Thread: Home Inspector repairs his gas dryer

One of you guys must know all about repairing gas dryers, eh?

Long story short, the igniter glows but the burner only lights about one in five times, if that.
I did my online research and all signs point to the gas valve coils, or maybe, just maybe, the gas valve itself.
I replaced the coils, which was easy as pie, but it made no difference whatsoever. So I guess I'm looking at replacing the valve assembly itself, right?
I checked continuity on all the other stuff, the thermal fuse, the high limit switch, yada yada, and they tested ok, but really, if the igniter is glowing for a while and then shutting down, with no lighting of the burner, none of that other stuff matters. Right?
Oh, by the way, the dryer is about 20 years old. Yes, I'm cheap.

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New gas valve for a dryer is got to be around $150. Is it really worth it?

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

New gas valve for a dryer is got to be around $150. Is it really worth it?

Well, I'm getting it for under $75.00 and a new dryer is at least $400, but I get your point.

John,
Not cheap just frugal. Also old school where you repaired things rather than replace. Its now called environmentally friendly, you are a new "Greener" and don't know it. The cost is irrelevant to the fact that you can keep it going. I keep trying to have my friends use the frugal term but they resist change.

Check for the presence of a Thermocoupler or something similar.

Originally Posted by Garry Sorrells

John,
Not cheap just frugal. Also old school where you repaired things rather than replace. Its now called environmentally friendly, you are a new "Greener" and don't know it. The cost is irrelevant to the fact that you can keep it going. I keep trying to have my friends use the frugal term but they resist change.

Check for the presence of a Thermocoupler or something similar.

Thanks. I checked the thing that acts like a thermocouple and it tested ok, according to the info I found online.

Originally Posted by John Arnold

Yes, I'm cheap.

Sounds like some home buyers who try to do their own inspections.

Earlier this year I spent about 2 hours taking our washing machine apart to locate a water control/mixing valve that had gone bad. I ordered one off line for $42 and that saved me about $30 and an hour trip from buying it from an appliance parts store across town.

Valve arrived by UPS and I quickly discovered that it was just a cold water valve and not a cold/hot mixing valve! Both have the same parts number but the one I needed has an "M" on it that had worn off so I did not see it!

Now we are on day 5 with no washer with already one trip to the the laundromat for the week! Wife is not a happy camper with me trying to save money. So she calls an appliance repair guy when comes out the next morning. He looks at it and asked me how much time I had spent on it so far and I just smiled at him and said can you take care of this! Low and behold he had the part on his truck and had it in and the washer put back together in about 45 mintues. Washer repaired, wife happy all for only $165!

Me I spent the better part of 5 hours and had to pay another $10 to return the part that did not fit, etc, etc, etc........

Moral of this story is to call the appliance repair guy!

John, the guy that fixes mine might be able to help you out.

Similar problem happened last weekend with our remote operated gas fireplace - the pilot comes on, then shuts off, the main burner does not open.

I talked to the gas fireplace people and they all say it is likely the thermocouple not heating up and thus shutting the main burner gas valve off before it opens.

I ordered a pilot assembly (which includes the thermocouple) form them, cost $50.

I will replace that pilot assembly when it comes in, if that does not correct the problem I will call them and let them check it and see what else it might be.

Guys, we are in the wrong business - they charge $75 for a service call ... which includes the first *15 minutes* only!

Originally Posted by Eric Barker

Sounds like some home buyers who try to do their own inspections.

Laugh thought I'd died!! Great comment!

I always try to call the guy that does a particular thing all day long, all year long. I usually get the best results that way.
I know I know a lot of stuff but I also know I cannot roof as fast as a roofer or do plumbing as fast as a plumber. "A man's got to know his limitations".

Manning up and making a repair of anything is not about the time that it takes nor the cost involved. It is about the accomplishment of the task and what you learn in the process. Demonstrating who is the Alpha Dog at the home stead. And not allowing a usurper to enter your castle.

Yea, yea - a little chauvinistic, but also works for the Queen of the castle.

I still enjoy the challenge of being able to repair it myself. Plus, where I live is kind of a pain to get people to fix things anyhow, so some times it's quicker to do it myself. Other times, well, let's just say it's a learning experience occasionally.

Originally Posted by Garry Sorrells

Manning up and making a repair of anything is not about the time that it takes nor the cost involved. It is about the accomplishment of the task and what you learn in the process. Demonstrating who is the Alpha Dog at the home stead. And not allowing a usurper to enter your castle.

Yea, yea - a little chauvinistic, but also works for the Queen of the castle.

True... I put up a full glass storm door on my back door several weeks back. Instructions said it should take about 2 hours. THEY LIED!

