Kitchen Gas Appliances - kenmore dryer glow plug goes out

Any idea if the glow plug is bad on my dryer or is it something else? The glow plug will come on and the gas will light but after about 5 minutes I hear a metallic rattling sound and the flame goes out. I have to wait about 15 minutes for it to cool down and then it will start again, but only for 5 minutes. I'm never going to get my clothes dry this way ;-( I removed the glow plug and plan to replace it to see. I've gotten conflicting diagnosis. One person says the plug could have a small crack that opens up when it gets hot, causing it to shut off and another says it's like a light bulb--if it lights, it's good.

Hello and Welcome harrington to the Do It Yourself Web Site and thanks for posting a question in my Gas Appliance forum.


Restricted Exhaust Vent: {Clear as needed}
Check the entire system. This also includes the exhaust vent hood outside. It has a flapper that may not be opening fully or not at all. Locate any restriction within the entire exhaust system and clean out all lint. Replace exhaust vent tubing as needed.

Safety Reminder: {Always applies}
ALWAYS be positive you have unplugged the electrical power and turned off the gas supply to the appliance prior to attempting any repairs!

Check the archives, within this forum, for other postings on this topic and also for cleaning the exhaust venting system for further information.

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Tom_Bartco
Energy Conservation Consultant & Natural Gas Appliance Diagnostics Technician....At Your Service....:D

Thanks for the tips Tom, I'm not sure how to view the archives, but I did do a search and looked at some of the other posts. Anyway, I replaced the glow plug just to rule that out, and vacumed the whole unit and exhaust vents and checked that the flap opened. It still doesn't work. It will light the gas but the gas goes out in five minutes or less. If I wait a bit the glow plug comes back on and either the gas lights again or it doesn't and the plug goes out. Question: Is the glow plug supposed to stay on all the time, or is it supposed to go out when the gas lights?, also, Is the gas designed to stay on for the entire cycle or does it go on and off based on some temperature sensing device? Any idea what it could be? I'm concidering going to a used supplier and buying another valve/solenoid unit and swapping that out. The new ones are too expensive. Should I just try new soleniod(s)? There is still a metallic rattling sound that sometimes seems connected to the gas going out but not always.

Thought I should post to let others know how I fixed this problem. Talked to a repair tech and found out that it is a very common problem. Most of the time, if the gas won't stay lit and the glow plug works, the solenoid coils are bad. You have to replace them both, because they are sold as a set--around 20 bucks. That fixed it!

Yes,it seem as though something is restricting the correct air flow,you may want to check your ventillation,cut on your dryer and go outside to make sure that air is coming out of your dryer vent,and make sure your vent from your dryer is not kinked or smashing,if this doesnt work,replace your thermastats,but before you do this,i guarantee you that your solenoids are bad located near the burner,sometimes it comes as 1,but you need 2.One solenoid should have 3 teeth and one should have 2 teeth on it..

Where does one get the solenoids? Call the company?
Is it safe to install myself or should I let the pro's do it? My Maytag has the exact symptoms that you describe: glow plug cycles on and off but the gas will only ignite maybe once every ten cycles. The whole gas valve assembly area looks a bit intimidating but I can do parts replacement with the highest degree of confidence, but the whole gas aspect scares me a bit. Thoughts?

Originally posted by harrington
Thought I should post to let others know how I fixed this problem. Talked to a repair tech and found out that it is a very common problem. Most of the time, if the gas won't stay lit and the glow plug works, the solenoid coils are bad. You have to replace them both, because they are sold as a set--around 20 bucks. That fixed it! I am glad you fixed your problem,as noticed in my diagnostic,after the exhausts were checked,i mentioned that the next step would be the solenoids.