[Paul Andruczk]

My KitchenAid (Whirlpool) gas oven sparks, lights, and then turns off after about 10 seconds. It has worked flawlessly the last few years and started doing this last week.

After troubleshooting using the Whirlpool Direct Spark Ignition (DSI) Job Aid (Part No. 8177893), I thought I had isolated the issue to a faulty DSI. I have AC to the DSI, but found that the DC voltage across J1-1 (bake) and J1-2 drops from about 15V DC to zero at exactly the same time the oven flames out.

Furthermore, the resistance (measured at the DSI to save my wood floors from sliding the oven out) for J1-1 (bake) to J1-2 and J1-3 (broil) to J1-2 is exactly the same. It should also be noted that the broil function still works perfectly - just the bake does not work.

Is this a sign the DSI needs to be replaced or could it still be problem with the gas valve or elsewhere? I had settled on the DSI replacement until i found the decision flow chart at the end of the Whirlpool Job Aid which suggests that ignition followed by a flame out without ongoing sparking means the gas valve should be replaced.

[Gene]

Most likely the problem is a bad Bake burner. You may want to start the troubleshooting from checking the lighting holes on the burner. Very often just enlarging those holes helps to eliminate the problem. You can find more useful information in one of our previous threads: Gas oven bake will not stay lit

Here are the breakdown diagrams and Replacement parts for WHIRLPOOL KGSK901SSS00 30" Slide-In GAS OVEN | AppliancePartsPros.com

Gene.

[Paul Andruczk]

Gene, i really appreciate the time you took to answer my question. I saw the other link before posting, but thought maybe it wasn't applicable. What puzzles me is that it has worked perfectly for five years. Could it possibly be the burner after all this time? That's what led me to think there was some other failure.

[Gene]

Paul,

One of possibilities is that those lighting holes in the burner can be partially clogged for the last 5 years. Try to enlarge them and if it will make the ignition better then you can replace the whole burner and rest assured for another 5 years.

- The Bake burner Part number: AP3886513

Gene.