I have a 6 year old Maytag dryer, model MDG2300BWW, and the gas will not ignite. The igniter comes on and the valve opens, but there appears to not be enough flow to ignite. If I blow into the chamber when the valve clicks open, I can make it ignite, but it won't do it on it's own. After it ignites there's not enough flame to get hot enough to dry the clothes without running it for 2 or 3 hours. I've replaced the coils, the hi-limit and cycling thermostats, and the radiant señor. I've also verified that there is good gas flow to the dryer. Could the problem be anything else other than the gas valve, and is there anyway to check the valve?

Do you get pilot?

The burner assembly at Parts & Accessories | Shop & Find Lawn & Garden, Appliance Parts at Sears PartsDirect | SearsPartsDirect.com from Sears will do weird things if bent.

Item #4, which they don't show a p/n for has to get hot enough before the main gas valve turns on. If the burner assembly is bent, not enough heat gets directed to the sensor.

If you don't get pilot, I'd suspect a plugged orifices.

Answer the pilot question first.

There is not a pilot - I assume it would be in the burner assy opening near the gas valve? I'll check the orifices to see if they're plugged.

Let me ask another question. This might be hard to explain. Lets assume that the dryer is in the basement which basically means that the dryer has a supply with the greatest distance down from where gas enters the house.

If you follow the gas line, where is the nearest "dirt leg" along the gas route.

A dirt leg is usually on large consumption appliances like water heater and heater. It is an extension of pipe, maybe 6" that's capped. The supply enters at the top of the tee. The caped pipe points downward and the appliance supply come off the cross of the "T".

This traps junk before it reaches the appliances. It's only required when the appliance gas input is lower than whenre the gas enters the house.

If, for instance, the dryer was located in the basement just after the gas entered the house and then the furnace and water heater were at the opposite end, the lack of a ".

This traps junk before it reaches the appliances. It's only required when the appliance gas input is lower than whenre the gas enters the house.

If, for instance, the dryer was located in the basement just after the gas entered the house and then the furnace and water heater were at the opposite end, the lack of a " could be the root cause.

I know what you're talking about - I've heard them called drip legs. I don't have any installed, but all my appliances are above the incoming gas lines (the gas lines run in the crawl space - I don't have a basement).

Then technically you don't need them.

"drip legs" are typically reserved for incoming electrical lines. It's that loop of wire before it enters the masthead or a loop in the cable lad or telephone wire, so that water drips at the bottom of the loop.

Cleaning out the orifice fixed the problem in my dryer - thanks. There was just a tiny bit of debris, but it was enough to cause a problem.

I've always called the loop in the electrical line the "drip loop" - probably just a regional difference in terminology.

"drip loops" is probably the right term.

I'm glad you got it fixed without buying a gas valve. With all the unnecessary parts you changed, you practically have a new drier. If you didn' throw them away, you have some spares to boot.

If you get bored and it continues to happen, you can install one of those "dirt thingys".

Appriciate the feedback.