YE20FA4C Magic Chef Dryer - Instructions

Needed a belt. Only snag was for me was re-installing front panel (door)

I took the back of my dryer off to see if the problem was there. I saw that the belt was broken and laying on the inside of the dryer. Took belt and went on line (Google) my KitchenAid Dryer from it's model number. The website was PartSelect. Found the belt I needed and saw a video on how to replace the belt. I called to order the belt and spoke to Steve, which help me with all my needs. Steve knew just the belt I was looking for and placed my order. The belt arrived a few days later. While I was waiting for the belt to come in, I removed the front of the dryer and get ready for reinstall. It took me about 15 minutes to install the belt and put the front of the dryer back together. I found PartSelect to be very helpful and saved me, maybe $150.00 by not having to call a serviceman to do the easy replacement. Thank you Steve and PartSelect, now I'm number 1 with the wife again.

Pull dryer out from wall about 6 to 8 inches step 1 - romove front/bottom access panel. Step 2 - remove lint trap and remove 2 screws (philips type) that is under lint trap door. Step 3 - push in 2 wood shime in front edge between lid and front panel (angled shims like door shims - a putty knife will work to, just be carful not to scratch finish) step 4 - fold lid upward and back (like on a hinge) step 5 - looking from where the bottom/front acces panel was losten 2 screws - one left one right about 3 turns - 9you can remove them it just makes it easier to reinstall the front panel. Step 6 - find appropriate pot or stacked 2 x 4 pieces - something to hold up the drum when you remove th front cover, and from underneeth support the drum. Step 7 - look thru bottm front access hole - there are 2 springs that come down from the door - and clip onto the frame of the fryer - unclip them and place on the side. Step 8 - remove 2 upper screws that hold front panel on, and remove front panel, if you left the bottom screws attached but loosened you have to lift up on the front panel a bit. Step 9 - looking from the bottom thru where access panel was - you will see motor on right with a additional roller (tensioner) - push upwards on tensioner to relieve pressure on motor and pop off belt (remember where tensioner is and how it clips in to base. Step 10 - work belt off of drum towars front - to remove it all the way you will have to lift up the drum slightly off of the pot or whatever you used for support so the belt can clear. Stem 11 - new belt goes on the same way you took to old one off - plat side away from drum with ribs against drum. Step 12 - again lift up on drum and work belt back on. Step 13 - tricky part is how to get the belt back on the motor - prentend you are threading a needle wht a folded over piece of thread - hold the belt with about a 4" loop with your left hand - hold up on tensioner and feed it back thru and work belt back over end of motor pulley, after front panel is back on with the 4 screws tightened spin the drum and make sure belt is between the 2 lines marked on the drum and remove the pot or whatever u used to prop up the drum. Dont forget to attach the springs for the door assemble all other components in reverse order. And dont forget to take the pot back out

Tools and materials:

#2 Philips head screw driver
Standard flat-tip screw driver
1/4" nut driver or ratchet
1/4" drive sockets: 1/4, 5/16
Something 3-4 inches thick to wedge under drum for support (i.e. scrap 4x4, soap bottle, books)

Replacement Procedures:

1. Unplug dryer from wall outlet
2. Pull out lint screen
3. Remove 2 Philips screws attaching lint trap to dryer top
4. Lift hinged dryer top panel near front and lean it back on wall. You may need to pry between side panels and top with flat-tip screw driver to get it started.
5. Disconnect plug from dryer door switch near front
6. Remove two 1/4" and two 5/16" hex screws inside front panel near top.
7. Open dryer door and lift front panel straight up to disengage tabs from slots near bottom of front panel.
8. While supporting drum with one hand, lift front panel and set aside with other hand.
9. Slip replacement belt around drum with ribs facing drum and position it where old belt left its mark.
10. Wedge something under drum to support it while installing the belt.
11. Re-position tensioner in two slots in bottom panel just in front of motor. On my model the bend in the spring will be on the right side with the idler pulley to the left, when viewed from the front.
12. Ensuring the belt isn't twisted, thread a small loop of it through the opening in the tensioner just below the pulley.
13. With the left hand, push against the tensioner spring while working the loop over the drive pulley.
14. While supporting drum with one hand, remove whatever you put under the drum to support it.
15. Replace front panel by aligning the slots with the tabs near the bottom and lowering it into place.
16. Carefully slip the drum opening over the flange on the front panel and replace hex screws.
17. Slowly roll the drum in one direction or the other until the belt aligns and centers itself.
18. Re-connect the plug for the dryer door switch.
19. Lower the dryer top and press until it snaps back into place.
20. Replace philips screws to secure lint trap and replace lint screen.
21. Plug dryer back into wall outlet, close door, set to dry, and press start.