It was a comedy of errors on my part:
1. Had to replace rotting brick molding on one side. Did not know it was rotting until I tried to put a screw into it to hold the storm door frame! Second trip to store and about 2 hours.
2. Needed a 1 1/2 spade bit. Had to make a third trip to the hardware store.
3. Drill battery would not hold a charge and I no longer have a drill with a cord because my son-in-law took it and has not returned it!.
4. Had to go next door to borrow one from the neighbor.
5. Wife had tickets to go and see Matthew West and did not tell me that I was suppose to go with her. I did not mind, I like Matthew West and actually his music probably kept me from going over the edge!

Day 2
Door is up in about thirty minutes.

The spousal unit was very pleased and I earned a few husband credits (HC's)with this job. I think she even felt sorry for me for a little while...

I was in Lowe's about a week later and they had a sign posted that they install Storm Doors for $75!!! I said some bad words under my breath....

Scott,

I was a carpenter for 17 years. I once had a job installing 75 storm doors at a townhouse complex. By the time I finished I could hang one in 15 minutes... The first one took about an hour and a half.

We're experiencing an HI drought at the moment.
Rear brake pads in the wife's Subaru this AM. The left wheel took over half an hour with a lot of trips back and forth from the tool shed to the car, and even a bit of cussing. The right wheel went slick as a whistle, done in about 15 mins. I already had the accumulated tools and blocks.

When I do something like that, I feel like I earned the shop rate at the local mechanic's. And I don't begrudge him his $80/hr, when I'm getting tons of work myself.

Originally Posted by John Kogel

And I don't begrudge him his $80/hr,

80 bucks per hour is acceptable, the problem was that their service call was 75 bucks for *15 minutes*!

Heck, that's even more than I charge ...

I figure that if he is going to tell me it is the pilot assembly, which he already told me was the most likely problem, then I would replace that myself. If that does not correct the problem, let him earn his $75 for 15 minutes doing something a bit more challenging than the obvious.

Scott,
Apparently you don't understand how a door mechanic (installer) gets it done quickly.
The first thing you do is throw away the instructions, reducing the job time by 60+ min.

Glowing ignitor does not mean it is functioning properly, i.e. resistance overcome allowing valve to open. 95% of the time the ignitor is the problem. If you change out the ignitor - be absolutely sure it is the same rating as the original for the model - your dryer will work.

Several years ago I changed out an ignitor on a Maytag (very easy DIY) for under $30.

Originally Posted by Juanita Olalde

Glowing ignitor does not mean it is functioning properly, i.e. resistance overcome allowing valve to open. 95% of the time the ignitor is the problem. If you change out the ignitor - be absolutely sure it is the same rating as the original for the model - your dryer will work.

Several years ago I changed out an ignitor on a Maytag (very easy DIY) for under $30.

I had a similar issue on my Maytag range. I replaced the ignitor with a cheap off brand one. It glowed merrily away but the oven wouldn't light. It turns out that not all glows are alike. If the temperature is just slightly less than the appliance is designed for, it won't work. I ordered the much more expensive Maytag ignitor and all works fine again.

Your ignitor may be defective and not reaching the correct temperature for the gas valve to open every time.

Originally Posted by John Kogel

John, the guy that fixes mine might be able to help you out.

Does your guy travel?

WooHoo! Back in the dryin' bidness!

John, glad to hear you are back in the drying bidness again. What exactly did the problem end of being?

(P.S. After thinking about it, I was suspecting the appliance regulator also!)

Let us know what you did, and at what cost. I like to hear success stories.

Juanita

Similar problem happened last weekend with our remote operated gas fireplace - the pilot comes on, then shuts off, the main burner does not open.

I talked to the gas fireplace people and they all say it is likely the thermocouple not heating up and thus shutting the main burner gas valve off before it opens.

I ordered a pilot assembly (which includes the thermocouple) form them, cost $50.

I will replace that pilot assembly when it comes in, if that does not correct the problem I will call them and let them check it and see what else it might be.

Guys, we are in the wrong business - they charge $75 for a service call ... which includes the first *15 minutes* only!

Jerry,

E-mail me, or start a new thread-- I can probably help you out.....
PS: In my area, the gas company service tech's come out and do diagnostics& minor repairs for free for any gas equipment...........

Originally Posted by John Arnold

WooHoo! Back in the dryin' bidness!

So what did it take to get going again......?

Originally Posted by Garry Sorrells

So what did it take to get going again......?

Replaced the main gas valve, which I found online for only $65.00 plus shipping. It didn't take me too long to take out the old and install the new. I just had to say a few of the usual magic words... which I shouldn't repeat here.

Originally Posted by John Kogel

John, the guy that fixes mine might be able to help you out.

Originally Posted by Lon Henderson

Does your guy travel?

Yeah, he could be anywhere by now.