What equipment is needed to go potholing(exploring caves)?
Most likely you need to replace the pilot orifice. On the ignitor/pilot assembly there is an aluminum tube run into it. You unhook that tube(if the unit is off no gas will come out) Up in the block that the ignitor clips to is a small bell shaped orifice. You need to remove that orifice take it to a local HVAC supply house(CC Dickson, RE Michaels, etc) and ask for a replacement. They almost always have them in stock and most likely less than a buck. If the ignitor is glowing but not lighting the pilot you are not getting the proper amount of gas through the pilot orifice(clogged orifice on that age is very common). Also since the ignitor is lighting up the pressure switch is ok and the draft motor is operating properly so unlikely anything in the flue. Sorry you got screwed by a tech that obviously should not be in this line of work. The super dangerous expensive big job part was probably the heat exchanger. Bad techs usually fall back on that if they can't figure out what is wrong.
Just be careful when you're driving. You seriously do not want to end up like James Kim (senior editor of Cnet who passed away from being stranded.)
