replaced the oven safety valve. This device uses heat from the pilot to hold open a valve that allows gas from the thermostat control to feed the main burner. It works by boiling the liquid mercury in the sensor bulb, producing the pressure to hold open the valve. My sensor had failed from old age, leaking the mercury.
Spilled mercury needed to be collected and properly disposed, and the valve was a tough fit among the sheet metal parts that form the path for the gas to the burner slots. The valve is secured by flat head sheet metal screws and the gas plumbing is a tapered pipe fitting. The sensor bulb has a small steel spring to hold it in the proper spot to sense the pilot light.
I used gas-rated pipe dope on the gas fitting, probably unnecessarily. Valve faces only 1/2 psi pressure...
l removed the top section after the grates. Then l took the phillips screws out of the three brackets which hold the L brace which supports the controls,thermostat and the regulator. Only because l did not have a closed-end ratchet wrench for 1/4" and l could not locate my 1/4" socket for my small rachet. l disconnected all gas lines and the thermocouple, then l used the power screwdriver without the apex which makes it a great power 1/4" nutdriver and took out the two screws holding the thermostat. Then l just reversed all the steps installing the new thermostat and once l got the air out and gas was pure l lit the pilot lights and everything worked great. And l adjusted my top burner pilot lights a little higher to prevent them from gettig blown out so easy. Done deal.
