OT - Maytag gas dryer not working intermittently
Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA
Our old but still working Maytag gas dryer is intermittently misbehaving: not heating. My bride reported yesterday that the igniter was heating up, but the gas valve wasn't opening (as she put it, "no whoooosh!").
Of course, when I sat down to watch it misbehave today, it ran. We've got airflow (the vent is down low enough that I can check easily). The igniter's heating up, although it seems to be at bright heat for quite a while (25-30 seconds in two tests) before the gas valve opens. I can, of course, start down the random parts replacement road, and it would still be cheaper than buying a new one; but I'd rather figure out the broken part and replace it.
I'll probably let it rest until the next time it fails to work and then stop what I'm doing to observe; but if I've described a problem for which the solution is always one thing, that'd be nice to know.
Suggestions appreciated.
