center or hardware store that sells gas grills and accessories. They run about $30.00. Take you old one with you for comparison purposes.

Hope this helped you troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know and Happy Grilling!!

Not sure what you're grilling, that would require 500 degrees or higher. Unless, you're really trying to char-broil and I do mean char. In any event, it may simply be the thermometer on the hood of your grill, reading incorrectly. Keep in mind, the thermometer is not reading the temp at the cooking grate surface, it's reading the air temperature when the hood is closed.

I do a lot of grilling, I do grill shows for local food stores and I love to grill. But, I have learned to never rely on what the grill thermometer says. I use an oven thermometer that sits off to the side, on top of my grill grates. When I compare the temp on the grill thermometer to the oven thermometer on the cooking grates, there will be a difference of 50 degrees. Now, certainly the temp will drop some, when the hood is opened after preheating. That's normal. But the heat loss, at cooking grate level, is not more than 10 degrees, depending on the outside ambient air temperature. Of course if it's the dead of Winter, the temperature will drop significantly. In that case, grill with the hood closed 90% of the time.

With all of the above said, what do the flames and flame heights look like on each burner? Do they respond as they should when you raise and lower the flames? If not, then you have a gas pressure problem. That can be resolved by turning OFF the tank valve, disconnect the hose from the tank and waiting 5 minutes. Then reconnect the hose to the tank and open the tank valve VERY, VERY, SLOWLY (slow motion, slow). Once the valve is fully open, light the burner farthest from the tank first and turn it to high. Do the flames look higher than they did previously? If so, light the remaining burners following the same procedure as the first burner. Do all the flame heights look correct. If so you solved the problem of low flame height.

I hope all of this has helped you troubleshoot and solve the problem, if there is one. Please let me know. Thanks and Happy Grilling!!

Have you checked the flame height on the burners, when turned to the highest setting? Do they look normal? If not, it may be, that you're running out of gas or the grill's regulator is not open all the way. In addition, the thermometer may be the culprit, by not showing an accurate reading.

For now, let's assume the regulator is only partially open. Turn the tank valve OFF, disconnect the hose from the tank. Wait 5 minutes and reconnect the hose to the tank. Open the tank valve VERY, VERY SLOWLY (slow motion, slow). Once the vale is fully open, light the burner farthest from the tank first and tunr to highest seittig. Does the flame height look as it should? If so, light the remaining burner(s) the same way. Do all the flame heights look correct? If so you solved the problem. If not, the tank may be low on fuel or the grill's hose/regulator assembly needs to be replaced. You can find a universal fit one at any home center or hardward store that sells gas grills and accessories. Take your old one with you for comparison purposes.

To check you thermometer fr accuracy, purchase an inexpensive kitchen oven thermometer (the kind that sits on the oven rack) and place it on one of the grill's cooking grates. Light the burners and turn them to HIGH. Close the lid of the grill and wait until the grill's thermometer tops out. Open the lid and look at the temp on the oven thermometer. Are they the same or with in a few degrees of each other? If so the grill thermometer is correct. If not, and the oven thermometer reads higher, then the grill thermometer needs to be replaced if you like. Personally, I use an oven thermometer all the time. As it's reading the tru temperature at the grilling surface, not the air twmp in the grill when the hood is closed.

Hope all of this helped you to troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know and rate my response to you. Thanks and Happy Grilling!!

Two problems - Two Solutions: Turn the LP tank valve to OFF. Disconnect the grill hose from the tank and do not reinstall for 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes, reconnect the hose to the tank and turn the tak valve ON VERY, VERY SLOWLY (slow motion, slow). When the tank valve is fully open, light the burner farthest from the tank and turn the flame height to HIGH? Does the flame height look correct? If so, light the remaining burners the same way. If all the flame heights appear to be normal for the highest setting, you've solved the problem.

Second problem & solution: The grill thermometer may be incorrect (as they often are). If you don't have one, buy an inexpensive oven thermometer (that normally sits on the oven rack) and place it on the cooking grate of your grill, toward the front of the grill. Once in place, preheat your grill as you normally would with the hood closed and at about the 15 minute mark, compare the temperature on the two thermometers. If they're within a few degrees of each other, your grill thermometer is accurate. If the Oven thermometer reads higher (more than a few degrees), the grill's T-Stat is faulty.

Personally, I always use an oven thermometer on my grill when grilling or baking anything.

Hope this helped to solve your problem. Please let me know and Happy Grilling!

If you are confident that there is adequate gas in the tank to maintain combustion ... Turn off the tank valve and disconnect the hose from the tank. Wait 5 minutes and reconnect the hose to the tank. Turn the tank valve On VERY, VERY SLOWLY (I'm talking, slow motion, slow). Once the valve is fully open, light the burner farthest from the tank, first. Turn it to high and light the remaining burners the same way. This should solve your problem. Just remember to always turn the tank on VERY, VERY slowly after it has been turned off.

Also, it's a good idea to test your grill thermometer to see if, in fact it's accurate. Buy a regular oven thermometer and set it on the middle grill grate, near the front of the grill. Preheat your grill with the lid closed and when the grill thermometer reaches 300 degrees, open the hood and look at the temp on the oven thermometer. Are they the same or with in a few degrees of each other? If so, your grill thermometer is accurate. If not, it's faulty.

Personally, I always use an oven thermometer when preheating my grill, because it's more accurate. And only cost about $5.00 @ Walmart.

Hope this helps solve your problem. Please be kind enough to let me know.

Happy Grilling!!!

Unfortunately, that's the way it does on Natural Gas, in an outdoor environment. The reason being, Propane Gas burns cleaner and hotter than Natural Gas in an outdoor environment. Of course, on the plus side, you don't have to get tanks refilled. With that said, the thermometer on the grill may be faulty.

To test this theory, buy an inexpensive oven thermometer (the kind that can be placed on an oven rack) and place inside the grill, when you're preheating it with the lid closed. Once you grill thermometer reaches 350 degrees, open the grill hood and compare it the two temperature readings. If the oven thermometer is reading significantly higher, then you no the grill thermometer is faulty.

Hope this helps you get back up to temperature.

First, do the flames on the burners, when they're on high, appear to be normal? Or are they lower than normal, despite the burner knob(s) being turned to high? Do you turn the tank OFF after grilling each time?

If you answered yes, to the last two questions, here's what you need to do. Turn the tank valve OFF. Disconnect the hose from the tank. Wait 5 minutes and reconnect the hose. Turn the tank valve ON VERY, VERY SLOWLY, until it's completely open. Light each burner individually and turn the burner knob to high. Once all the burners are lit and turned to high, do the flames look taller than before?
If so, you just solved your problem. Remember to turn the tank valve on VERY, VERY SLOWLY each time you turn it ON.

If the above is not the problem, the grill thermostat may be faulty. To test this theory, purchase an inexpensive Oven Thermometer and place it on the grill grates, when preheating your grill. Close the lid of the grill and ten minutes later, take a look at the Oven Thermometer and compare it's temperature with the grill thermometer. If the grill thermometer is reading significantly lower than the Oven thermometer, you need to replace the grill thermometer. You can purchase one directly form Weber.

Hope this helped you solve your problem. Happy Grilling!