HELP...Oven went kaput

[Lori Kleinberg]

Went to preheat oven last night and after about 30 minutes realized it wasn't working :mad:. Had no warning, nothing to warn it was going to die. The stove and the broiler parts still work, just the oven doesn't :confused:. It is a GE XL44 about 10-11 years old, we are original owners.

Any one have any guesses what is wrong? We thought we would call a repair service and see if it is worth fixing. I know they say if your appliances are 10 years or older they should be replaced with new more energy efficient appliances, but this is cutting it pretty close :eek:.

Also, I am in the process of spending my money on pen turning equipment :D, I don't want to buy new appliances right now :p.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Lori - chances are the element died. No big deal - happens. You should be able to get a replacement element at any appliance store that stocks parts. When you call asking about the element - they will need the model number - so have it on hand.

Good luck!

[David G Baker]

Lori,
I looked your model stove up on the Internet and discovered that it is a gas stove, is that correct?
If so, there seems to be problems with the igniter on that stove model. In many cases stoves are quite easy to repair if you can do it yourself but if you have to bring in a repairman the cost may make you think that replacing the stove that is 10 years old is a better idea.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Gas stove sure makes a difference!! :o

Please disregard my previous suggestions!

[Tom Godley]

With a gas stove -- you have an electric igniter that often goes. They are normally easy to replace. Unless this is very old and you have a pilot

If you go to appliancebolg.com you can look over the common problems. You can also join for I think $5 -- for life -- not sure who's life :) But this allows you to ask a question.

Anyway -- well worth the price as they will give you all the info you need. Also, they are partnered with a couple of the big online appliance parts suppliers and two will allow you to return any part - even if you installed it !! This is great because often more than one part can be the problem. If you go to the suppliers directly -- they will not allow you to do this.

Not affiliated in any way -- just a happy customer. And they ship incredibly fast even with the cheapest shipping option. I normally get stuff the next day.

[Pat Germain]

While I'm not familiar with your particular range, FYI, GE makes some extremely low-end appliances for builders/developers. I'm not suggesting all GE appliances are like this. But I bought my house new nine years ago and the appliances installed by the builder are the cheapest things I had ever seen. Seriously, I don't think you can even get them at a regular appliance store.

My GE dishwasher had only one spinner, at the bottom, and sounded like a 747 taking off when running. It worked only slightly better than hosing down the dishes with cold water from the garden hose. I replaced it with a Bosch almost immediately. My range was actually an "upgrade", but it's still a very cheap GE electric model. It works just barely OK. The oven has a few cold spots so nothing bakes evenly. I expect it will die any day now. When it does, I'll dispose of it and replace it with something decent.

Thus, if your range is by chance one of the GE "contractor grade" models that came with the house, it's probably even more likely it's not worth repairing. And gas typically isn't something you want to mess with yourself. Good luck!

[Lori Kleinberg]

Well as usual you guys are amazing. Quick responses with lots of info, thank you.
Sorry Steve :o meant to mention it was gas. David, my husband also thought maybe the igniter. Tom, that is a good website to check out. We will probably call a repair company to take a look. The hubby just doesn't have the time right now to mess with it. Since he does 99% of the cooking and pays the bills who am I to argue :rolleyes:. Pat, that is exactly the type of appliances I have. They came with the house when it was built in 1999. After reading your post I had to run to my kitchen and see if you had stolen my dishwasher :eek:, you described it so well.
Thanks again for all your help.

[Zach England]

I'd forget about it and just read some Sylvia Plath.

[Mike Circo]

We will probably call a repair company to take a look.

Don't give up so quick. I had that exact oven for years and replaced the igniter 3 times before I ditched the whole thing. When the repair guy came out, it was $275 to fix. When I did it myself it was $70. Big difference.

Try www.repairclinic.com

An excellent tool for finding parts. On a guess, I believe your part to be this...

http://www.repairclinic.com/SSPartDetail.aspx?s=t-GE+XL44-%3d%3di1990&PartID=1990

It takes all of 15 minutes to replace. Just remove two hexhead screws from the floor of the oven and remove that big panel. Then remove the burner assembly, held in at the front with one screw if I recall. The igniter is at the back of the oven with the wires running beneath the floor of the oven and into the area behind the drawer at the bottom (take that out too).

Just remove the wire nuts from below, and unscrew the igniter from above. Reverse the order for the installation. EASY.

Let me know if you need more detail.
Mike

[Myk Rian]

The ignitor (glow element) isn't hard to replace. A screw or 3. UNPLUG the oven first.

