Oven Igniter Issue

[Mark]

My daughter's Whirlpool gas oven doesn't light, while the burners do. I've had the same problem with my own ovens over the years, and it has always been the igniter. I seem to recall these costing me around $30 or $35 to replace, a risk I was willing to take on the chance it was something else! I checked the igniter for her oven and its around $75 - a bit more of a risk if the problem is something else.

It is a bottom line oven - probably could replace with a similar model for around $300. No electronics involved (doesn't even have a clock). Is there much else that could be the cause of this problem? Worth risking the $75 that the igniter is the problem?

Thanks!

Mark

[Edwin Pawlowski]

You may get some ideas at

in the diagnostics section The price of repair parts for any appliance sucks. You can also buy parts from repair clinic. I bought a fan motor for my AC and it was cheaper than most places, but other parts seem a bit higher.

[Mark]

The site wasn't a lot of help - seems geared to electric ranges.

Funny how parts are (for appliances as with cars) - if you tried to build one from the parts department you'd pay 50 or 100 times the price of a factory built unit!

[JGolan]

Mark,

The igniter is the most likely cause. you can verify it two ways.

1. the voltage is typically 120 in a gas stove for this circuit. Using a voltmeter measure the voltage where the igniter connects while the oven turned on to operation.

1. Remove the igniter and test it with an ohm meter. It should measure between 50 - 600 ohms. If your meter reads an open it is faulty.

If you do not have a meter, remove the igniter and do a physical inspection, you should see a spot on it (sometimes white, sometimes black) where it burnt "open"

The cost is about right having replaced mine only about 3 months ago and now the igniter in my gas dryer died as well.

Joe

[Appliance Repair Aid]

Hi,

The ignitor can be checked with an amp meter if it is glowing but no flame. If the ignitor is dead, power to the ignitor and no go = new ignitor time.

No model# posted to check.

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[sidevalve45]

Only used a couple of gas ovens but both these had igniter powered by dry cell battery.If it has no electrics it has to be battery or piezo (sp?) which clicks when you press it.

[charlesobrien]

While buying parts online may seem cheaper, add the shipping and you will pay much more. For my lawn mower I needed a small and simple gasket. I would have to order it locally at a small engine shop, and the cost was $6.00. But I'd have to wait 4 to 6 weeks. I looked online and found the part for $3.71 and it said I'd receive it in one week or less. Then I saw the shipping cost..... $12.99. How in the hell they can justify $12.99 for a lousy 2 ounce gasket is rediculous. Shopping online is more often than not a ripoff, and that does not include the risk of posting credit card or banking info online and/or using a very risky and corrupt business such as paypal.

I ordered the part at the store and bought a cheap mower at a garage sale for $10. I can use that mower till I get my part, and now I have a spare mower for about the same money as the shipping alone.

Charlie

[Tom Lachance]