Oven pilot light problem, '79 Magic Chef

[blickcd]

Not sure of the model number of the stove but it is a Magic Chef with 4 burners on top and a conventional gas oven with a glass oven door and 12 volt light inside. It is installed in a '79 Airstream and I assume it is original.

My problem is that whenever I go out for a weekend trip and light the oven pilot, it may or may not go out after about half an hour. It's kind of a random thing. Note that it lights easily enough. Another flakey thing is that sometimes when you turn on the oven for the first time on a trip, the pilot light goes out. If the oven is used once and the pilot light is left burning, it seems to be fine for the rest of that stay.

My guess is that the thermocouple for the pilot light is bad. Are these still available and where is the best source for one? Any advice on if this is a pain of a job to replace and any tips are welcome.

Christopher

[Ganglin]

Your problem is with the pilot light I believe and not the thermocouple. The thermocouple tells the oven the pilot is lit and it's OK to kick on the gas - which it seems to be doing from your description. The manual I have lists the following reasons for the pilot going out:

Dirty pilot - clean

faulty thermostat

Low gas pressure

air shutter on main burner open/closed - adjust

[blickcd]

Thanks. I'll look into that stuff.

Christopher

[ASuser]

I have an older Airstream with a Pan Pacific Corp. stove/oven unit that none of the pilot lights would stay lit until I cleaned everything in alcohol with a tooth brush then used air to blow dry everything. I had to adjust both the high and low pilot light screws on the oven and the one adjustment on the stove pilot light feed. Life is good now, the oven stays on (low pilot was blocked) after the oven reaches temperature which was the oven problem and both the stove and the oven do not have to be lit everytime I use them.
The furance and fridge gas controls had to be disassembled and cleaned then assembled with a light grease to get them to work and the water heater just had to be cleaned and adjusted.
60 year old AS with all original appliances working!

[3 Dog Nite]

I'd say it's not your thermocouple. That keeps the main gas valve from opening & lighting the oven with no pilot light on. It does not have any control over the pilot light itself. On my oven, the pilot light flame actually get bigger when the oven is turned on. It has a small pilot light when not in use to save gas. Does your pilot light just go out randomly or when you turn on oven? If it happens when turning oven on, have the oven valve checked.

Ricky

[TomW]

Originally Posted by ASuser

I have an older Airstream ... 60 year old AS with all original appliances working!

Welcome to the forum.

It sounds like you have had great luck so far with your original appliances.

Unless there is a security issue involved, I would love to know just which old Airstream you have.

Tom

[Skamper1]

How do you clean the pilot light for the top burners? Do you remove the pilot line from the control valve, vacuum, clean with alcohol and then reinstall? Thanks.

[ASuser]

I tried to find a date of manufacture but could only find the serial number: 26TS/S0726 with 6207 under that number
made in Santa Fe Springs, CA.
I was given this trailer for the original owner, it was sitting in a cowfield with a broken front door. After replacing the floor around the door I discovered the holding tank had cracked all around the top so I had to remove the toilet and replace the floor.

[ASuser]

The top burner pilot light is easy: TURN THE GAS OFF - remove the pot supports then lift the stove top up and wedge a short board to keep it open, remove the pilot light cover (two screws), put a rag under the pilot light, dip your toothbrush in alcohol and scrub the pilot light for awhile. Use canned air or a air compressor with nozzle to dry everything then turn the gas on and try to light the pilot light, if it lights use a small screwdriver to adjust the flame to yellow then back to blue. If it doesn't light turn the pilot light adjustment screw counter-clockwise an 1/8 of a turn and try again. After your turn the adjustment a turn and you still can't light the pilot light then remove the pilot light assemby and try to blow air thru it, if no air comes out soak it in carb cleaner, if air does come out then remove the adjectment fitting (MAKE SURE THE GAS IS OFF!) and clean and check it.

[retrocar66]

Originally Posted by Ganglin

Your problem is with the pilot light I believe and not the thermocouple. The thermocouple tells the oven the pilot is lit and it's OK to kick on the gas - which it seems to be doing from your description. The manual I have lists the following reasons for the pilot going out:

Dirty pilot - clean

faulty thermostat

Low gas pressure

air shutter on main burner open/closed - adjust

What is this "air shutter" on the main burner? I'm troubleshooting a similar problem. I don't see any moving parts on the main oven burner, however.

[TomW]

I wanted to send you an actual picture of my vintage oven's innards. But the shutter is too tough to get to, and you might not understand the image.

So, in its stead, attached is a scan of my Overlander's Magic Chef's parts list. Look at the lower, LH corner, and you will see "OVEN BURNER AIR SHUTTER".

Tom