Trane XE60 problem

I've just replaced the thermocoupler in my Trane XE60 furnace as per instructions from the gas guy (just had the gas turned on after being off for 3 months; just purchased a condo). I have a feeling the furnace is still the original one from when the house was built about 20 years ago so it might be time for a new, efficient model.
Anyway, replaced the T/C and now can't make the pilot light stay lit. The tip of the T/C seems to be just to the side of the pilot light (but still in the flame, but not the center of it). The pilot light ignites okay with a bbq lighter but even after keeping the button pressed down for a minute it won't stay down and shuts off. There doesn't look to be a way of adjusting where the T/C is pointed to in it's bracket.

Any quick answers would be appreciated as it's getting cooler here in NJ.
Thanks, Ian

Is this an electronic ignitor model or a standing pilot model?

kok328 said:

Is this an electronic ignitor model or a standing pilot model?

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I'm no expert when it comes to furnaces, but I'm ruling out the electronic ignitor model as I need to use a long match or a bbq lighter to ignite the pilot light

So this would be a standing pilot furnace. You have to turn & press the gas button down to light the pilot and then when the pilot lights, you have to turn the gas button/knob to the "ON" position to maintain the pilot flame. Similar to lighting a gas water heater.

kok328 said:

when the pilot lights, you have to turn the gas button/knob to the "ON" position to maintain the pilot flame.

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I might be doing some thing wrong that will later be a forehead slapping D'oh! moment, but the only way the gas button rotates when it's pushed down and the pilot is lit is to the Off position (and or course the gas turns off).

Can you post a pic of the gas button?
There should be three settings Off, Pilot and On.
You may have to turn it to On when the button is still pressed down.

I don't know if your pilot needs cleaning or not, but make sure you pushed the thermocouple all the way up in it holder. the flame should surround the thermocouple about 1/2 " down from the top and 1/2 " around it. A clean pilot has two colors of blue. the inter light blue is a much hotter flame and that the flame the should be hitting the thermocouple. When i buy 10 thermocouples in a box, some times two of those are bad and don;t work. So you could have a bad one, or you could have a weak magnet in the gas valve. You would have to have some one put a millivolt tester on it to see what it is doing. New should test from 25 to 36, a test of 18 or less is a bad one, and it has to be tested in a clean pilot. Later Paul

kok328 said:

Can you post a pic of the gas button?
There should be three settings Off, Pilot and On.
You may have to turn it to On when the button is still pressed down.

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I don't have a photo to post, but you have the correct idea of the gas button. There are 3 settings - Off, Pilot and On. When the button is pressed down it will only turn from the Pilot position to the Off position.

Then you should be able to press it down, turn it to Pilot, light it, wait a few seconds while the pilot is light and then quickly release the button and turn it to On.

If the electro magnet is not holding then when you let up on the knob the pilot
will go right out. I went over this info in my last post Later Paul

What the hell no answer to Ian issue?

paul52446m said:

I don't know if your pilot needs cleaning or not, but make sure you pushed the thermocouple all the way up in it holder. the flame should surround the thermocouple about 1/2 " down from the top and 1/2 " around it. A clean pilot has two colors of blue. the inter light blue is a much hotter flame and that the flame the should be hitting the thermocouple. When i buy 10 thermocouples in a box, some times two of those are bad and don;t work. So you could have a bad one, or you could have a weak magnet in the gas valve. You would have to have some one put a millivolt tester on it to see what it is doing. New should test from 25 to 36, a test of 18 or less is a bad one, and it has to be tested in a clean pilot. Later Paul

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Thanks for the info Paul, I did get the furnace working. The T/C wasn't directly in the pilot flame and wasn't heating up enough to keep the valve open. A little adjusting later and I have heat.
A call to a HVAC "Specialist" shows how many cowboys are out there; one company quoted me $660 for a new valve assembly and $250 for labor to install it . A more local service quoted me $80 for the valve and $120 labor! Won't be using the first guy if I have problems down the line!