lighted when i release the button.

1) Is there any "trick" to getting the main burner lit temporarily,
under manual observation and control?
2) Do you think that the overheat condition has toggled some internal
safety in the gas valve? Can it be reset?
3) What might have caused the overheating in the first place? The PT
valve never tripped, by the way.

Nonnymus

Good one. You have hit the nail on the head!

There is indeed a safety overheat internal to the gas control.
If it senses out-of-bound water temp (or even an empty tank
which has overheated) it trips the circuit to the thermocouple
open. That's why you could light the pilot but it won't stay
lit and the main gas valve won't open.

Once the safety has tripped, the game is over; it is a one-shot
affair.

It would seem you have an iron-clad case against Sears and they
should replace the entire gas control without argument (you hope).
The tank needs to be drained to do this.

Jim

Thanks, Jim. I'm OK at putting i a water heater, but am not
that certain when it comes to the internal workings of the
gas heaters.

Nonnymus