DG18CT Maytag Dryer - Instructions

Installation of drum support kit was difficult because my snap ring pliers would not fit in the snap ring holes. Had to use pliers and screw driver to get them off and to put them back on. That took much patience and time. Installation of front guides was a bit difficult because the rivets were loose and turned when trying to drill them out. Also they were bigger and I needed a larger drill bit than the 1/8 told about in the video. Used drill, screw driver and pliers to get the rivets out. Also took more time and patience to do this. Belt did not need replacement but felt it a good idea to do it as long as I was in there. Belt installation was easy because my dryer has a rear view opening and I could use it to thread the belt. Tried it from the front as shown in the video just to see if I could and found it impossible. Could not even get my hands to hold the belt. Also vacuumed out 20 years of lint and dust that was inside the dryer. The videos were excellent in showing what to do and how to do it. Not sure how well I would have done without them.

Disassembled per instructions. Additional time used to clean inside unit.. Its much easier to install belt on motor pulley and tension pulley ( Roller) from rear access panel. Also ensures proper belt alignment on all items.

The repair video is terrific and many others here have thoroughly described the steps involved to replace the drive motor.

The biggest hurdle for me was that the motor came with a new switch that required a different wiring configuration. No wiring diagram was included. Several others had posted questions about wiring in the Q&A and unfortunately PartSelect kept copy/pasting the same confusing and incomplete answer over and over:

"The Yellow goes to T6, Red to T5 Black to T2, blue to T1 and the white you will remove the blue jumper lead between the switch terminal 4 and 1/4" protector tab, connect the grey harness lead to the 1/4" protector tab."

Reading that doesn't tell me what to do with the white wire, doesn't address that my blue and white wires were crimped into the same connector from the factory, doesn't address that I had 2 black wires crimped into the same connector from the factory, and doesn't address a factory ground wire that connected the frame of the OEM motor to the bracket that the motor sits in.

With all the other excellent info supplied by PartSelect, this was surprising and frustrating. The sales dept ignored an emailed question from me, and the Q&A section didn't allow me to post a question.

Searching the internet, I found a wiring diagram on aceappliancesd dot com that addressed my dryer's OEM wiring configuration. Here's what I ended up with:

TI - Blue and white, crimped together into a single connector
T2 - Black & black, crimped together into a single connector (the wiring diagram I found said this should be black & brown, but they both look black to me)
T5 - Red
T6 - Yellow
1/4" Thermal protector tab - Grey (from the harness)

The new motor switch had a grounding tab with nothing connected to it. I removed the screw holding that tab into the switch and connected the (also grey) OEM short ground wire from the motor frame to the mounting bracket.

I had to cut 2 of the pieces of tape holding the OEM wiring harness together in order to get enough slack for all the connections to reach. If you do this too, make sure all the wires are still clear of the moving parts and the hot bits. You may need to retape the wires together at a different location to keep things tidy.

I also laid the belt over the drum and put 2 pieces of tape over it to hold it in place while I got the drum positioned, then I reached through the back access panel to loop the belt around the motor pulley and idler. Once that's done, just reach over the top of the drum and peel the tape off. I found that much easier than trying to loop the belt by reaching through and past the drum.

This should have been a simple repair, but turned out to be time consuming and moderately difficult. I hope these instructions will help anyone who encounters the problems described here.

After a period of the dryer not being used, the idler pulley wheel froze on the shaft of the idler pulley arm, so I needed to replace both parts. After mounting the new wheel and two washers on the new arm and securing with a retaining ring, I went to install this assembly by going in through the small access panel at the rear of the dryer. I slid the belt off the old idler pulley wheel and unhooked the spring from the idler pulley arm; the arm was mounted on a sleeve fastened to the motor bracket by one screw. All that should have been necessary was to back out that screw and replace the old idler pulley assembly with the new one.

That is where the trouble started. Backing out the screw with a socket driver, I found it would go a few turns, then start to bind. I tried turning it in and out to get the threads to engage, but it kept binding. Eventually I gave the screw a hard turn, and then it would turn freely but not move in or out.

Looking on the internet for advice, I found a video that asserts for another model Maytag dryer using the same type of mounting for the idler arm, that there is a design flaw. You can find the video by searching for “Maytag dryer idler pulley defect”. According to the video, the sheet metal screw used to mount the idler pulley arm can gradually loosen due to the pressure and vibration, and begins to “waggle” which eventually damages the threads. I believe this is what happened to my dryer. The video suggests replacing the sheet metal screw with a machine screw and nut for a more durable union.

So now I understood how the screw could be stripped just sitting in the dryer, but that didn’t help me get the screw out. Working through the rear access panel, I tried pulling on the screw head with several types of pliers, pushing the point from behind with a piece of wood while turning the head with a socket driver; eventually I was able to use a pry bar under the screw head and sleeve to apply pressure while turning the head, and with that method the screw backed out. With the screw removed, it could be seen that the threads in the middle part of the thread length were almost completely worn away.

