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Got Gas, Got Spark - Won't Autolight!


scruffydog17

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MAYTAG COOKTOP, 4 BURNER, NG, MODEL MGC5430BDQ

Last week I Replaced the Ignitors On All 4 Burners with new factory oem parts.
Two Burners Have Spark And Gas But Won't Autolite.
But - Apply A Lighted Match And They Jump To Life.
Wife who loves to cook unhappy, therefore DIY Husband Is VERY Unhappy.

Any Ideas, Before I have to Tear The Darn Thing Apart again?
Miserable In Michigan

Read more: http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/oven-repair-including-ranges-cooktops/572532-ignitor-gas-good-wont-ignite.html#ixzz514ngbMn0 
http://www.appliancepartspros.com 

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Make sure the burners are set properly and the spark is hitting the correct place. Make sure the small gas holes on the burner are all free and clear.

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3 hours ago, MoTeD said:

Make sure the small gas holes on the burner are all free and clear

This....

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MoTeD...I appreciate you taking time to reply. As to your suggestions 1. The burner holes are definitely free & clear. I thoroughly cleaned them while I had the top apart. 2. Ignitor position. I noticed you can set the ignitor in one of 3 positioning slots; as you move left to right the ignitor moves closer to gas source by 3/8" 'ish. Maybe if I check their position, move to slot closest to gas if not already. I also have 2 spare ignitors. Will try them. This make any sense?

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You can't just put the ignitor in any of those positions you want.  The ignitor goes in a slot that corresponds to the size of the burner.

Any chance the two that won't ignite by themselves are the two front burners?

With new ignitors, good gas supply and good spark pretty much leaves only one other thing, and most likely the only problem in the first place.

Probably don't have as good of gas supply as you think!  The orifices are most likely partially clogged from the oil/debris build up in the metering hole of the orifice, a very common problem on all brands of sealed burner cooktops with burner setups like yours.

Straighten out a small size paper clip, make a loop in one end so you can't drop it down into the orifice if you happen to drop it and slide it in and out of the orifice to clean the build up out of the orifice metering hole and bring it back to the correct size, do all the burners.

After that the burners should light and you should see a much nicer high flame than you had before, (back to normal).

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7 hours ago, Budget Appliance Repair said:

Straighten out a small size paper clip, make a loop in one end so you can't drop it down into the orifice if you happen to drop it and slide it in and out of the orifice to clean the build up out of the orifice metering hole and bring it back to the correct size, do all the burners.

 

I was told to never use metal to clear orifices. Can enlarge hole???

I was told to use a tooth pick and compressed air. 

Thoughts?

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17 hours ago, 16345Ed said:

I was told to never use metal to clear orifices. Can enlarge hole???

I was told to use a tooth pick and compressed air. 

Thoughts?

You really think a smooth paper clip is going to enlarge the orifice, (they aren't that delicate!!!!)

Now using something like a touch tip cleaner, that's a different story - I would never advise that.

If you think you're going to get a toothpick down even the largest 14,000 BTU sealed burner orifice - It's not going to happen.

Using a smooth small sized paperclip, I don't have to remove the orifices and have never encountered a problem cleaning them in this manner - this is a standard maintenance procedure on any sealed system burner range I work on even if that wasn't a complaint I'm working on or called out for.

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On 12/13/2017 at 7:51 AM, Budget Appliance Repair said:

You can't just put the ignitor in any of those positions you want.  The ignitor goes in a slot that corresponds to the size of the burner.

Any chance the two that won't ignite by themselves are the two front burners?

With new ignitors, good gas supply and good spark pretty much leaves only one other thing, and most likely the only problem in the first place.

Probably don't have as good of gas supply as you think!  The orifices are most likely partially clogged from the oil/debris build up in the metering hole of the orifice, a very common problem on all brands of sealed burner cooktops with burner setups like yours.

Straighten out a small size paper clip, make a loop in one end so you can't drop it down into the orifice if you happen to drop it and slide it in and out of the orifice to clean the build up out of the orifice metering hole and bring it back to the correct size, do all the burners.

After that the burners should light and you should see a much nicer high flame than you had before, (back to normal).

Willie - Just had opp. to do paper clip cleaning as you suggested. Clips came out clean - and - neither burner will auto light. FYI the two problem children are left rear 5,000 btu and right front 12,000 btu.  If the ignitors, as you also wrote, must be in particular slot please tell me where for 5,000 and then 12,00 btu. That is: left - farthest from gas source, or center, or right-closest to gas source. i can't find instructions on this anywhere. Thanks. Scruffydog17

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I don't think you can put then in the wrong place and have everything go back together correctly.

