Magic Chef Oven won't stay lit...

[3campers]

I'm revisiting this issue... I had decided just to not use it but it has been bugging me so I wanted to search out a fix. I light the pilot, no problem. When I crank up the gas and temp the oven lights... When I turn it back down to let's say 400 degrees the gas in the pilot backs off and the end of the thermocouple (hope I have this part right) stops glowing red and the oven shuts off. If I leave it cranked up to 500 the thermocouple stays red hot and the oven remains lit...no problem... Problem is I can not bake or cook everything at 500 degrees! I have gas, the couple gets hot and keeps the oven lit until I turn it down a bit and the pilot flame retreats...not completely but just enough to let the sensor at the end cool off... Thoughts? Thanks....

[Rich W]

The pilot light goes out too?

On gas ovens, if the oven temperature reaches the set temperature, the gas goes off but the pilot stays lit. Once the temperature drops below the set temperature the gas comes on again and the oven heats up until it cuts off again.

Is that what's happening?

[3campers]

Originally Posted by richw46

The pilot light goes out too?

On gas ovens, if the oven temperature reaches the set temperature, the gas goes off but the pilot stays lit. Once the temperature drops below the set temperature the gas comes on again and the oven heats up until it cuts off again.

Is that what's happening?

No the pilot light stays lit and the probe from the mercury control valve stops glowing red because the pilot flame shrinks... Usually the oven stays on for about a minute after choosing the desired temp then gas stops flowing to burner. I haven't waited long enough to see if the burner lights back up...but I can't imagine the oven reaching 400 degrees in just one minute... I will go try this and see if the oven relights...

[wahoonc]

I will have to dig through my archives... it is one of two parts that is bad, one expensive, one cheap. From what I recall no way to test, replace the cheap part first if that doesn't work replace the expensive one... or buy a convection microwave.

Aaron

[3campers]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

I will have to dig through my archives... it is one of two parts that is bad, one expensive, one cheap. From what I recall no way to test, replace the cheap part first if that doesn't work replace the expensive one... or buy a convection microwave.

Aaron

Actually I pulled the convection and replaced with newer microwave..

***** I'll be damned... No one has explained it to me quit like you just have.. Like I said when the flame went out, I just assumed it was bad and shut it off to diagnose. I just went out to AS turned on oven to 400 in a minute it shut off ... sat and waited and sure enough it fired back back up on it's own!

I'm doing a major happy dance!! Thank you!!!

[Stogiemann]

Aaron, I have the earlier problem. The pilot in the oven will light and will stay lit. I turn the control value and the oven doesn't fire, at all. Pilot gets a little bigger but not much. Nothing happens. Which part is the cheaper one? I have a Magic Chef in a 1989 Excello.