[MIguy]

19 year old oven.

The self-cleaning has not worked as long as I can remember. Since this summer the oven has failed to ignite a few times. Tapping the burner area did the trick. It is now out completely.

-No smell of gas

-The regulator seems fine since the stove works.

-The voltage switches at the glow bars (and along the wiring junctions when the switches are activated.

-Glow bars light up bright.

-110V AC at all 4 connections of gas valve.

-I can't maeasure amperage at glow bars which the gas valve switch must operate on

-When I tried to switch glow bars (no bake or broil function), the broil glow bar seemed original, part of the ceramic burnt, and chipping in front, and the tip shattered when tapped lightly on the floor (not dropped or banged)

-Lower (bake) glow bar seems to have been replaced and is marked "Norton".

-Also the burner is in fantastic shape. It didn't even need any cleaning.

-All electrical connections and contacts are good.
What do you think? I'm thinking the igniter but have a hard time believing they both went at the same time. Although the broiler is used only a couple of times per year, it was last used a month or two ago.

Could the glow bars light real bright and still not pull the amperage to operate the gas valve? Or is this a gas valve problem?

Overall this unit seems in good shape. I'd like to get the oven operational for just the bake burner and slowly pick out a new oven.

[kawfeeman]

is there an access panel on bottom that comes off ?

[MIguy]

Thanks. The access panel comes off. That is how I tested the wiring and examined the workings to narrow the poblem down as much as I did.

I am wondering whether to go for the igniter or gas valve. I am guessing the gas valve is current triggered by the amperage flow to the igniter? There are only electrical leads to the valve. All measure 110 V AC. Two are leads from the source. Two are connected to the glow bars (igniters). The switch up front seems to comlete the circuit by grounding and activating the glow bars. That is why I figure the gow bars current activate the gas valve. The regulator has to be fine since the stove operates perfectly. My ammeter is not strong enough to measure that. Is there another way to test?

The burner is flawless. Is see no onboard fuses or circuit breakers. Wiring and contacts seem perfect.

If I had to guess. I'd guess the igniter even though they seemed to glow red hot.

Thanks again.

[kawfeeman]

ignitors need to draw 3.2 - 3.6 amps... unless your batteries in your amprobe are dead, you should see some amp draw... as long as you are getting your ignitor to glow, then the coil in the gas valve should be good... try to check amp draw .. most of the time the ignitors were the problems...

[fyxer]

This is a common problem when ignitors go bad sometimes they burn out completely other times they just get weak,they will glow but they don't draw enough amperage to open the valve to let the gas into the burner,your problem is the ignitor.