WGD4985EW1 Whirlpool Dryer - Instructions

The issue was the idler pulley. First I began opening up the front panel based on a youtube video but soon realized the model was slightly different and required a lot more items to remove. I saw the pulley in the back with nothing in the way so I put the front panel crap back on and removed the rear panel. There it was, very simple to remove and replace. I'm not looking forward to drum rollers though. Hopefully they're aren't as difficult as they appear.

Unplug from the wall ,remove upper back panel ( watch out for the grounding wire screwed to the panel), pulled off front knob, then twist and pull the switch out. Unplug the burned out switch, plugged in the new one. Re-assembled what I took apart, plugged her up and dried the load that was in the washer. Note: if yours is burned out due to house power surge make sure the timer is working after you replace the switch, you might need one of thoes too.

I removed the two screws holding the front panel to expose the lower works and verified the heating cycle failure. After a check of the vent system, checking the sensors for continuity and coils for resistance, I retired to the 'net for support. Accepting the general consensus that the most frequent, common and likely failure to be the coils, I rechecked them with the meter and found the two pronged coil to have significantly more resistance than the three prong coil. That was enough evidence to point to the coils. While I waited for the part to arrive, I replace the vent ducting. When the parts arrived I removed the two Phillips screws holding the coils, removed the old ones, installed the new ones, replaced the bracket, put the front cover back on and in less then ten minutes clothes where drying.

I purchased the dryer repair kit with the drum belt, wheels and idler pulley. I watched the instructional videos online and it seemed fairly straight forward. Breaking down the dryer and replacing the pulleys was easy enough. My problem began when I tried to feed the drum belt around the idler pulley. After finishing the job, the dryer would not turn and the sensor light stayed on. I thought something else was broken with the dryer and spent hours trouble shooting other problems that I was having. Finally I figured out that the drum belt was not installed correctly around the idler pulley. However, I could not get it properly installed from the front of the machine so I tried from the rear still with no avail. I finally had to fish the old belt out of the garbage can that I had thrown away earlier. I lined up the old belt with the new one in the kit and discovered that the new belt was much smaller, so I put the old one back on the drum. Here's the lesson I learned...make sure the belts are the same size before attempting to install. The old idler was responsible for the squeaking and that stopped but I am still using the same old drum belt. Hope it lasts.

Replacement handle snapped in place very easily.

I read a fix-it article from another contributor and followed those instructions to the T. Pull out lint trap, remove the two screws. Slide the top cover towards the front and prop it up with a mop handle.
Unscrew two screws in the door switch (with the door open) - Oh, to keep from killing yourself unplug the dryer just in case. Take pliers and pull the plug apart. It will be right in front of you in the right corner at the top. Plug new switch into that plug, reinstall the switch by reinstalling the two screws you removed. Snap top back into place and reinstall the two screws at the lint trap. Oh, don't forget to clean the trap and slide it back into the unit. Now you have earned that beer.
Put tools away and proudly show your job off to the wife telling her how difficult it was.

1 Unplug power.
2. Remove the front of the unit by removing the two screws at the bottom of the front panel. Front dryer panel will swing out from the bottom and then the clips will release the top of the panel, careful not to disconnect the dryer door switch. ( can be unplugged to remove the front panel out of the way.)
3. Looking inside the unit on the right side you will see the gas value. On top of the gas unit you will see two small coils the coil closest to the burner has two leads on it. Remove the two screws to get to the coils, remove the medal plate, remove the connector then lift off the secondary coil. Replace and test. You can test unit with the front panel off. (be careful). If no heat, check that the Flat Style igniter is glowing. (ohm out both coils) before ordering parts. Intermittent heat problems. I replaced the secondary coil, it did ohm out o:k but it had swollen and was very tight on the shaft.

First I took the front of the dryer off then located the igniter. It only required removing two screws, removing old igniter, replacing with new igniter, and replacing the two screws.. While I was replacing the igniter I took the drum out and throughly cleaned the inside. Lucky me, I found 85 cents on the floor of the dryer. I am 65yrs old, married and mother of two.
This was easy to do and sure saved money. I reccommend others try to do repairs for themselves and using PartSelect was less expensive too.

First I removed back and top of dryer, then the support braces holding the drum, after that I took the drum out and the blower covers and cleaned the whole dryer of lint and other debris. Installed the new belt and then reassembled the dryer.

This was my first dryer repair, and it was so easy. Simply pull out the lint trap and unscrew the two screws that are exposed. They attach the top deck of the dryer to the drum.

Once it's unscrewed, pull forward while lifting the top of the dryer. The top is attached to the control assembly. They should both lift up, but you'll need something to prop it up like you would the hood of your car.

Next, use the pliers to pinch the connector so that you can separate the two parts of the connector.

Open the dryer door to gain access to the screws that hold the switch in place. Use your screwdriver to unscrew the switch.

Plug the new switch connector in, and close up the dryer.

Word of caution; there are sharp edges inside the dryer so be careful.

After unplugging the dryer,I removed 2 bolts on the back top of the dryer, then removed the two screws in the lint box area. I used a screw driver to help force the top panel of the dryer up. When open, I removed the top screws that held the front and side panels together. I then lifted the front panel up and away from the dryer, so there would be room to take the drum out. I removed the belt from the pulley (located under the drum) and slid the drum out. I removed the old seal, cleaned up the drum and the inside of the dryer, then glued the new seal on. After the glue was dry, I put the drum back in (with the belt on the drum), put the belt back on the pulley and proceeded to put the dryer front back on. Once the front was on, I put the top back on and replaced the bolts on the back of the dryer. I plugged it in and it is working great! By the way, before this, I had NEVER attempted to repair a dryer before and I am female. If I could do it, so can anyone else willing to try :)

I changed out the cycling thermostat and the high limit thermostat. Mainly because that was what my research indicated was the problem. I then found some more information online that indicated the gas solenoid valves were bad. I ordered them from you and replaced them. The problem was fixed.

In order to replace the valves you need to remove the top panel. Two screws at the top of the front door assembly hold it on. Remove the screws, lift up on the front panel door assembly and move it to the side. The drum will rest in place. In the lower left corner, under the drum, you will see the solenoids. Two screws attach a plate that holds down the solenoids. Take the hold down plate off, disconnect the control wires attached to the solenoids and lift out the solenoid/control valves. To assemble everything, work backwards to the start. Good Luck

After reading about other people with this same problem I took a chance that this would be what was wrong with my dryer.I took off the front cover of the dryer by removing two screws. I located the faulty coils and simply plugged in the 2 new coils Tah-dah Probably coud have been done without even removing the front panel, but since it was off I vacuumed out the lint ( actually my husband did all of the above, but I tell a better tale than he does and I diagnosed the problem and ordered theparts)

I found that the dryer would not start turning by itself. Could manually help it start and it would run fine. Anyway, after a new set of rollers, belt, etc. found that the motor still would not start by itself. Ordered new motor and it was taken care of. You have to take the back off, remove the belt and remove the tumbler. After that, it is fairly easy. Two screws hold the motor down and then you can take the whole motor assembly out. Be careful removing the fan as it takes a 3/8 socket drive and it is plastic. Two clips hold the motor to the assembly. Needle nose pliers takes care of it. Replace and all should be good.

actually i found your site before i even looked at the dryer,thats how i knew to check for the thermal fuse.
I ordered the part and it was on my door in 36
hours,pulled the two wires off the old fuse and installed the new,put the back cover on and it has been working ever since,thanks ( your in my bookmarks)