The top has the ignitor cutouts in specific spots that if ignitor is in wrong position top won't set down correctly over orifice holders and ignitor.

If for some chance the ignitor cutout does clear the ignitor in the wrong position then the burner head will not set down correctly because the ignitor location in the head has to match up correctly with the ignitor location.

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Check all the gas pathways in the burner head to make sure gas can get to the spark. Also check to see if the spark is occurring, you might have to remove the cap and use a screwdriver to make a smaller gap between the burner and the electrode. 

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On 12/17/2017 at 9:47 AM, Budget Appliance Repair said:

I don't think you can put then in the wrong place and have everything go back together correctly.

The top has the ignitor cutouts in specific spots that if ignitor is in wrong position top won't set down correctly over orifice holders and ignitor.

If for some chance the ignitor cutout does clear the ignitor in the wrong position then the burner head will not set down correctly because the ignitor location in the head has to match up correctly with the ignitor location.

Willie - you are right about ignitor cutouts; I have the ignitors in correct slots and seated flat against the cooktop top. I also bent the ignitors very slightly toward the center of the burner; but still none would autolight

Next I noted that the manifold pipe valve (whirlpool part #AP4097718) has a tiny adjustment screw. I assumed by turning this counterclockwise in small increments I could increase the gas flow to the burner. 

SO - WITH THE COOKTOP METAL TOP OFF - I opened the screws (turning counter clockwise) and succeeded in getting all 4 burners to autolight with a steady blue flame.

HOWEVER - WHEN I PUT THE COOKTOP METAL TOP BACK ON & screw down the burners, 3 BURNERS AUTOLIGHT, BUT ONE WILL NOT!

It's the right front 12,000 btu burner that will not autolight with the top on. It will light with a match. I also think I have turned the feeder screw to its maximum open position.

I do not understand why simply putting the top on would cause this. I have $230 invested in non-returnable parts and do not want to give up and throw +/-$1,000 more toward a new unit.

Am at a total loss. What now?

Peeved and Irritated,

Scruffydog17

FYI the burners line up as follows: right front 12,000 btu, right rear 9,200 btu, left front 9,2000 btu, left rear 5,000 btu.

 


 


Read more: http://www.appliancepartspros.com/whirlpool-manifold-pipe-valve-74009417-ap4097718.html#ixzz51emfMZpr 
http://www.appliancepartspros.com 
burner 

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The problem you have is that the spark is not hot enough , 

you have cleaned everything , replaced igniters , they are in the right places 

gas ignites not from a spark but from a specific temperature 

You have proven that the burners work with a match 

replaced the ignition box 

 

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Without being there to see the sparks with everything you have done what J5* says is about the only other thing I can think of.

Another possibility is ignitor wires leaking to ground somewhere along there length, moving them around with top off may have changed position of weak insulation to be not as close to metal surface it could be grounding to.

If you are worried about not being able to return parts if you couldn't get this fixed you should have been ordering parts thru the affiliated parts site that is linked to in Appliantology, (APP - Appliance Parts Pros), you can return any part, (even electric and gas), up to one year from purchase for any reason and just be out shipping charges.

As far as the adjustment screw on each burner valve, (I've never ran into that style before, usually the adjustment screw is down the center of knob shaft which are usually hollow instead of solid like yours), so don't know for sure but generally the valve adjustment screw has no effect on the high flame setting and is only for setting the lowest flame setting so they don't blow out when set to lowest setting.

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J5* and Willie - Regarding replacing the burner box...I'm not sure which part your are referring to.

Would you look at the attached web page & send me the Whirlpool part number please?

And - Willie - I did buy most of the stuff thru appliancepartspros. Feel better about that now.

I enjoy DIY projects and ALWAYS get it right in the end. This one is killin' me. 

Here's the web page.

http://www.appliancepartspros.com/01-body-parts-for-maytag-mgc5430bdq.html

Scruffydog17

Dec 19, 12:16pm est

My birthday no less!

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J5* and Willie - Regarding replacing the burner box...I'm not sure which part your are referring to.

Would you look at the attached web page & send me the Whirlpool part number please?

And - Willie - I did buy most of the stuff thru appliancepartspros. Feel better about that now.

I enjoy DIY projects and ALWAYS get it right in the end. This one is killin' me. 

Here's the web page.

http://www.appliancepartspros.com/01-body-parts-for-maytag-mgc5430bdq.html

Scruffydog17

Dec 19, 12:16pm est

My birthday no less!

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