[morzh]

Tim

Is yours the dissassemblable type (mine is not)? If yes that would solve all problems.
Although from the looks of it I am not sure it could be easily opened. Mine certainly could not - I sprayed Deoxit through rivets.

I guess if you really prove that it is the pot and no amount of cleaning without opening helps, maybe it would be worth trying to open it then. Could be tedious though.