PCKS443EB4WW General Electric Dryer - Instructions

The end repair was very simple and took minimal effort. The time and difficulty was all in the testing. I disassembled the dryer and removed the drum and then hard wired each thermo-fuse to determine where the fault was. After test all of those I was stumped. When I opened the door the light would not come on so I assumed it was a power fault closer to the source. However after all of my testing I couldn't find anything wrong. I then removed the light bulb and realized it was burned out which led me to the door switch being the fault. I removed the switch and soldered the three wire together and the dryer started right up! All I had to do was order a new $15 part, unsolder the wires and plug them in. Would have been so much simpler if that light bulb hadn't of been burned out causing me to over think my diagnosis. This was my first major appliance repair and I did it with only the help of the parts diagram provided on the website.

Doing some simple troubleshooting with the volt-ohm meter I determined that the door switch was failed.

The replacement door switch restored the motor circuit keeping my dryer in action.

First, I loosened the the top control panel and then loosened the top flat roof panel which allowed me access to the inside of the dryer. Then, I removed the front panel which allowed access to the drum. I was amazed at the amount of lint that was inside the dryer itself. Most of my time was spent in the disassembly and cleaning of the internal cavity around the drum. I reached below the drum and removed the belt from the pulley wheels and then unscrewed the drum (from the inside) from the back of the dryer and bearing kit. I removed the diffuser and cleaned it thoroughly. Then I replaced the entire drum bearing kit - the old one was almost completely dissentigrated. I probably should have applied some kind of non-flammable lubricant to the new bearing kit - the instructions did not include this step but after about 3 loads a slight squeak (different). I put everything back together - applying the new drum kit will require 2 sets of hands (my 9-year old daughter did great at this). I re-assembled the dryer and it works great, again except for the slight squeak that's still there. I may disassemble it again and apply some lubricant but I do not know what kind to get; I need to check that out.

Everything is cleaned as it is removed.

Remove the two screws holding the top down.
Disconnect two wires from door switch.
Remove the two hex screws holding the front on.
Remove the 4 screws holding the access panel on the back and disengage idler pulley to loosen the belt.
Remove the drum.
Label the wires then remove the heating element.
Check orientation of ground strap before disassembling rear bearing.
Remove four screws holding rear bearing to back of heating element.
Install rear bearing and ground strap on to heating element.
Reinstall heating element.
Reconnect wires.

Most Important : Get help putting parts back on drum! I didn't and that's why it took over 2 hours.
I will describe how I did it.

Unscrew bearing from inside of drum.
Wrap screwdriver with tape to a little larger than the screw hole.
Use small screwdriver to line up the drum, shim and deflector.
Don't forget the brass shim. It wasn't on the parts diagram.
Start two screws don't tighten them yet.
Remove Screwdriver and start third screw. Tighten all three down.
Put belt on drum.
Install drum and belt.
Reverse disassembly.
When putting the front on make sure drum rests in the felt.

I rated this a bit difficult because I did it myself. With help this is a fairly easy repair.

Opened door, removed screw holding down metal plate that presses against interlock switch when door is closed. Removed plastic cover thingy that is over interlock switches. Removed the interlock switch by pressing the plastic lock thingy away from switch. Pulled the wires off each end of the interlock switch. Removed new interlock switch from plastic bag and reversed above procedure. Done, shut door and the dishwasher works.

I followed the directions that were listed on this site by other Do It Yourself individuals...by the way I'm a lady and more mechanically inclined than my husband, but he was a great help in lifting the drum up and out. (I unplugged the dryer before starting repairs)
1. I removed the two screws located at the top of the dryer inside the door.
2. Top of dryer cabinet lifted up after screws were removed.
3. Located and removed front panel retension screws and removed front panel and set aside
4. slipped belt off motor by reducing tension on idler pully
5. Removed screws inside drum that secured drum to bearing assembly
6. Husband and I lifted drum up and out of cabinet (this went very smoothly and took less than 15 minutes time.
7. Followed supplied bearing drum instructions and removed old bearing and installed new assembly.
8. Thoroughly cleaned out internal cabinet, blower, and motor areas
9. Reset the idler pully into proper position.
10. Tipped dryer on 'back' to reseat the drum With A NEW DRYER BELT (taped temporarily around the drum) into the bearing shaft (I may not be using the proper terms)
11. tipped dryer upright and while Hubby balanced the drum, the front panel was resecured to the rest of the cabinet.
12. Removed temporarily applied tape that held the drum belt in the general position, then using the rear access panel, I slipped the belt over the motor into the proper posisiton.
13. Top cabinet was reapplied and screwed into
place.
14 Plugged in and tested the dryer...NO SQUEAKS and it works beautifully and quietly!!

