Furnace not working properly

[x]

Well it's starting to get cold around here so I decided to turn the furnace on for the winter but it's not working properly. It only worked once and that was about 24 hours after I turned the thermostat up. It worked for about 15 minutes. Here's what's happening from my observation:

1. Thermostat calls for heat.
2. Furnace motor starts
3. Furnace makes a clicking noise and ignitor turns on
4. Furnace makes a clicking noise and ignitor turns off after 10 seconds
5. Furnace motor still running
6. Two minutes later, ignitor turns on
7. Ignitor turns off after 10 seconds
8. Repeats 5-7 and then motor shuts off.

There's nothing wrong with the ignitor, it's glowing bright orange and I can feel the heat from 15 inches away. I don't know if the gas is being released because the fan is too loud. It's an Amana 80. Does anyone know what's wrong with it?

[HeatMan]

Silly question, but is the gas turned on?

[x]

Yes gas is turned on but it doesn't seem like gas is being supplied. I can hear the gas valve controller clicking off after the failed igniting attempt tho. Oh and it worked 3 hours ago for about 10 minutes so I know the gas is turned on but something is wrong.

[x]

Hmmm. Maybe the burner chamber is dirty, I'll try cleaning it.

[CBHvac]

Humm..maybe you have an open limit...a bad valve, a bad control... How about you get a competent service person out to repair it?

[JohnB]

I have only used oil furnaces. They have temperature sensors which shut off the fuel flow if they don't fire up in time. My first experience with that feature was our first night in our 1850s house when the oil burner would not light. The service technician found the heat sensor so sooted up that it thought that the burner had not ignited.

I remember a propane heated dishwasher at the Boy Scout camp which had a "safety pilot" feature which would not allow propane to reach the burner until the temperature sensor in the safety device was hot [ie, until the pilot light heated it up].

Could the "safety pilot" feature be turning off your gas because of soot, other crud, or simply failing?

[Stormin Mormon]

Last time I had one go like that, the gas was turned off. I'm with Heat Man.

Did you check for power at the gasvalve? Maybe a defective gas valve?

[x]

Hmm this is weird. I took out my thermostat and sanded the 2 copper wires a little to get better contact and now the furnace fires up every time heat is called. I don't see what the wires have to do with the gas valve tho. Oh well.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Maybe flame sensor is not sensing the flame. Common cause is surface rust on the sensor element. Use a fine grade sand paper and gently rub off the rust. I do it every season. If still no go, may need a new sensor. Also no diag. code from the controller? Tony

[Greg O]

Guess again! Unless I am reading wrong there is no flame to sense! The burner does not even light, so not a flame sensor problem! Greg

[Greg O]

Probably nothing! Just one of the fluke things that happen! It is possible the gas valve was stuck closed and it worked itself free. I would not bet that your furnace will continue to work! The gremlins will be back! Greg

[CBHvac]

Those wires, are what control the gas valve..

[Caroline or Greg :P]