Recent Feedback
I have a pretty old Hardwick Gas stove, at least 30 years or more. the interior oven jets have always been a little slow to lite, but now it's not lighting at all. The pilot extends out when i turn the knob to on but the burner doesn't lite. Does the burner unit need to be cleaned or replaced?
Thanks For your question,I think the thermocouple is bad ,Its weakened ,I will look into to it for you
Problems with the pilot light system.....The flame has gone out, re-light the pilot. The pilot flame will not light - possible oven control is not sending gas for the pilot light. The pilot light works but no main burner ignition - possible pilot assembly is dirty and the pilot flame is too small, safety valve and thermocouple is faulty, the bulb from the safety valve is out of position and the pilot flame is not touching the thermocouple bulb. Some ranges use a standing pilot light ( small flame is on all the time ) while others use an spark ignition to light the pilot light flame and the pilot light flame heats up the thermocouple bulb to allow the main gas to flow through the oven burner.
The flame needs to heat the bulb up enough to tell it to open the gas valve. Several things can go wrong here that keep this from happening:
The pilot flame may not be hot enough, usually because the flame is yellow instead of pure blue or is too small. The cause for this is usually a dirty pilot assembly. The pilot assembly would either need to be cleaned or replaced. The thermocouple bulb may not be positioned properly in the flame. You can't heat the bulb properly if it's not in the pilot flame! The thermocouple bulb needs to be in the upper third of a pure blue pilot flame--that's the hottest part of the flame. The thermocouple itself may be burned out. It happens. It's a internal part of the gas valve so, no, you can't just change the thermocouple bulb separate from the gas valve.
The thermocouple bulb may not be positioned properly in the flame. You can't heat the bulb properly if it's not in the pilot flame! The thermocouple bulb needs to be in the upper third of a pure blue pilot flame--that's the hottest part of the flame.
The thermocouple itself may be burned out. It happens. It's a internal part of the gas valve so, no, you can't just change the thermocouple bulb separate from the gas valve.
But when you turn on the oven or the thermostat calls for heat, the pilot flame gets bigger and jumps down so it can heat up the thermocouple bulb. This extra gas to increase the pilot flame size comes from the thermostat.
If the pilot flame jumps upwards or just gets bigger, but doesn't shoot down, then you need to replace the pilot assembly. If the pilot flame size does not increase or jump down when turning on the oven thermostat, then the problem is the thermostat not sending enough gas to the pilot assembly. It's also possible that the pilot gas supply tube has a hole in it somewhere.
If the pilot flame size does not increase or jump down when turning on the oven thermostat, then the problem is the thermostat not sending enough gas to the pilot assembly. It's also possible that the pilot gas supply tube has a hole in it somewhere.
One final point
If you need me I am here
Experience: Business owner for over 43 years in the appliance repair field
The Pilot jumps down just fine and is blue with the little rod at the end of wire going down to the bottom of the stove being in the upper 3rd of the flame, so I guess it sounds like the thermocouple is bad. Can i order a new thermocouple for the stove? and will it be relatively straight forward/self evident as to how to install it?
Yes it comes ready to install turn off the gas before you replace it,
Thanks Good Luck