4LEC6646DW0 Whirlpool Dryer - Instructions

removed the catch and the pin and replaced it. We were sent a couple different sizes so we tested the one that looked like the closest match. I think the pin was made with different thicknesses of metal. Worked great and saved us from having to get a new dryer!

Our dryer was leaving rust marks on our clothes that looked like a brown pencil mark. It turns out that the rear drum seal in our dryer was absorbing gunk over the years and we had to change it. It was a fairly easy fix but did require pulling the dryer almost completely apart. While we had it apart we changed this as well.

Anyone with a socket stet and screw driver can get it all apart.
On our machine, start by removing the 2 screws that hold the lint filter neck to the top of the machine (under the flap).
Then pry the top of the machine up in the front. It will pop up and you can fold it back.
Then you will need to remove 2 bolts and undo the plug.
From there you can pull the front off and get to the drum.Make sure you note how the belt tensioner comes out (under the drum) and how the belt is routed. It's quite basic.
After you get the drum off, peel the old seal(s) off and put the new seal(s) on as directed.

Pretty easy and our clean clothes stay clean now.

Repair went well, but my switch only had one contact on the non common end. The new switch had two contacts. One is for operation with lid open and one for lid closed. Make sure to connect to the lid closed contact and the common on the other end and leave the lid open contact unused.

This was so much easier than I though it was going to be. Pulled up on the top part of the dryer and folded it over to the back. Removed 2 screws for the front panel and disconnected some wires. Laying down I fed the new belt on and made sure the tensioner was put back into the right spot, because when the belt broke the tensioner sprung to the other end of its travel. Put everything back together. This was made super easy because you guys had the parts and the shipping was super fast. Alot of the local shops in the area didnt even carry the belt or were not helpful..

Old door catch came out, new one slipped in. All works great.

I order a new belt and I watched the video instructions on how to replace it, follow the instructions, removed the top and took out the dryer tumbler or can, found a broken idler pulley, order a new one, got it in about two days, replaced all the parts and now its working like a new dryer, I called several repair shops and I got estimates from $65 to $150, I spend less than $35 and it took me about 35 minutes to install and I got it fixed..

Prop up the hood of the dryer with flat bar. Take out 2 screws holding dryer front end and 2 switch screws for dryer light inside dryer door. Secure dryer drum with bungee cord. Lift front end and remove. Remove broken belt. Route new belt over drum and pass underneatch idler pulley at botttom of dryer. Apply pressure to idler pulley w/one hand while securing belt around motor with the other. Make sure drum seals are snug between front and back of dryer while putting everything back together.
Have confidence. This is a very easy fix.

First I pulled out lint catcher, you will see two screws ,removed two the screws on top ,( philips head screw driver) I than took a putty knife and pushed in the front of the dryer under the lid and lifted the top up, I than removed a self tapping screw on each side with a 5/16 wrench and lifted the front panel out. I than pulled out the drum and this exposed the two rollers, I than pulled of the nut locks with athe pliers , took off the plastic triangle snaps and pullled off the old rollers , replaceing them with the new ones,put the triangle locks on and that the lock nuts on , I than put the drum back in, than the front panel, replaceing the two self tapping screws , snapped down the top,replaced the other two screws again on top and replaced the lint catcher, I was done.

I was reluctant to call a repair service. Typically when an appliance is as old as my dryer (14 years old), service people encourage you to replace, not repair. I had replaced the dryer's motor within the last 5 years and believed my dryer still had life to it. At first, I tried cleaning the lint build up from the dryer cavity and hoses. This worked but only for a couple of days. After reading other successful repair stories on the website, I decided to try replacing the thermal fuse. It was so easy. The part was easily identifiable. It was just a little hard to yank off the connecting wires. Good as new and no service call.

Do to age and heat the dryer door handle was brittle and broke. Ordering was easy on line. Part was delivered faster tan expected. Oh and the repair time, Less than 1-minute.

Thanks for the great service.

Safety First - I unplugged the power source. I removed the console by simply removing several screws. However because the nut fastening the resistor was in a really tight spot and I had little room to work, I decided to remove several screws from the back of the console to open it up. (This step is not necessary - but for me, it just made the job go quicker). I was then able to use my ratchet/socket set to remove the nut from the resistor. I then attached the wires from the timer to the new in-line resistor. I closed up the console, re-attached it to the dryer and DONE!!! The dryer works fine!!! By the way, the set is 25 years old. I initially thought it was the timer itself but after explaining the problem to Rebecca at this iste , she quickly identified the problem as the timer power resistor. Many thanks Rebecca??

I took the dryer apart by visually looking at it and removing screws, etc. until I had the top off and the front off. I took the dryer apart so I could get the part out and use it visually ascertain I was ordering the same part.

I bought the replacement part and only then did I have the instructions to take the dryer apart. It was further apart than the instructions said. I had to take the front off to retrieve the broken part which had fallen inside the front of the dryer.

I put the front back on the dryer and installed the new part, which, fortunately could only be installed one way. Once I had the two screws tightened into the part, the remainder was to simply follow the instructions that came from your web site and put the link filter and top of the dryer back on. Of course, I plugged in the dryer and checked to see that it ran before completing this.

I am amazed that I was able to find this part for a 30 year old dryer. The part hasn't changed at all. I guess, if you have a good part, there's no need to modify it.

I needed to remove the front lower cover, very easy as it is held on with clips only so I used a flat head screw driver to pop it off. I had to remove the lint filter and then there are two screws attaching the top cover of the dryer to the internal lint filter tray. The top of the dryer can then be opened front to back I again used the flat head screw driver to pop the top open as it has two clips at the front corners. It helps to have someone to hold it open or a rod of some type to keep it open. You can now lay the belt on the top of the drum and work it down the back side by pulling forward on the drum itself to seperate the drum from the seal that presses aginst the back side of the drum. I then went from the lower front to retrieve the belt now draped over the drum and pinched the belt to pass it through the tensioner and over the drive pulley. looking at it from the front the belt will come down the right side of the drum under the tensioner pulley around the drive pulley across the bottom of the drum and up the left side. The belt sits almost in the middle of the drum not against the back lip where there is a groove that might be confused as a place for the belt to ride that is where the seal sits then reverse the process to reattach the top to lint tunnel and reattach front cover and you are good to go . i would suggest vaccuming any old dust/ lint whlie everything is open as this reduces the chance for catching on fire I was supprised as to how much lint was loose inside the dryer cavity itself and our dryer is gas and the flame is an open flame.

The most difficult part of this repair was making sure I purchased the right part !!! Part Select.com has a great website with pictures of almost every part you could ever need. I was able to select the right part and from there the repair was easy.

I identified the correct catch of the three that were included in the package by matching its number to that on the old catch that I had pried out of the door using a flat screwdriver. I centered the new catch over the square hole in the door and pressed it into place. Then I used some needle-nose pliers to twist and remove the metal pin that fits into the catch from the main dryer housing. I replaced that with the new piece included in the kit, gently tapping it into place with a hammer. The repair complete, the door worked perfectly. Thanks for your help and for the speedy delivery of the kit.