RGB528PEN1BB Hotpoint Range - Instructions

This gas range had an oven that would heat, but it wouldn't hold it at a stable temperature. Say you set it at 300 degrees. Well, it'd head up to broiling temperatures, then drop down to like 200 degrees, then 400 degrees (You get the picture).

My guess was that the thermostat, given that this oven was ~20+ years old, was no l ... Read more onger able to detect correctly the temperature inside the oven.

The thermostat sensor is made up of the housing (The part that sits behind the oven temperature control knob), a long wire (so you can route it to the inside of the oven), and the probe itself (Which I boldly assume is the thing that measures the temperature inside the oven)

TL;DR:

-Pull oven from wall.
-Turn off electric and gas.
-Remove the grates and drip pans off the top.
-Pry the range's cooktop up (It's on like a hinge and is designed to lift up. You have to play with it a bit with like a screwdriver on the sides (One on each side). If you pry just a tad, you'll notice these prongs that act like detents. (LIFT CAREFULLY, the heating elements are still connected via their gas lines! They're flexible, but don't man handle the thing!
-Once that's up, it's time to finally start removing the thermostat which is the knob that controls the oven temperature. Pull the plastic knob off which will expose the two screws you need to detach it from the oven (Phillips head). Be super careful. You don't want to drop these screws. You'll be struggling to fish them out of the empty space that sits between the thermostat and plastic knob.
-Once that's loose, open the oven door and detach the thermostat from the back of the oven. Recycle the prongs holding the old thermostat sensor for the new one.
-Go to the back of the range. Like the actual back part of it.
-Frustrate yourself with pulling out the thermostat through the route it's been put in. It's difficult to route it through the tight spaces, but not complicated. Keep a mental note of this route and copy it with the new thermostat that you have to install.
-Don't fret, when it comes time to wire the new thermostat sensor, it's actually a lot easier than you would think to find that little hole in the back of the range that you have to slot it through. It's just slightly covered by insulation. Pulling it slightly aside, you'll see it very easily.
-Screw in the thermostat housing at the front of the oven.
-Frustrate yourself again by routing the wire while taking care not to bend the probe (This is my assumption not to bend it and I think it's a safe assumption to make)
-Find that tiny little hold in the back of the range again, insert the probe through it, then use those recycled prongs to hook that probe into place.
-Yay, you're almost done.
-Reinsert knob on thermostat.
-Turn gas and electricity back on.
-Give it a test run to see if you did it right.
-if it still doesn't work, then it might not have been the thermostat giving you problems.
-If it does work, put everything back the way it was.
-You're done.

Followed you tube instructions I found on line via parts select recommendations.

My husband and I probably could have done the repair in 15 minutes except for the difficulty lifting up the range top, dropping the screws into the range where they could not be retreived, threading the thermostate into the little holes from the top to the inside of the oven and then trying to hook the range top back into place. Even with ... Read more all the difficulties we still accomplished the task in one hour. Thank goodness we had 4 extra screws that worked (actually only takes 2 but of the 6 we had, 4 fell into a place you could not reach into). Glue on the end of the screw driver finally kept the screws from falling into the black hole. It was an adventure and would do it again.

Easy

We bought our replacement burners from Part Select.com at half the price of another major appliance store. They came fast & fit perfect. All around, we are very happy.

just lift the cover and put it on.less than 1 minute.

I bought a new Doble Burner assembly and replaced the old ones.
Piece of cake.

I just lifted the old part and dropped the new one in. Everything fits perfectly. The new flame is a beautiful blue color.

Just have to remove the old kit and replace it with the new one. No tool required.

The key here was that I found the correcd part for an older kenmore oven and it was easily installed

pop up range top. pull off old burner. put on new one.
close top. check for rocking. install leveling washer. check again. 2nd burner didn't require leveling so it was quicker.

matched part needed on web site; took off burner; ordered part; received it on the third day and easily replaced it. Wonderful, easy, and very short delivery time! Thanks.

Couple of screws and it was done. Simple and inexpensive since I thought I was going to have to buy a new range.

The burner assembly was for my wifes daughter. She raised the top of the stove removed the old burners and set the new ones in place she also used the set washer and it works just fine.

Removed the old handle with the new one.