Maytag gas drier burners won't stay lit.... with a twist.

[ZoneIII]

I have a Maytag LDG4914AAE dryer (1994) that won't stay lit.  It started a couple days ago when I found that the drier had been running for many hours and the clothes were still damp (the burner had gone out).  The venting is all clean.  That was the first thing I checked. Even so, I disconnected it from the dryer and tested it again.  But here's the strange thing:  The dryer will fire up if you start it after it has been sitting for a while but the burner will go out after five minutes or so and not come back on. If you you restart it, the burner will not go on.  But if you let it sit for 15 minutes or so, the burner will start again but go out after a few minutes again and not come back on.  ALso, the timer is not advancing.   I have worked on many appliances before but, not being sure exactly what it causing this problem, I don't want to just start replacing parts as a process of elimination.  Hopefully the symptoms will allow someone to help me pinpoint the problem.

BTW, what a great site.  I really appreciate it that I can download service manuals.  

[jumptrout51]

If your glow ignitor is coming back on and not igniting you will need to replace the gas valve coils.

[ZoneIII]

Thank you very much Karma. 

I just watched the cycles with the front panel off.  The igniter glows every time the burner cycle starts and the gas comes on and ignites for three or four cyles.  From that point on, the igniter comes on but the gas doesn't and then the igniter just goes out, of course.   Would bad coils work that way - in other words, work for the first three or four cyles every time I turn the dryer on when the dryer has cooled down for a while and then not stop working after from that point on?    ALso, if I turn off by opening the door,  then  quickly turn it back on, the gas won't come on even for the first cycles.  For some reason, the dryer has to sit for a while and then when it is turned on, the burner will light for three or four cycles.

Also, would bad coils prevent the timer from advancing? Does the burner have to cycle on and off correctly for the timer to advance?   

[JWWebster]

yep replace them coils Check THIS out
ALSO:
Buy them coils here for a dang good price and help support this effort

Part # 279834 Coil Kit for Dryer Gas Valve (2 Coils, New Style), AP3094251

[ZoneIII]

Karma.  Thanks again! 

One more question:  If the coils are bad and causing the problem, would that also cause timer to NOT advance?   When the gas no longer turns on, the dryer continues to run (with no flame) until I turn it off because the timer isn't advancing.  I seem to remember reading that the burner ties into the timer circuit so bad coils could explain the timer not advancing but I just want to run that by you (or anyone else).

[jumptrout51]

In auto dry the timer will not advance with no heat. Timed dry the timer should advance.

[ZoneIII]

Thanks!   That makes sense. I'll order the coils.

[Repair-man]

Hm-m-m, we must be all named "Karma" here

You'll not get very far running that dryer with the front off...you ruin the airflow thru the burners  and will cause the hi-limit thermostat to open.

[ZoneIII]

"Hm-m-m, we must be all named "Karma" here"

  LOL!  My face is red right now!

I'm not running it for long with the front off but only long enough to test it.  It seems to act the same way when the front is on. I wanted to make sure the ignitor isn't bad (it isn't).   I'm not really sure if the burner went on for the three or four cyles that it does with the front off or whether it just goes on once. I'll put the cover back on and check.  Thanks much!

[JWWebster]

All during the drying the burner goes on and off.
 It does NOT stay on or you would have baked clothes.

[JWWebster]

I read your note on the ice box Jimbo. That is funny. When my mother in law had her operation, our smallest one ran around telling everyone that his Nana had her hysterectomy's removed.

[ZoneIII]

Yes, JWWEBSTER, I do know that the burner goes on and off.   As I mentioned, the burner was going on and over properly for three or four cycles but then it wouldn't go on again.  The ignitor went on each time but the gas didn't go on after the third or fourth cycle.

Well, I go the new coils and installed them and now nothing but the motor works. The ignitor doesn't go on.  (And, before anyone asks, I put them in properly.  They only go in one way on my dryer.)   So I put the old coils back in and still nothing.  Very weird.  The only thing that touched the machine since yesterday was my wife, who I asked to vacuum out some stuff in the bottom of the dryer but she did it gently and all connections are still tight.

Any suggestions?  Excuse me for posting this in a new thread as I am going to do after finishing this but I suspect that nobody might now my problem is not fixed otherwise.

[JWWebster]

Just a touch of the ignitor with a finger and it dies. oops
more dryer enlightenment

[ZoneIII]

I apologize for opening a new thread on this problem but I suspect that folks might think the problem was resolved and not see this.

My Maytag LDG4914AAE gas dryer ran all day last weekend.  I found that the burner would light up for three or four cycles but no more.  The timer didn't advance so it would run forever if not turned off.  The ignitor works fine and glows on every heat cycle.  When the burner stops going on, it won't light up at all if restarted unless I wait a while - maybe 10 minutes or so.  It was suggested that I need new gas valve coils.  I got them today and installed them and now nothing but the motor works.  The ignitor doesn't even go on.  I took the new coils out and put the old ones back in but the ignitor still doesn't work.   Someone in the other forum mentioned that the burner has to go on off or the clothes would burn up which made me realize that someone might think I'm totally green.    That's not the case.  In my 60 years I have worked on just about every kind of equipment imaginable and was a service technican at one time. I just haven't had much need to work on dryers.   

That said, the exhaust venting is completely clean and not too long.  The dryer is in the same place that my dryers have been in for 32 years using the same exhaust.  Besides, the first thing I did was disconnect the exhaust altogether. Before someone asks  , the coils are in properly. They only go in one way.  The only thing that happened to the dryer since yesterday is my wife vacuumed out some crap in dryer but she did it gently and all connections are good.   Any suggestions?   I know this is weird and I'm sure I did need the coils but now the ignitor isn't even going on. 

[Al Capone]

Excuse me for posting this in a new thread as I am going to do after finishing this but I suspect that nobody might now my problem is not fixed otherwise.

Hi ZoneIII

There is no point in starting a new topic being you are still working on the same appliance.
I have merged your two topics into one to keep things simple.

Thanks,