The screw sleeve got somewhat deformed in this process so I ordered a new one, along with an exact replacement sheet metal screw, hoping the threads in the hole were still intact. With the old idler pulley arm now removed, I could transfer the old idler bracket spacer to the new idler pulley arm. When the ordered parts arrived and I tried to mount the idler pulley arm, the new screw would go in only a couple of turns before binding. Rather than risk winding up in the same situation by forcing the screw, I decided to use a machine screw and nut instead.

The original sheet metal screw was a #10. A machine screw the same size would not fit through the hole, and I could not fit my drill into the dryer cabinet in a position to enlarge the hole, so I used a #8 machine screw with a nut and lock washer. First I put some grease on the contact areas of the screw sleeve and idler bracket spacer, then inserted the machine screw through the hole and put the lock washer and nut on the other side of the mounting. The space around the nut is very limited, and most of my tools were too large to hold the nut while the screw was tightened. It was too small for a socket or adjustable wrench, and the clearance from the exhaust duct was too small for the handles of most tools. Eventually, I found a needle nose pliers with short handles that did the job. A thin open end wrench might also work. Then I reconnected the spring and belt to the idler pulley assembly, and closed the access panel. So far the dryer works, but if the #8 screw turns out to be not strong enough, I could get an extension for my drill and enlarge the hole to fit a #10 machine screw and nut.

Looking back on the job, the most difficult part of this repair was removing the damaged screw. This and several other steps might have been a lot easier if I had removed the motor bracket (where the idler pulley arm is mounted) from the dryer and worked outside the cabinet. Part Select has an excellent video “Replacing the Drive Motor” that shows how to do this. It would be a lot of disassembly work, but for someone with good assembly skills could be easier in the long run.

Hopefully most folks out there who replace the idler pulley arm on a dryer will find an easier situation than I did. But for any who have to deal with a stripped mounting screw, I hope this summary will help you resolve it.

This should have been a simple repair, but turned out to be time consuming and moderately difficult. I hope these instructions will help anyone who encounters the problems described here.

After a period of the dryer not being used, the idler pulley wheel froze on the shaft of the idler pulley arm, so I needed to replace both parts. After mounting the new wheel and two washers on the new arm and securing with a retaining ring, I went to install this assembly by going in through the small access panel at the rear of the dryer. I slid the belt off the old idler pulley wheel and unhooked the spring from the idler pulley arm; the arm was mounted on a sleeve fastened to the motor bracket by one screw. All that should have been necessary was to back out that screw and replace the old idler pulley assembly with the new one.

That is where the trouble started. Backing out the screw with a socket driver, I found it would go a few turns, then start to bind. I tried turning it in and out to get the threads to engage, but it kept binding. Eventually I gave the screw a hard turn, and then it would turn freely but not move in or out.

Looking on the internet for advice, I found a video that asserts for another model Maytag dryer using the same type of mounting for the idler arm, that there is a design flaw. You can find the video by searching for “Maytag dryer idler pulley defect”. According to the video, the sheet metal screw used to mount the idler pulley arm can gradually loosen due to the pressure and vibration, and begins to “waggle” which eventually damages the threads. I believe this is what happened to my dryer. The video suggests replacing the sheet metal screw with a machine screw and nut for a more durable union.

So now I understood how the screw could be stripped just sitting in the dryer, but that didn’t help me get the screw out. Working through the rear access panel, I tried pulling on the screw head with several types of pliers, pushing the point from behind with a piece of wood while turning the head with a socket driver; eventually I was able to use a pry bar under the screw head and sleeve to apply pressure while turning the head, and with that method the screw backed out. With the screw removed, it could be seen that the threads in the middle part of the thread length were almost completely worn away.

The screw sleeve got somewhat deformed in this process so I ordered a new one, along with an exact replacement sheet metal screw, hoping the threads in the hole were still intact. With the old idler pulley arm now removed, I could transfer the old idler bracket spacer to the new idler pulley arm. When the ordered parts arrived and I tried to mount the idler pulley arm, the new screw would go in only a couple of turns before binding. Rather than risk winding up in the same situation by forcing the screw, I decided to use a machine screw and nut instead.

The original sheet metal screw was a #10. A machine screw the same size would not fit through the hole, and I could not fit my drill into the dryer cabinet in a position to enlarge the hole, so I used a #8 machine screw with a nut and lock washer. First I put some grease on the contact areas of the screw sleeve and idler bracket spacer, then inserted the machine screw through the hole and put the lock washer and nut on the other side of the mounting. The space around the nut is very limited, and most of my tools were too large to hold the nut while the screw was tightened. It was too small for a socket or adjustable wrench, and the clearance from the exhaust duct was too small for the handles of most tools. Eventually, I found a needle nose pliers with short handles that did the job. A thin open end wrench might also work. Then I reconnected the spring and belt to the idler pulley assembly, and closed the access panel. So far the dryer works, but if the #8 screw turns out to be not strong enough, I could get an extension for my drill and enlarge the hole to fit a #10 machine screw and nut.

