Whirlpool Stove Top Burner Ignitor Problem

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

My Mother in law's Stove is having problems with the spark ignitor to the top burners. the model # is : SF 330 PERN 5 and serial # FC 91923691 /

9157 Whirlpool Type not Roper.

I have cleaned all the connections on the turn button spades, ignitor it'self / ignitor head, spark area, and burner pilot tubes & burners theirself. Problem on right side 2 burners : When you turn it to ignite area on gas valve switch it will spark maybe 1 to 3 times and light about 80% of the time Then it will stop sparking and you have to move the button a little more to make it spark 1 or 2 times more to light up. If you play with it just a little it will work fine. Problem on left side 2 burners : When you turn it to the ignite you have to wiggle it to even get it to spark one time and just have to play with it to spark at all. While moving it around you can get it to spark maybe 1 time every minute or so. When it does spark the spark is a good one but just get the one spark and stop.

Now the stove / oven / burners all works fine other than just this ignitor problem. What i would like to know is can this be a low cost fix as to just changing out the whole ignitor system or parts to fix it. I can order all Whirlpool parts Wholesale through my HVAC supply houses + Labor is free but i did not want to spend $450.00 on parts on a $450.00 new stove. Buying a new one is not a problem for me but I just want to cut back on cost if it can be fixed reasoniablly and a whole lot less than $450.00.

Yes , I'm a Rookie on stoves but do know spark ignitor systems on hvac type stuff. The only person anywhere in this area that works on gas stoves is Sears and they want $200.00+ to look at it and start repairs. If you start at $200.00+ to look , I would not want to see the repair bill to fix it.

If any have a ideal on this or know about the repair , you can post here or send E-Mail here and it will go through to me. Any Info would be helpful.

TURTLE

Yes, Kind Folk Jobs are hell but you got to do them.

[Dan O.]

If the burner ignition switches are only making intermittent contact (as evidenced by having to 'play' with them), they are likely defective and need to be replaced.

It would be unusual for them to all fail at the same time (if in fact they did) but could be a result of the way the stove gets cleaned, some cleaner residue getting into the ignition switches on the gas valves' shafts.

You can see the surface burner switches used on that model at the following link:

Whirlpool SF330PERN5 burner ignitor switches

Dan O.

- Appliance411.com

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[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

Hey i went to your sight and found the #555358 ignitor things .

1) How many do i need to Fix it Right ? 4 Maybe one for each burner.

2) How about 4 of those wires with spark head on them to spark with? do they go bad / Well i'd like to get 4 anyway to be sure.

3) There is two ignitor switches pictured on that page. is one of them bad or both different types?

Thanks in Advance.

TURTLE

[jeff]

There is one switch for each burner.

The electrodes ( where the spark occurs ) usually fail by the porcelain cracking, corroding from cleaning, wire damage from maybe being chewed on ( mice )....

burner spark igniter electrode kit, short wire assembly. burner spark igniter electrode kit, long wire assembly.

How some common surface ignition works...

On the 555358 switch?....if yes it is showing the front and backside of the same switch on the picture.

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[Dan O.]

If all 4 are acting up, yes.

That's up to you but it could be involved getting to and/or replacing them. I myself would let sleeping dogs lie.

Just 2 different views of the same switch, front/rear

Dan O.

- Appliance411.com

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