DG700 Dryer - Instructions

Fixed it eventually with part PS470049 ('M' Series Ignition Coil Kit). See separate story.

The flame sensor did not fix it but read on for info on how to replace this part. Before replacing this part, I should have read another posting in a different web site about the ignition coils: if you see a red glow inside the burner unit but the flame does not come on, then the problem is likely to be with the coils, not the flame sensor. However since some users here had solved the problem by replacing the flame sensors, I figured I'd try it. The setting for "More dry, less dry" never worked either so maybe this would fix two problems at once.

This dryer is a stacked front loader sitting on top of our washing machine. Opening the little front door (lower left side) is easy once you figure out that a little screw below needs to be removed. I almost broke the door trying to pull it open. The sensor is attached to the side of the flame area cylinder. It was hard to remove both the screw and the part itself from the slots as it's very springy. In fact when I finally removed it, it dropped to the base of the unit and sparks went flying as one of the electrical clips touched the metal (ground). Tip: first disconnect the electrical lead coming from the back of the unit to the ingnition block and later I used rubber gloves just in case. (I could not access the plug/outlet in the back). I installed the new part easily, though I was confused by the electrical leads: the white wire connects to the lead that has a red plastic dot on the side, but I think that must be a mechanical part and not a (wrong) marking, while the red connects to the other lead. Anyway, I connected it the same way I found it and put it back. Reconnected the other electrical wires and closed the door.

This did not fix the problem which turned out to be with the gas valve coils: as they get old, they turn off the flame when they get hot, even though the dryer keeps on turning. To read how to replace that part, search for comments under part number PS470049 ('M' Series Ignition Coil Kit). I don't know whether replacing the flame sensor is going to fix the "more dry-less dry" function, will have to see. Still, this website is great. Our dryer is a Westinghouse bought in 1991 (almost 20 years old!) and with this fixes it's just like new.

Took off front panel, removed drum and replaced parts listed. A bit tricky to keep small parts in place. However, masking tape helped. Best of all was the online diagram of how the parts were assembled. In addition, taking step by step phone pixs aided in replacing parts since there was some down time between diagnosis and installation.

1st I pried the dryer top open then disconnected the two wires for the auto shut-off. Removed four nuts with driver that opens front and releases dryer barrel. Lifted front up a bit to remove from two lower tabs at bottom of unit and put aside.

I then slid the belt over the barrel noting the side up directions on the belt. On the lower left on the back of unit I opened up the vented cover to reveal the motor pulley and belt tension pulley. I put the belt on the pulley and brought the belt tension pulley over the belt. I then aligned the belt to the proper point on the barrel and reattached the front being careful to center the barrel onto the rim that is built into the front. Take care to align all the tabs and shims in the correct order so that barrel rotates freely. Replace auto shut off wires to switch on inside of front and close top.

First pry up on the front edge of the top panel of the dryer which is held in place by snap in clips. Pivot the top open and support against wall or other taking care not to pull on wiring harness. Next remove the 2 screws that hold the front panel in place. These are located on the inside of the front panel. The front then snaps loose also. Remove the plastic drum stop located at the top edge of the front of the dryer. Next I removed the 3 drum screws located inside at the back center of the dryer. Next you can you need to remove the belt the motor located at the rear vent panel on the back. Slide the now loose drum out exposing the rear bearing. With a 5/16 end wrench, loosen the 2 screws on either side of the bearing retainer. Assemble the new bearing bracket to match the old one. Apply a liberal amount of supplied lubricant to the pivot ball and plastic retainer. At this point it was helpful to have someone at the rear of the dryer hold the new retainer bracket against the back of the dryer while I tightened the new bearing assembly in. Assemble dryer in reverse.

Put blocks under the washer where the leveling leg was needed and screwed the part into the washer. Then it was just a matter of moving the washer into place and leveling. Pretty easy.

Removed broken part. Pressed replacement into opening.

First of all, let me thank your wonder web site and service.


Here is the step-by-step procedure:


Unplugged the power.

Accessed the heater assembly from the front left lower corner.

Turned off the small gas valve.

Unscrewed the copper nut connecting the small gas valve and the heater assembly.

Disconnected the 3 wire connectors.

Unscrewed 2 screws under the heater assembly.

Took out the heater assembly.

Unscrewed the screw for the igniter assembly.

Installed the new igniter assembly. Be very careful with the M shaped coil. I broke a new one. That is why I have order the same part twice. But it still cost me less for hiring a tech or buying a new dryer.

Carefully put the heater assembly back into it position.

Connected the gas connector.

Secured the heater assembly to the bottom of the dryer with 2 screws.

Connected 3 wire connectors.

Turned on the small gas valve.

Plugged in and ran a test.

It worked!!.

The dishrack came in one box I opened the box snapped on the rollers and the bumpers and put it in the dishwasher, could not have been easier Thank you partselect

Make Sure Dryer is off and disconnected from power! Also, beware of sharp edges on dryer parts and cabinet.
1) Popped-off top lid with flat-blade screw driver (Insert screw driver in joint between top and front of dryer above door) Spring clips are all that's holding top on in front
2) Unplugged plastic electrical connector located just along the top-right side of dryer
3) Removed one sheet metal screw located about 8" down from top on either side of dryer - total of two screws
4) Pull front of dryer back and pull up at bottom of dryer (Remember that when you replace front you will have to make sure plastic bearing surfaces on dryer tub are centered back in cut-out on front panel. Plastic tabs fit inside the cut-out or else you'll ge a swishing noise when tub rotates)
5) Set front panel to side
6) Flame sensor is located on the left side of the burn chamber sheet metal cover. It has a red and white wire with flat connectors that must be pulled off. Note which color goes to what terminal
7) Unscrew fastener. Note: this screw/fastener needs a non-standard driver to get it out. I have a variety of other drivers beyond phillips/flat types and non of them worked.
8) I ended up using a pair of pliers to just work it out from under the screw. I bent it, as it has a tab that slips in along left bottom edge of burn chamber cover.
9) Finish taking screw out by hand
10) Put new flame sensor in by inserting tab on bottom first. Then, screw in fastener to top of sensor bracket and reconnect wires. White on top and red on bottom terminal.
11) Replace front panel with door by placing in tabs on bottom front of dryer. Again, make sure plastic bearing surfaces are inside of circular flange on front panel
12) Make sure to reconnect plastic cable connector. Note: I added a tie-wrap because it looked like the connector might rub against drum. There are some holes through which you can run the tie-wrap
13) Replace the two sheet-metal screws
14) Push top down so spring clips re-engage with dryer body