[Chris Padilla]

Another good site: repair2000.com

I posted about my lower element being out...the site owner had me check some things...then he sent me a new element...great place...saved lottsa money using it and fixing my own stuff.

[Dave Johnson29]

I know they say if your appliances are 10 years or older they should be replaced with new more energy efficient appliances

Huh? Who says? My Kenmore glass-top electric purchased in 1978 is about to get it's second lower oven element. That's the only thing that has failed in it.

I sure would like a turn table in the microwave though. I guess that was not the technology back then. :D

[Joe Mioux]

you need a new table saw. :rolleyes:

[tyler mckee]

Sounds like the glow bar. Even if it still gets red hot it can be bad. They get old and don't get hot enough, so the gas safety valve never gets turned on, easy fix should take all of 10 minutes. I just replaced one on a different brand and i think it was $38+ shipping. repair place wanted $130 just to diagnose problem.

[Lori Kleinberg]

So much help, :)thanks. Tonight we looked over the troubleshooting guide that came with the stove, found something about gas shut off, that sounded alot like our problem but couldn't find the fix they were talking about. This seemed really strange since it is the booklet that came with the stove :confused:.

Will definitely have hubby check those web sites. If everything is as quick and easy as you guys say I am sure he would be willing to do it. The repairman is scheduled for Thursday and it is $130 something + parts :mad:.

I have nothing against getting new appliances, just not right now. We haven't fully discussed a kitchen remodel/expansion. The hubby keeps telling me to MYOB, it is his kitchen, but I keep telling him it is my house and my decision ;). You would think that after 32 1/2 years of marriage he would understand the ground rules by now :rolleyes:. But nooo :mad:... he tells me to just go play with my tools and leave the kitchen to him :D:D.

No new tablesaw. I really love my Jet ProShop and need to concentrate on pen turning stuff. That lathe is driving me crazy, it keeps calling my name :eek: and telling me to turn it on :D .

[Al Willits]

Lori, I have a service manual for it if ya want, a 10 year old stove if in decent shape should get repaired, a newer one isn't gonna be any more efficent to run and a repair charge will be cheaper than replacing it.

PM me your email addy if you want it.

Al

[tyler mckee]

You could also pull the glow bar off the broiler and put it on the oven, if that fixes it you are 100% sure what the problem is before you order parts. I just did this on a kenmore around the same age.

[Dave Johnson29]

You could also pull the glow bar off the broiler and put it on the oven

Tyler,

Good suggestion but before pulling it off the broiler, make sure they both look the same.

I checked a neighbor's 1997 Kenmore and the glow bars were different top and bottom. The actual bar was the same but the mounting bracket was not even close. I just replaced the glow bar assembly and it was fine, albeit damn near 60-bucks for the bar assembly and shipping. Sears make the bucks on repair parts.

Sears wanted 40-bucks plus $22 shipping for the oven element in my Kenmore. Fortunately I found a direct replacement part online for $15+$5 shipping. Guess who got the job? :D

Out here in the sticks we call neighbors before we call repair men. Usually someone can fix stuff. Pretty much got everything covered. :D

[Pat Germain]

Sears wanted 40-bucks plus $22 shipping for the oven element in my Kenmore. Fortunately I found a direct replacement part online for $15+$5 shipping. Guess who got the job?

I think that's the new modus operendi for Sears. They closed all the parts windows in the stores and shut down their parts distribution centers. Now we have to order everything online and shipping is 50% of the purchase price. Sears raked me over the coals last year when I ordered new burners for my Kenmore gas grill. My local Sears store actually carried replacement burners for non Kenmore grills, but not for Kenmore grills. Grrrrr...

Next time, I'm buying Weber.

[Lori Kleinberg]

Okay, hubby took bottom of oven apart, took out part. I will take this part to appliance store tomorrow for replacement.
Will update after oven is put back together and hopefully working. Keeping fingers crossed.

[Dave Johnson29]

My local Sears store actually carried replacement burners for non Kenmore grills, but not for Kenmore grills. Grrrrr...


Wow, man that is CRUEL.

I just dug out the receipt for the oven element that saved me $42. It was with http://www.RepairClinic.com

They will get first look-in for all of my appliance repair stuff in the future.

[Lori Kleinberg]

Success, the oven is working. I don't know how to thank you guys. It took hubby 15 minutes to pull out the old part and 15 minutes to put the new part in. The cost difference, Sears wanted $130 something to come out and look + parts cost to fix. I paid about $80 for the part.
For future reference, all GE stoves take the same igniter.
Again, I want to say THANK YOU

[Curt Harms]

on a $6 investment, huh?:D