Lower element stop working, wouldn't heat past 140 degrees, then tried to used the stove top and those stop working completely. Is there a safety feature to cuts the stove top off? Also is the element part; easy to replace?

I suspect the heating element might have burned out - does the broiler work? If "broil" works but "bake" doesn't, then replace the lower heating element.

either its the oven sensor rod located at the top of the ovens cavity,or your bake element could be getting a hot spot which is when it gets a discolored spot in the element and can no longer pass sufficient current to heat the oven past 250 degrees

time for a new element

Hi,

If your electric oven is taking too long to heat or just not heating up right, then check out this tip that will give more detail about your problem.

Oven Problems Electric Oven is Heating Slowly or Poorly

heatman101

Sounds like you need an bake element ignitor if the bake doesn't work but if the broil also doesn't work, it could be the electronic clock/timer control. the part number for the bake ignitor is 8054129 .Best off to call a reliable service company such as Sears.

A common problem is the heating element goes bad. I have had this happen and you can see a spot on the heating element which looks different from the rest of the element (a clue).

Many ovens have two heating elements. Upper and lower. Now I am no Julia Child, but I think bake turns on just the lower heating element? And broil turns on just the top heating element????

So I suppose you might have it on bake and it is not working. Might try broil and see if that works. If yes, then you are getting power through all the controls to the upper heating element, so good chance just the lower heating element is bad.

If you don't get heat to either the upper or lower heating element, then I would suspect the wiring or a control.

So far as the heating element, you should be able to remove it and using an ohm meter, get some sort of reading if it is good (I have no idea what though). Or open circuit if bad.

Also the insulation on older ranges can "melt" back exposing live wires! This is of course very dangerous and the wiring should only be replaced with high heat range wiring which I assume you could get at an appliance store?

Or the contacts on a control/switch could be bad. I would test this with a continuity tester or ohm meter.

Many appliances have a wiring diagram down low somewhere. Or might find it online.

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Disconnect POWER to the stove, remove the screws holding the lower element to the back of the inside of the stove, pull out carefully and remove the 2 screws holding the wires on. Check the element with an ohm meter, it should read 0 (zero or very close) resistance on an ohm meter. You may also take it to a store that sells replacements ($25) and they may check it for you.

At the back of the oven where the sides meet the top you will see a thermastat it looks like a small knitting needle with a copper wire disapering into the back of the oven, ensure that it is not touching the oven roof or side, it should be about 1/4 "from any metal surface.
This tells your oven when to switch the heating element on and off, the copper wire goes all the way to the dial on the front of your oven.
The element is working so the problem is either the temperature dial or the thermostat.

In most ovens, both elements are used during the warmup phase even when used for baking and after the set-temperature is reached, the lower element keeps it stable.
You should be able to detect which one is not working with your bare hand. Set the baking temperature for 250-300 degrees, leaving the oven door open. Hold your hand at different heights in the oven and you should be able to sense which element is working and which isn't within a couple of minutes.
If you still aren't certain, then try using the broil element only. If it is heating, then it's obviously OK and that would point to the bake (lower) element by default.
A final check could be done with an open door and hovering with your hand over the lower element; no heat = defective.  

these ovens have a fuse in them called a tco thermal cut out switch if the ovens over heat for a varity of reasons it cuts the power and must be replaced most are on the back of the ovens and are metel disc with two wires on them