Kitchen Gas Appliances - gas oven problem

I have a Whirlpool continuous cleaning gas oven model number SF330PEWN3. About a year ago the ignitor was replaced. I had no problem until this past week.

The problem occurs when turning on the oven. There is a delay to igniting (which is normal) when the oven is first turned on. I can hear the gas turning on and then the ignitor lights. But the oven door almost blows off when the ignitor meets the gas. There is a loud "poof" noise when this occurs.

Any ideas to what might be causing this.

Hello burnt_orange34 and Welcome to our Do It Yourself Web Site and my Gas Appliances forum.

Yes. I do know what is causing the problem.
A perfect Do-It-Yourself task too....:)

The condition you are describing is known as "Delayed Ignition." Which means the gas is ignited much too long after it begins coming out of the burner. A condition that must be corrected.

To correct the problem, most likely the burner will have to be removed from the oven and cleaned. First, unplug or turn off the the electrical power to the appliance.

The ignitor should be removed next. Carefully. Ignitors are fragile.
Once the ignitor is removed, remove the burner and clean all the holes or slots. The holes or slots are called ports.

To clean them may require a thin blade or wire depending on the type of ports the burner has. Pay special attention to the ports near the ignitor. Those are where the gas exists first to provide positive ignition.

Once all this is done, reinstall the burner and attach the hot surface ignitor exactly as it currently is. Problem now should be solved....:)

If the burner is aluminium, chances are the ignition port is a slot. If so and the slot is restricted too much or the burner is in poor condition, it should be replaced.

An excellent source for original replacement parts is your local retail appliance parts store. Appliance parts dealers carry replacement parts for all appliances.

Bring the make, model and serial numbers and stop in at the store. Parts dealers are listed in the phone book.

If you need further assistance use the REPLY button. Doing so moves the topic to the top of the daily list automatically.

Regards & Good Luck. TCB4U2B2B Company Enterprises.
Tom_B. Gas Appliances Forum Moderator.
Energy Conservation Consultant & Natural Gas Appliance Diagnostics Technician.

Thanks for your response.

However, the problem still exists. :(

I cleaned the ports of the burner tube. I also cleaned the burner shield on boths sides. The shield was very dirty on the bottom. I thought perhaps this might be the problem.

I read somewhere that the postition of the ignitor could cause a problem like this. What I mean is, perhaps, if I move the ignitor closer to the burner tube that the delay will no longer occur. Is there any truth to this?

Maybe I need a new burner tube. What do you think?

Thank you.

Hello: burnt

Yes. Very much so. Proper positioning of the ignitor is important. I did not assume that would have been the problem based on the fact you mentioned the oven worked properly for a year and not had any problems since then.

Nor would I have assumed the ignitor could be improperly positioned based on the above fact. However, anything is possible when it cannot be viewed in person by a service rep.

Ignitors have mounting holes and the bracket is non adjustable. So positioning the ignitor should not pose a problem. It should be correctly positioned by simply attaching it to the mounting bracket.

However, if the bracket or ignitor were struck by a larger pan, any baking or broiling container, etc, it's possible to be out of positioning. Some minor bracket bending may be require if that where the case.

If the burner appears to be well used or deteriorating in any fashion, replacing it may be a wise choice. Or at least compare it to a new one and note the differences, if any.

Not all ignitors are equal. There are minor differences, usually in size or in shape, etc. I also suggest using only OEM parts. OEM means Original Equipment Manufacturer.

There is more than a difference in price between an OEM part and a generic replacement. Not always visably noticeable but possible.

As mentioned in my first reply, if there is any doubt about the burner, aluminum or cast iron, replace it. If there is any doubt about the bracket securing the ignitor replace it as well, if it is not a spot welded onto the burner part.

Good Luck. TCB4U2B2B Company Enterprises.
Tom_B. Gas Appliances Forum Moderator.
Energy Conservation Consultant & Natural Gas Appliance Diagnostics Technician.

Thanks again for responding.

Before I call the home warranty people, can you help one more time?

How close should the ignitor be to the burner tube? Should it be right up next to the tube, almost flush? Is there a general rule of thumb for ignitor's positioning and the burner tube?

It looks like the ignitor can slide back-and-forth in its bracket. Should the ignitor be slid forward toward the burner or back towards the back of the oven?

------------------------------------ <--- bracket
-------------------
-----| | | | | <--- ignitor
-------------------
------------------------------------ <--- bracket

Can the ignitor slide this way? --->

Hello: burnt

I first have to assume the ignitor you obtained is in fact the correct one. If it's poosible to slide the ignitor towards the burner, do so.

Think of the ignitor as the source of ignition {a Match flame for example} for the gas to lite from. The ignitor must be close enough so the gas existing the burners ignition ports will come into contact with the ignitors hot glowing surface and provide an instant ignition to the gas.

However you can adjust the ignitor to accomplish this is most likely going to be correct. Once the gas can exist the burner and ignite, the correct position has been determined.

Once the burner is burning, the tips of the flames should be in contact with the flames. Only the first 1/3 of the flame has to be in contact with the ignitor.

The outer surfaces of the flames are the parts that are burning. Simply because they are exposed to air, which allows burning to happen. The inner cone of the flames is not actually burning.

Only the outer circumferance of any flames is in contact with oxygen so it is the only flame surface burning. Knowing this information on flame charactoristics should help to determine where the ignitor has to be located in refferance to the burner.

Good Luck,
Tom_B

:) :) :)

Sliding the ignitor in the direction of the burner ports (toward the front of the oven) solved my problem!

Thank you, Tom.

We LOVE To Hear Success Stories!...:)

Hello burnt_orange34

On behalf of myself and anyone else who contributes helpful advice in my "Gas Appliances" forum, I'd like to express thanks to you for taking your valuable time to reply back in the forum.

Glad you where able to fix the problem, included the correctional method used to fix the problem in your reply and the successful results.

Thank You Kindly. Gas Appliances Forum Moderator
Tom_Bart.....TCB4U2B2B Enterprises
Energy Conservation Consultant & Natural Gas Appliance Diagnostics Technician.

Originally posted by burnt_orange34
Thanks again for responding.

Before I call the home warranty people, can you help one more time?

How close should the ignitor be to the burner tube? Should it be right up next to the tube, almost flush? Is there a general rule of thumb for ignitor's positioning and the burner tube?

It looks like the ignitor can slide back-and-forth in its bracket. Should the ignitor be slid forward toward the burner or back towards the back of the oven?

------------------------------------ <--- bracket
-------------------
-----| | | | | <--- ignitor
-------------------
------------------------------------ <--- bracket

Can the ignitor slide this way? --->

I am curious to know how you got the ignitior to slide forward in its bracket? I too, have a Whirlpool with the same problem and same ignitor and it looks like the ignitor is a press fit inside the bracket. I don't seem to be able to move it by hand although there seems to be room forward in the bracket, which would place it more adjacent to the burner holes. Thanks for any help.

gkamieneski,

There is a mounting bracket connected to the ignitor assembly. The ignitor assembly in my context is the metal-type encasing that the actual ignitor (ceramic thing) fits into. This was the piece that I slid forward. I slid this forward from the mounting bracket. I did not actually move the ceramic ignitor part of the assembly at all.

After I slid it, I made sure that the ignitor part was past at least the first 3-6 slots of the burner tube.

Hope this helps,
burnt_orange34

Hmmmm...I see the ceramic ignitor press-fit into the bracket. The bracke is mounted with two phillips screws. What I fail to see is how you were able to slide this assembly forward given the two screw mounting.

thanks.

It was a long weekend. I did slide the ceramic part forward.