Pilot flame

[DaG]

Hi all.
My gas boiler is pretty ancient, has been very reliable over the years, but now it has a problem
It's a fairly minor problem, the pilot flame wont light using the push button ignitor. It lights ok with a taper & stays lit but the spark from the ignitor just wont light it.
The spark is jumping across a gap about 3 to 4mm & doesn't look very strong. Then again I don't really know what the spark should look like.

What I don't understand is the pilot flame comes out of the right side of the injector where it wraps around the thermocouple & is about 20mm long.
The spark jumps to the left side of the injector about 6mm down the injector, no where near where the gas/flame comes out.
Also there is another much smaller flame that comes out of the tip of the injector, is this normal, two pilot flames?
BTW, it is this boiler - Thorn Emi M30/42B...... 305C633 Iss
Thanks for any help.

 

[Bill the gasman]

Hi Dag the pilot burner on that model has two holes one heats the t/c lead and the other lights the main burner.

 

[stevetheplumber]

clean the pilot assembly

 

[DaG]

Hi Dag the pilot burner on that model has two holes one heats the t/c lead and the other lights the main burner.

Ah right.
The main burner pilot is about 7mm long when the other pilot flame is 20mm long, does that sound about right?
Steve. I've cleaned the pilot burner but it still wont light & I'm wondering if it's worth replacing the piezo ignitor thingy. Do these ignitors get weak after a time & maybe the spark isn't strong enough?
BTW, thanks for the replies.

 

[kirkgas]

the piezo can lose strength but also look out for a short in the lead which is reducing the spark

 

[glenno1]

ive had this a couple of times and found that cleaning area in and around pilot burner with air duster can work sometimes