Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - Inconsistent oven temperature

I have a Kenmore Mark2 oven that we bought second hand about ten years ago. I have changed the bottom oven element once, when it was obviously burnt out. What has started occurring recently though is that the oven will start heating and then just stop at 100° or so. The indicator light on the panel remains on as if the elements is/are still heating but it doesn't continue heating. The other evening I got home and couldn't even get it working at all by turning it off and on again. On another occasion it heated up ok, but it was the top element (broiler) that heated up the whole oven. Last night I tried it out again, and it worked just fine (both broiler and oven elements (top and bottom).
So here's where I'm lost.
First I thought the element was dying, then I thought it was the thermostat, then I checked all the fuses for wear and tear, now I'm wondering if it is a switch somewhere. :confused:
Any help to put me in the right direction would be appreciated. I don't want to just go blindly dismantling the thing without know what I'm looking for.

Hello: Herring

Inconsistent and or sporadic operation, from the prospective of diagnostics, is difficult to do. Since the appliance has such, several possibilities may exist.

Best method to attempt to determine the cause, would be to unplug or trun off the power to the appliance. Than use an ohm meter to do continuity tests on the parts which effect turning on and off circuits, etc.

Inconsistent operation may simply be a loose wire, loose connection and or poor/bad connection at a terminal or within a part.

Examples: The thermostat controls internal parts or a switch.

Test the wire connection leads to the element. Both with the T-Stat temp control on & off. Note the continuity results. Do the same at any on/off and or fuction switch.

The idea here is to hope to locate the cause without suspecting a part being the cause. Replacing parts needlessly is the intent. Which is the answers to your questions. And also going in the right direction & what you are looking for....:)

Additional Help and Suggestions:
Read the manufacturers online web site for problem possibilities, solving methods, disassembly, reassembly methods, repair procedures, pictorials, downloadable repair manuals, etc which may be available online.

Search the manufacturers web site for a downloadable version of the owners or service manual. The file will be a pdf file opened with Adobe, which also needs to be downloaded first but worth having once obtained.

Retail appliance parts dealers can also help determine what the
possible problem may be. Bring the make, model and serial numbers.

Appliance part stores and dealers are listed in the phone book. May find some help on the pages listed at the top of this page in the banner topics.

Check back on your question several more times. Other members posting replies in this forum topic may offer you additional advice, ideas, suggestions, test and or repair methods.

Use the reply button to add additional information or questions. Using this method moves the topic back up to the top of the list automatically.

Regards & Good Luck.
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STOVES-RANGES-OVENS-BROILERS
For additional helpful information:
http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?threadid=159808. Reading this thread will provide information on how to diagnose and fix some problems.

Thanks Sharp Advice. I'm sorry I took so long replying.
Since I last posted I have not had a problem. I have not had the chance to test the circuitry with an ohm meter, but what I did do was notice that what I assume is the thermometer that would control the thermostat along the back of the inside of the oven (clear as mud) was touching the actual metal casing. I reset it in the clips and the oven seems to work ok for now. Must have been some big roast that knocked it out of place ;) If the problem reoccurs I'll pull out the oven and follow the procedures you suggested, until then I'll roast away.
BTW I hate intermittent and/or inconsistent problems.....

Thanks again.

Hi: Herring

The element you mentioned that was in contact with the metal wall is called a capillary tube. It senses oven temp and adjusts the thermostat to control temperature.

If that element is incontact with anything but air space, the temperture will be off from what temp was selected, as you described. However, that would not effect the heating element to the point of not turning on until the set temp is reached.

Element (lower) would still heat up but not stay on long. Only stay on until a lower (false) temp is reached. As it has done in your description. The broiler element is not effected because the T-Stat allows for a much higher temp.

Some ovens use both elements to pre heat while others do not. Which may explain why broiler element turns on for a time or remains on to when lower element does not turn on or remain on. Several variables.