New Combustion Fan = Potential Hopper Fire?

Good evening folks,

Keystoker 90 - just last night I changed out the Fasco combustion fan (that the stove came with when I bought it used) due to periodic seizing and installed a new Dayton blower. While starting up it looked good:
However, when I got home today I took a look and saw this:
Based on preliminary research, I see that it could be either too strong of a draft or a poorly sealed grate. Even though I don't want to count it out, I have fair confidence in the grate sealing, as I did that about a year and a half ago, and it didn't happen with the last fan.

I suspect that the addition of the new fan may be causing a change in the draft. I believe that it's a stronger fan than the previous one (as far as I can compare what I saw between the Fasco and Dayton spec sheets). Also, as the coal fed down into the hopper, that cavity in the coal pile is created, providing a much more direct pathway for air. I haven't adjusted the barometric damper yet as I don't have a manometer readily available.

I'm hoping I can lean on the wisdom of the board to get to the source of the problem. Shutting it down in the meantime...

The fan must have enough extra air moving to find the leaks .

Shut it down and reaeal

Here is what a Keystoker90 grate looks like when shipped new. I suspect you are not sealed well on upper right side.

That snaggle tooth of a fire in the upper right corner gives it away. When you start getting the smiley face on your grate it generally indicate air leaks along the sides.

Sure enough there was the culprit along the top seal! Sealed it up again and it's firing great. Thanks for the responses

Oops, imagine it rotated 90 degrees clockwise