Q: Why doesn’t my oven bake? 
A: When there’s no heat at all in the oven, the first thing to check should be the timer controls. An automatic cycle setting could be preventing the oven from lighting.
If you have a self-cleaning range, make sure the door is in the unlock position. You will also want to check that all knobs are in the correct positions. If you have an Electronic Control, you can try unplugging the range for 30 seconds or so before you plug it back in. This can reset an Electronic Control. Make sure the gas is on to the range.
Most times when an oven won’t bake, it’s because the bake ignitor has gotten weak or it’s just burned out. The ignitor is a small round or rectangular device located near the burner. The ignitor is wired in series with the gas safety valve. When the ignitor is cold, it has a lot of resistance, meaning it gets most of the electricity in the circuit.
As it heats up, its resistance drops. This allows enough electricity to heat the bi-metal strip in the gas safety valve, which then allows gas to be released to the burner assembly. The gas then gets ignited by the glow-bar ignitor. The ignitor glows the whole time the burner is on, keeping the gas safety valve open. The thermostat senses when the desired temperature is reached, and cuts off electricity to the gas safety valve and ignitor.
If this ignitor is weak or burned out, it won’t heat enough to lower its resistance to the point where the bi-metal strip gets enough electricity to heat up and allow the gas safety valve to open, and it will not release gas to the burner assembly. When this happens, you may have to replace either the ignitor or the gas safety valve.
Many times it’s the ignitor that is to blame, and cheaper to replace. The gas safety valve does precisely what the name implies. It prevents gas from being introduced to the burner when there’s a possibility that it won’t get ignited properly. There are a few different variations in their operation, but the purpose is always the same, to prevent accidents.
If the glow-bar or spark systems are in proper working order, you may have a faulty gas safety valve. Check it for continuity. A faulty selector switch or thermostat could also be your problem. Check the selector switch for continuity between pairs of contacts. If none, replace the switch.
For the thermostat, consult your wiring diagram when testing it for continuity. If there is no continuity at any of the contact terminal points, you must replace the thermostat.
Q: Why doesn’t my oven broil?
A: You may have incorrect clock settings if you have a self-cleaning or timed baking oven. (Consult your owner’s manual) If the broil ignitor is not working properly, the broil burner will not work.
The ignitors are round or rectangular and are right next to the burner. The ignitor is wired in series with the gas safety valve. When the ignitor is cold, it has a lot of resistance, meaning it gets most of the electricity in the circuit. As it heats up, its resistance drops. This allows enough electricity to heat the bi-metal strip in the gas safety valve, which then allows gas to be released to the burner assembly.
The gas then gets ignited by the glow-bar ignitor. The ignitor glows the whole time the burner is on, keeping the gas safety valve open. The thermostat senses when the desired temperature is reached, and cuts off electricity to the gas safety valve and ignitor. If this ignitor is weak or burned out, it won’t heat enough to lower its resistance to the point where the bi-metal strip gets enough electricity to heat up and allow the gas safety valve to open, and it will not release gas to the burner assembly.
When this happens, you may have to replace either the ignitor or the gas safety valve. Many times it’s the ignitor that is to blame, and cheaper to replace. The gas safety valve does precisely what the name implies. It prevents gas from being introduced to the burner when there’s a possibility that it won’t get ignited properly.
There are a few different variations in their operation, but the purpose is always the same, to prevent accidents. If the glow-bar or spark systems are in proper working order, you may have a faulty gas safety valve. Check it for continuity. A faulty selector switch or thermostat could also be your problem. Check the selector switch for continuity between pairs of contacts. If none, replace the switch.
For the thermostat, consult your wiring diagram when testing for continuity. If there is no continuity at any of the contact terminal points, you must replace the thermostat.
For More Repair Help, Visit our Repair Library or the Appliance Repair Forum!
To look for a range part, visit our Range Replacement Parts Page.
Posted by apwagner 
Posted by apwagner 
Posted by apwagner 
