Kitchen Gas Appliances - Gas smell from GE Range

Hi, I'm sure that someone may have asked this question before, but our GE profile freestanding range is about 3 years old and produces a very strong gas smell when the oven is turned on. I have had the GE service come out a number of times and been told that nothing was wrong. My wife now refuses to use the range at all and I am trying to decide between gutting the existing one and replacing all of the parts or buying a new range. My wife now wants electric to be rid of the problem.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Steve

Assuming nothing has spilled inside and there is no aluminum foil covering the bottom of the oven, You may want to call the local gas co and have them do a c.o read and clock the input. Oven odors are normally carbon monoxide associated due to improper adjustment. If the odor appears to be nat gas check to make sure entire burner lights when thermostat is turned on.

Mbk3,
Thanks for the advice. The odor certainly seems to be gas. The trick is to keep my young son and daughter from assisting while checking to see if the burner lights! How quickly should it come on? My old stove had a pilot that had to run for a while to heat an element to a certain temperature before the gas turned on. Are they all built this way?
Steve

Hello: Steve

The objective is to determine if the entire burner is burning fully around it entire area. May light fully but not each time. Clean the burner of any residues which might have collected in the area of the ignitor and the cross over ports.

The ignition ports will either be on top of the burner, if the ignitor is on top or along the side if the ignitor is side mounted. The ignition ports cross over to both sides of the burner. Cleaning all the ports is required to allow burner ignition.

In some cases, the entire burner tube has to be removed to complete this task, while at other times, working carefully, so as not to bang the glow ignitor, the task can be completed successfully.

Usually but not always, full burner ignition does not happen when the burner is cold. (First turned on.) Once warmed, burner expansion takes place. The cross over ignition ports, (holes and/or slots) expand which creates the restriction(s) and full burner ignition (flames completely around the entire surface area) does not take place. Cleaning usually takes care of the condition.

A weak ignitor can also cause the same or like condition. Simply not enough current going to the gas control valve to allow it to fully open and/or a defective gas control valve. Replacing the ignitor is a good first attempt, if burner cleaning does not resolve the problem.

Disclaimer:
All above info is based upon all proper burner adjustments being made by the qualified service reps, whom have already serviced the appliance. No obstructions inside the baking compartment (foil usage, etc.) exist during usage and proper air flow ventilation inside the appliance during normal operations exist to support correct burner combustion & venting, etc.

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Sharp,
All of the things you mentioned are possibilities and I certainly appreciate your advice. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Thanks,
Steve