Looking back on the job, the most difficult part of this repair was removing the damaged screw. This and several other steps might have been a lot easier if I had removed the motor bracket (where the idler pulley arm is mounted) from the dryer and worked outside the cabinet. Part Select has an excellent video “Replacing the Drive Motor” that shows how to do this. It would be a lot of disassembly work, but for someone with good assembly skills could be easier in the long run.

Hopefully most folks out there who replace the idler pulley arm on a dryer will find an easier situation than I did. But for any who have to deal with a stripped mounting screw, I hope this summary will help you resolve it.

My Maytag gas dryer model MDG7600AWW is about 12 years old. Everything else works fine except it takes 4-5 drying cycles instead of 1 to completely dry my clothes properly. The flat igniter was simply cracked but not broken so it only worked some times. My gas dryer igniter and the 2 ignition coils work hand in hand so I replaced all 3 parts. The ignition coils provide a solid and consistent power supply to the igniter for proper burner tube function. Disconnect power cord from wall outlet. Shut off gas supply by turning the wall gas valve off. Remove 2 small philips screws to detach front panel door from dryer frame. Remove 2 additional philips screws on left front side panel inner door frame. Gently pull front dryer panel off beginning at top and put it aside. Igniter and the 2 ignition coils are plainly visible and easily accessible at bottom right corner of dryer. Igniter is attached to the burner tube and facing into the heater housing assembly. The 2 ignition coils are attached just above the gas valve on the rear of the burner tube. The ignition coils are simply attached to the rear of the heater tube with one bracket using 2 small philips screws. First, disconnect igniter plug wire harness. Next, I recommend using a small open end applicable size wrench (5/16 perhaps) to remove attaching igniter screw. A small 1/4 ratchet with applicable socket size may also be used. Handle the igniter only from the white ceramic part when installing. You don't have to completely remove the igniter screw from the burner tube. The igniter has a white ceramic horse shoe shape slot in which the attaching screw goes through for tightening to the burner tube. Just unscrew generously for removal and replacement of the igniter. Do NOT over tighten igniter screw as the white ceramic plate may break from over torqing. Reconnect igniter wire plug harness. The igniter part I used was PartSelect Number PS373025. Next, remove the ignition coil bracket by unscrewing the 2 small philips screws from rear of the heater tube frame. Remove only 1 ignition coil at a time by removing the wire plug harness and simply lifting upward. One coil will have 2 prongs while the other has 3 prongs so you can't go wrong when reconnecting the wire plug harnesses. I used the PartSelect 'M' Series New Style Coil Kit (2 coils included)which was PartSelect Number PS334310. Replace the front dryer panel back. Attach the front door to the panel and dryer frame using the 2 philips screws. Attach the 2 left side inner door front panel philips screws to dryer frame. Turn on the wall gas valve. Reconnect power cord to wall outlet.

I had replaced belt, but the noise continued. Ordered new rollers and washer. Removed the front panel by tipping the dryer back against the wall and removing two screws at the bottom of the panel. Tipping the dryer makes it easy to remove the front panel. Removed the front drum support by removing four (4) screws. I was then able to just move the drum enough to have access to the rollers. Didn't even have to remove the belt. Replaced the rollers. Needed special pliers to remove and replace the retaining rings. Put the drum back into position and mounted the front drum support. Tightened four screws and then put the front panel back on. Plugged it in and tested it. Problem solved. Took about 35 minutes. Thanks

Replaced both rollers,shafts, bearings and snap rings.

Upon receipt of part, just loosened 1 fastener, slid igniter forward and out....unclipped wire connection and replaced... Could not have been easier. Be careful not to overtighten fastener when replacing. Description and pictures made for very easy selection.

Graet

I didn't think it would fit as it looked bigger then the old one, I called the service department and they were very helpful. They made note of the fact that I had called with questions in case I had to call again, but it worked, and no one laughed at me. It was very nice of them. Thank you for all the help

Per instructions I printed off online: took off door, then the front panel. Pulled out the old switch/button, connected the new switch/button, made sure the new button was working; put the panel back on then the door and DONE!

Undid two screws in lower front of dryer and popped off front. Removed screws holding lint screen duct and brackets supporting tumbler and removed duct and tumbler quite easily. Pulled, cleaned and oiled rear rollers, replaced front glides, and thoroughly cleaned exhaust duct of lint. Put new belt into position on the roller before sliding tumbler back in, then pulled belt over tumbler as it went in. Be careful to follow belt path directions correctly.
Key to this repair was obtaining the parts so easily from Parts Select.com. Ordered at 2pm and had them 2pm the following day. Unbelievable! These machines are relatively simple to keep running when the parts are available so easily. Thanks for great service.

Fallowed instructions on YouTube

Opened your replacement part and found a broken fin on the blower wheel. no way I was going to return it and wait another week for another part. Perhaps you folks need to inspect what you send out. 1 blower wheel with a broken fin and 2 clamps. Replacement was easy and quickly accomplished. Having replaced drum rollers and the belt this dryer is almost new. Thanks