My gas stovetop has 4 burners. When I turn any one of them on, the unit clicks for a very long time. Sometimes I have to switch burners to get 1 to light. Eventually, after switching burners, I can get one to light. I usually smell gas at the end of the process. My husband is not handy and has no interest in fixing himself. So, either I have to pay to have a plumber fix or buy a new one (it is a 36" downdraft unit). What specifically is the problem and is it worth it to fix it?
When it clicks, do you actually see the spark?
[QUOTE=Goldie;195227]My gas stovetop has 4 burners. When I turn any one of them on, the unit clicks for a very long time. Sometimes I have to switch burners to get 1 to light. Eventually, after switching burners, I can get one to light. I usually smell gas at the end of the process. My husband is not handy and has no interest in fixing himself. So, either I have to pay to have a plumber fix or buy a new one (it is a 36" downdraft unit). What specifically is the problem and is it worth it to fix it?[/QUOTE]
No, not at all. Which is another problem; we never know when the burner is going to light, so we brace ourselves for the quick start to the fire. All we hear are the clicks and then, for some burners, after about 30 seconds to over a minute, the burner eventually lights. Other burners never light no matter how long we let it continue to click.
It may be just a matter of dirty electrodes (These are the small metal blades near your burners. Try cleaning them with a small wire brush to clean old grease or food residue from them. Then test to see if you get a spark. Also, on the diffusers (the removable covers on each burner), clean out the holes (or grooves) with a small diameter wire, like a tooth pick.
My husband is nervous about dealing with gas. Is cleaning the stove in the way you suggest safe with the gas on?
It’s safe, as long as you don’t turn on the burners as you clean.
Will try this weekend. Thanks so much!
Follow-up: My husband cleaned all the parts that were suggested (the electrodes and the holes on the diffuser). Its definately working much better! Thank you for your advice. Most of the time now the burner lights immediately. But there are still occasional times when it takes a couple of seconds. We’ll see. Question: if the problem comes back, what should be our next step?
Replacing the electrodes.
I’ve been doing reading for a little while and can’t quite find my answer.
I have a similar issue, but I do have spark coming out of all 4 electrodes when I turn it on, but simply the gas doesn’t start forever. It’s intermittent how long it takes, but it takes a long time to light up. Once any burner is on, the rest comes on immediately.
I called frigidaire and their comments were only that it still is possible the igniter isn’t strong enough, or there is poor gas flow. The person online did admit that if the gas flows great once it starts it probably isn’t it, likewise if my spark is nice and blue then it may not be the ignitor. They did say possibly I have to still replace the entire harness because it isn’t enough power 
It is not specific to any burner, all of them take a long time. Also, my oven takes a good 20 minutes to get to temp… again something that I read was the ignitor wasn’t strong enough. The oven itself lights up the fire pretty fast in the stove, it just doesn’t hit preset temp fast.
Any ideas? I did briefly clean the stove top, but even when it’s fired on, all the burners look like it’s outputting great flame out of every hole.
The problem is not the ignition, it is gas flow!! You don’t hear the gas flowing for a long time after u turn it on???