- Unplug the electric dryer.
- Manually opened the top of the dryer.
- Unclipped the wire assembly attached to the front panel of the dryer.
- Removed two screws holding the front panel of the dryer, and remove front panel for access.
- Very Important!! Note how the old dryer is currently installed before proceeding.
- Rotated the dryer drum while working the dryer belt toward the rear of the dryer.
- Removed the dryer drum.
- Removed the old dryer belt.
- Put the new dryer belt around the dryer drum and put the dryer drum back onto the drum rollers and into the rear guides.
- Here's the hard part, lay on floor and reach into the pulley area and motor - wrap new dryer belt around these belt rollers as "noted" in the fifth step.
- Rotate dryer drum by hand to ensure the new dryer belt is exactly installed as the old dryer belt.
- Reinstall front panel.
- Reclip wire assembly onto the front panel.
- Manually close the top of the dryer.
- Plug in the electric dryer.

Step 1. Read all the comments about how to do this job in this forum. (i found them very useful)

Step 2. Read the directions that come with the dryer (they helped a lot)

Step 3. Don't forget to disconnect the power cord before reattaching the door switch wires (oucH! ) or doing anything with your dryer.

I replaced it

First, I unplugged the dryer. I pulled up the lint filter, then unscrewed the two screws there. Then pulled up the top panel. I had a helper hold it up since it couldn't lean against the wall. Then I had to take the front panel off the dryer. The idiots at Kenmore used screws, not pins, so I needed to use a socket wrench to get those two out of the top corners. Then I lifted it up and off. I removed the broken belt. I put in the new one. I replaced the pulley, which had fallen without the tension of the belt holding it in place. It was pretty easy to figure out how it went, but I consulted the online community for a diagram. I threaded the belt in place, replaced the panels, and viola! It worked. Easy.

After using a voltage meter I tracked it to the thermal fuse. In order to get to the fuse you have to remove the heating element. However when I replaced the heating element I didn't check to make sure that the heating wires weren't touching the metal housing it sits in. So when I turned on the dryer I burned out the element and had to purchase another one so a simple repair became much more expensive. Since the thermal fuse is what blew initially I made sure to clean out the vent from the lint trap all the way to the outside vent. It was pretty dirty and probably caused the unit to get too hot and blow the fuse.

Pretty much just followed the video - I'd never opened a dryer before, so I'd watch a step, pause and do it, then run the video a few more minutes, and repeat. These dryers are really extremely simple devices: just a heater, then a motor to spin the drum and run the fan (I think the same motor does both). So you loosen a couple of screws, pry the metal case open, and slip on the new belt. Done! I didn't keep track of time, but I'm psyched to have saved myself a $200 repair call! Standard delivery arrived in less than two days, just like they said it would.

Followed the instructions and the repair went like clockwork, took less than an hour. I spent more time brushing and vacuuming old lint from the innards of the machine than I did doing the actual repair. Finished up $0.78 richer, too, from the change I found inside the machine.

Was a little hard getting at the idler pulley being it was behind the blower assembly, but it was the only draw back.

Shut off power and gas, unscrewed lint vent, raised top on angle with rope, unscrewed and moved door switch, unscrewed and took off front, put new belt around drum, then raised front end of drum with 4 narrow pieces of 1" foam insulation which let me view and install the belt connection to the drive motor shaft, adjusted the level of the drum using the rope holding up the top, removed foam pieces, replaced and rescrewed the front to fit the drum front channel, replaced the door switch, replaced the top and screwed it to the lint vent, returned gas and power, and ran confirmation test.

First I removed the back panel (and found out later when I received the belt from Partselect.com, that this was unnecessary). I followed the instructions that came with the belt and removed the top panel and then the front panel. I placed a piece of wood under the drum for support so that it would not be just hanging from the back. Then I found the broken belt lying on the bottom, and a pulley that was unhinged. I replaced the pulley following the instructions, and vacuumed the motor and all around. I put the new belt around the drum and then through the pulley and onto the motor axle. I replaced all the panels and the dryer is now working like new.

Tilt dryer top. Inspect damaged part(s). In my case it was the high-limit thermostat; but since the dryer is old, I ordered the heating element kit. The thermostat is included. Disconnect wires from thermostat and remove. Disconnect wires from element and remove. Carefully install new element and reconnect wires. Same for thermostat. Dryer works fine. Also, delivery time was one day. Thank you Partselect.