Gas Dryer won't dry clothes

Patch010108 · December 23, 2009, 5:41pm

I pulled off the panel to check ignitor etc. Gas flame lights at start. Stays on long enough for a spoon shaped deflector to glow red and the dryer drum to feel pretty warm.

The flame shuts off and after a few more minutes the ignitor glows repeatedly but the flame does not light again. Every time I run the dryer, the flame ALWAYS lights the first time and NEVER lights after that.

I tried a new radiant heat sensor but the symptons did not change.

The gas burner unit has 2 valves with 3 coils. The whole assembly is Whirlpool p/n 349621 with propane conversion kit p/n 239072. The valves are called "1 & 2". Valve 1 has two coils and 4 wires, called "HOLD" & "ASS’T". Valve 2 has a simple coil, just 2 wires. Valve 2 is wired in parallel with the radiant heat sensor.

I removed the valve 2 coil to check. No visable problems, very clean and like new. But the actuator shaft isn’t free in the burner unit. At rest, the metal rod cannot be pushed further into the valve body. I am OK with that, it is probably in the closed position. But it takes a firm upward pull to draw it into where the coil would be. It is smooth, not sticking, just high effort. I am not sure the little coil can pull against that effort.

I did not remove the valve 1 coil. It is not hard to do, but I am not sure I am getting closer to fixing the dryer by doing so. I will wait for some advice first.

I do have an electrical diagram and I am trained at following them and making voltage checks. I can make leak tight plumbing connections too. I have rebuilt many different makes of solonoid valves. But my combustion equipment is very different from a home appliance. I don’t understand the 2 valve 3 coil design. I am only making guesses. It looks like they are trying to vary gas flow for a smooth safe ignition and then a different flow rate once flame is established. Like the ignitor causes the heat sensor to open circuit, allowing current to flow through the valve 2 coil and ignition.

Please suggest what to do to fix this dryer. You have a Whirlpool coil replacement kit, your part number is AP3094251 for about $15 and your replacement burner valve assembly is AP3094285 for $141.05 I hope I don’t have to buy the more expensive part

Thanks for any help you can be, "Patch0101008".

lmm254 · December 27, 2009, 2:31am

Hi, I have a whirpool gas dryer. I have exactly the same symptoms that you described and have followed the same troubleshooting path that you have followed. I checked the thermostats/thermal fuse etc. and have come to the same point that you are at.

I noticed that the radiant heat sensor seams to react to the ignitor. I replaced that part and the symptoms are the same. I am now looking at the burner valve assembly. If you have replaced the coils as Gene has suggested, please let me know how you have made out.

Thanks!
lmm254

Patch010108 · December 27, 2009, 5:35am

Thanks Gene I will order coils Monday morning and post results ASAP.

Gene · January 4, 2010, 4:37am

Patch0101008,

I did not realize that you have a "K" series gas valve in your dryer (gas valve is not shown on the diagram for this model). The [AP3094108](http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch.aspx?pn_=AP3094251"]AP3094251[/URL] coil kit is for "M" series gas valve (for later models) and is not interchangeable.

"K" series gas valve requires the [URL="http://www.appliancepartspros.com/part_details.aspx?part_id=3094108&pn_=AP3094108) coil kit which is much more expensive - $65.18

It will be more cost efficient and safer to replace the whole gas valve with newer "M" series gas valve and burner assembly if your parents decided to keep this dryer.

Your parents dryer is probably over 20 years old. It’s still worth to fix it and invest such money in it, if it’s in good shape and condition. A new, large capacity, gas dryer will cost probably over $400

The gas valve and burner assembly [part]AP3094285[/part]

If you need the LP conversion kit, the [part]AP3094291[/part]

Gene.

P.S. Adam from the APP customer service will discuss with you the coil kit return issue.

Patch010108 · January 13, 2010, 6:50am

Carefully installed coils onto valve stems, stems can move off center and tilted. Made sure they were centered upright and made sure O ring seals seated into recess. Operated dryer, but now I don’t even get the first try flame on like I did before. I can hear a click before ignitor glows and a louder click about the time the ignitor cools off. Using a screwdriver "stethoscope" I am sure it is the solonoid valves opening and closing. One or both of them, can’t tell which.

I don’t recall such a loud click on or off with the old coils. Ohm readings for original and replacement coils are exactly the same. I will reinstall the old coils to verify the differance in the click sound.

My "stethoscope" does not pick up any sound of gas flowing through the burner. Made sure shutoff valves were open.

Did I position those valve stems correctly during coil installation?

Are the valves junk if the stems can be positioned off center, like guide bushings have worn out and broken away?

Do I have a clogged burner?

Is there a screen filter or anything like that I can check?

Do I clear a clog by removing the burner, applying suction to the burner inlet and then pulling upward on the valve stems to back flow air and push the clog out the same way it came in?

How do I clean a clogged outlet nozzle and do I try that first?

Is it harmful to use compressed air on a low pressure converted burner?

I do wish my folks would buy the replacement burner or that I could afford to buy it for them because that would have prevented all this. But I did what I could. I had a bad feeling that coils weren’t my problem because of the ohm reading matches. I am surprised by how loud the clicks are with the new coils though. Maybe I had bad coils and a clogged burner too.

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