The job is not terribly difficult, but I am only 5 feet tall and the drum is bulky to work with and balance. Reaching into the cabinet to slip the belt onto the motor stretched my arm to the limit.
I found the cabinet reassembly and realignment of the screw holes quite annoying. But the total job proved satisfying upon completion.

Washer/dryer belongs to a friend. Originally, the problem was that the dryer wouldn’t heat, so I opened it up, and removed the drum thinking it might be the heating element. It wasn’t, and the ohm reading confirmed this. It turned out to be a burnt wire connector to the element ( unknown to me, and found out later, was that the start switch had remained continuously in the down position because the switch was pressed too far down and thus remained locked “on” in place under the surrounding cabinet frame. This, in my opinion, caused for a continual call for heat and thus burnt the wire.)

I replaced the burnt wire/connector and reassembled. Now the dryer would heat, but would only run if the start button was continually depressed. Let go of the button, and the dryer stopped.

Repair pros suggested a new start switch. I bought a new start switch along with a new interlock switch (it basically shuts off dryer if belt breaks because lack of a belt releases pressure on the pulley that keeps switch depressed.) Apparently they can go bad, too.

It turns out neither of these switches were bad. Instead, upon further inspection, after the first installation of the drum belt, the L-shaped bracket which holds the pulley for belt tension became dislocated from its correct position and was not allowing for the depression of the interlock switch, causing the dryer to “read” broken belt, and thus, not run.

I loosened the motor bracket to allow placing the bracket in the correct position. Reassembled and all was good.
PSA - almost every sheet metal edge is razor sharp.
In the process of returning parts. Now in the process of returning parts.

There are 2 switches that should be pressed in when you move the handle to lock door, the switches usually go bad with time. Just take the six screws off on the inside of door, then remove screw on the underneath part of handle. The switches are located on the top part under a piece of 1 inch metal plate held in by a screw, remove that and you'll see the 2 switches, test the button on each one to see if it goes in and out, you'll hear the click to. Just unplug bottom first then the top if you need to replace the top one. Thats it.

First I called to get help with the right part and they told me I needed the pus-to-start-switch. It came in and I called my handyman Ed to install it. I am happy with your service. I dont install but just got the part in.

My dryer knob broke on the timer cycle switch so I ordered a new one along with a new dryer knob which didn't fix the problem, then I ordered the start switch and all I had to do was remove the back of the dryer where all the knobs are located and remove the start switch by turning the start switch to remove it, replace it with the new one by turning it till it clicks in just like when you removed it, put knob back on the front. However that didn't fix my dryer either so I ordered the thermal fuse and switched it out and that was what started the dryer back up. It is located on the back all the way to the bottom where the electrical cord is. Remove the cover and locate the fuse. Use a pair of pliers to pop it out and push the new one back in.

watched the video on your website,this made repair to the dryer very easy.hardest step in the repair was getting the belt hooked up on motor and tensioner,but being old and persistent i finally won!

please unplug power cord for safety reasons, remove the 2 screws on the top back of the machine. this will allow for removal of the top lid. Next you will need to remove the cycle knob, then remove the panel cover on the front top of the Dryer, this is necessary to access the 2 screws on the front, these are Robertson head screws but a #2 Phillips will work. loosen both left and right screws note to not completely remove them. pick up on the front panel then lean the top forward. this will give ample room to install the new belt, once the belt is placed over the tub you can reassemble the front panel, cover, and knob. on the back of the dryer towards the bottom there are 2 more #2 phillip screws that need to be removed to get to the tensioner, pull the belt down and around the tensioner and then around the pulley of the drive motor, rotate the drum a few times to ensure the belt is aligned properly with the motor pulley then replace the rear cover tighten all screws. Plug in the dryer and give it a test drive to make sure the belt was the only issue

First unplug dryer to prevent electrical shock. To remove the front of the dryer, open the door in top left and top right corners is a machine screw. They can be removed with a Phillips screw driver. Lift the top slightly and let front fall forward about 6 inches, lift slightly. Two wire will be connected to the switch in the door. remove the wires and squeeze the tabs on both sides of the switch and push it out. Push new switch in to replace old switch and reassemble.

I unscrewed the inside of the dishwasher door and clearly saw the old interlock switch. This dishwasher has two, but it was obvious that one switch worked and one didn't (one switched was permanently pressed in). I removed the old interlock switch. It was tricky to pull out and I felt like I was going to break it but after watching youtube videos, I was pretty sure you just have to pull hard. I easily put the new switch in, reattached the dishwasher door, and it works perfectly!

Took the screws out of the back of the doorl located the switch and replaced it put screws back in and it was fixed