unplugged the dryer, discontected the sensor and unscrewed the bracket, replaced the new one and put the connectors back on, screwed the bracket back on and that was it. Very easy fix for a female who does not do much of these sort of repairs but learning.

I opened the top of the dryer to gain access to the outside of the drum. Then I removed the screws holding the old drum veins in using the electric drill with the nut driver attachment. Then I positioned the new veins in place on the inside of the drum and replaced the screws from the outside of the drum to hold the veins in place. Then I replaced the top and was ready to go.

This is the third repair that I have done using parts from parts select. the other two repairs involved replacing electrical parts. Specifically thermostatic controls or swicthes. I am very happy with the parts and the diagrams provided on your web site without wich I would have had to replace my dryer a long time ago.

I popped the knobs on without tools. Easy! I saved $36.00 buying directly from you instead of my local repair man

In retrospect, this repair was not diffcult, but it took a long time because I could not find any directions or advice on the internet. The first puzzle was getting inside. The back panel comes off very easily with removal of a handful of panel screws. This exposes the motor, belts, drive pulleys, etc., and while I could rotate the drum by hand, I could not diagnose the grinding noise or why it turned with difficulty.

To go further, I had to remove the cabinet, which is easy - once you know what to do. Take out three screws along each side, near the bottom (of course, don't lose or mix up these screws with the ones from the back panel). You'll also have to detach four colored wires from the motor - the connectors are color coded, so there shouldn't be a mix up when you reattach them later. There are also two wires (B & W) that connect to the back of the drum that nneed to be detached - I marked B and W on the metal with a sharpie so as to remember which goes where. I didn't bother to check, but they must be the wires that connect to the door-open switch. After that, the whole cabinet (sides, front panel and door, top and control panel as one unit) can be tilted forward and lifted off to be set aside.

It turns out the grinding was from all the crap that fell through the gap at the front edge of the drum over the years - handfuls of paper clips, hair clips, wadded wrappers, earrings and $3.60 in change.

It mostly landed in the flange, or sheet metal shield, surrounding the coil heating element, which encircles the front of the drum ("Halo of Heat"). I cleaned all the lint and crud off the heater flange, and from the whole cabinet. Be very careful not to break the heating coil wire or the ceramic insulatots that hold itin a circle - they are somewhat fragile. If you ever need to replace the heating coil element, this is how you get there. It's a fairly simple matter of threading the new wire could through the ceramic insulators and making the obvious electrical connections at either end.

But my issues were still with the frame and exposed drum, belts etc. The drum is suspended from bearings at the back; nothing holds it at the front. There are two belts. One runs from a small pulley on an idler wheel (tensioned by a spring) to a large pulley on the back of the drum. The other is the motor belt, which is the longer of the two, that runs from the motor shaft to a small pulley on the back of the drum (inside the large pulley mentioned above), then over to the large pulley portion of the idler wheel (inside the small pulley mentioned above).

I wondered if any of the bearings on any of the parts was going bad, so I took off the belts. I don't remember which belt should come off first to make it any easier, but you'll manage either way Pull the idler wheel to slightly loosen a little tension on the belts and rotate one belt off a small pulley, then the other one. If you're new to this, take a picture, or make a sketch where the belts go - don't trust yourself to remember it later.

The idler wheel is attached to a bar that slides in a bit of a track or bracket. By lifting the wheel (stretching the spring) and moving it to the R side just a little, the bar can drop down the track and take all the tension off the spring. The spring is hooked into the cabinet at the biottom, and fits on the idler wheel shaft at the top, so you can take it off with no problem. Once you do that, you can pull the idler wheel/pulleys right off toward you. I took the bar out of the bracket and washed it off and polished it with steel wool to get rid of rust. similarly, I cleaned the frame bracket it slides in. I lubricated both parts with a litte petro jelly before reassembling. All the parts were covered with lint, and I took the time to clean everything off, especially the motor. We're talking forty years' worth.

I also went inside the drum and took out the lint filter and a plastic guard, and used a little brush and a vacuum to clean out the caked

This unit is a stackable washer&dryer,so first pull unit away from wall atleast 4 foot. Unplug power cord,then take10 dagree front panel off then the control panel off and unplug the 5 connetors if your unit has that many,then lay panel asside. Take dryer door off,makes it easier when putting it all back together. Now take front panel off and the dryer lent tube,now just take the 3 center phillips head screws out and slide drum out. Pull upward on what they call the shaft which held drum on. Now these are the parts you should order. Belt,grounding ball clip,grounding ball,drum support bearing,bearing bracket,and most important part is the shaft. The shaft is ur insurance for the whole job. Use a good grease like white lithium grease and coat the shaft end and the drum support bearing. The grease will cut down on friction for a while,and re assemble the way you took apart. Reminder grounding ball goes behind drum support bearing not in front. Good luck and please vaccum.

Used screw driver to pop out old switch, detached wires, attached new switch to wires and popped switch back in to positionl. Done.