Viking Stove Repairman!

Brisk winds and grey skies kept us from diving and playing with the new tender today, but then again, we had more than enough boat chores to keep us busy! First and foremost was the Viking oven, which refused to light, and which created so much fun during Thanksgiving! It was a mystery, as everything else was working on it: all burners and the broiler, but not the oven, which didn't seem to be getting gas. SO...while in the states, Ron had purchased all the possible replacement parts that it could possibly be: the ignitor, the switch, and the gas valve assembly in the rear of the oven. He really kept thinking it was the latter, as that would be the reason gas wasn't going into the lower part of the oven, particularly since we could see the lower ignitor switch glowing and getting hot each time we turned on the oven. SO...with nothing but time on our hands with the winds picking up and being nasty, we tackled the stove.

Ron in full McGyver mode, wielding many tools

We carefully disassembled the stove and pulled the unit out from its cubby hole in the galley, and after some contortions on Ron's part, he got behind it and replaced the ignitor valve unit and...voila! Nothing happened. Nope, nada, it was still not working, although the ignitor switch glowed merrily away in the bottom of the oven. Hmmmm, maybe it's the switch?? SO...more disassembly, more contortions, then careful re-routing of the thermostat probe and reassembly of the new switch. A small setback occurred when the oven light indicator popped out of its assembly during our contortions to get the new switch into place, so that had to be tracked down, figured out and put back in place before we could proceed. But again, mission accomplished, so we tried the oven yet again. The ignitor switch again glowed merrily, and...voila!! Nothing happened.

Ron was irritated beyond all belief at this point...yet figured that since we were in for a dime, in for a dollar, may as well replace the apparently-working ignitor switch as a last resort. With all new parts installed, at least the repairman we would soon be calling would have a place to start all over again, right?? Karyn meanwhile took advantage of the fact that the stove was disassembled to get in and around the stove to clean all various parts, which also was very necessary, as some parts hadn't been accessible since delivery. And once the new ignitor switch was put in, we tried the oven yet one more time and....voila!! IT WORKED!!

The new ignitor in place

Oven back in place once again and about to be reassembled!

Ron was elated, and felt very mechanical for himself!! Although he immediately began second-guessing himself as to why the original ignitor was glowing yet the oven wasn't working. Was it because the original just needed to be adjusted closer to the gas line in the oven? Or was it truly not working right despite appearing to do so by glowing?? We thought it either worked, or it didn't....yet perhaps it only just needed adjustment. Not sure we'll ever know, but....right now, the oven is WORKING!! Hooray! And...best of all, we only had three extra screws when we were finished reinstalling everything! Hmmm, wonder where they came from?