RF490T2FA Hotpoint Range - Instructions

First, turn off the power. Remove the two retaining screws, pull out the broken element far enough to unscrew the connectors, remove the element, reconnect the new element, screw it back in, turn the power back on. Yes, it is that easy! Took me all of five minutes. Took longer to find my tools!

Pulled range out from the wall. Unplugged cord from outlet. Removed old knob, removed two phillips screws a very top of chrome trim, removed six nut-head screws from back to reveal the switches...removed two set screws from the front at knob base. Visually checked to make sure wiring post of new switch matched the old one. There was enough slack in the wiring to remove one wire at a time and connect it to the new switch in its appropriate place. Put new switch in the panel and secured with the two set screws. Select the bushing that would take up the slack for the old knob to fit on the new switch stem. Held new stem at its base with pliers and used another pair of pliers to snap the stem at appropriate length. (The new stem could not be broken off short enough to have the knob as flush to the panel as the other knobs...this was the only negative factor in the repair) Replaced nut-head screws and phillips screws. I was especially pleased with the quick delivery of the part...even without special shipping rates I received the part in less than 18 hours from the time I ordered it online!

The very first thing we did was turned the circuit breaker off and unplugged the range.
My husband removed the back panel and unplugged the switch. Drew a diaghram of the color coded wires. When we received the new one he broke the extension bar off to fit the knob, plugged it in and we were back in business. It was very easy for my husband as he is a mechanic (millwright). However, if you are mechanically inclined it is an easy fix.

lift eye slide in bowl and trim ring, put the eye back down,

The bake element was completely missing from the stove. There were two wires sticking out of the back of the oven, one with a terminal on the end and the other with the insulation still on and no bare wire showing/ The right side mounting screw was there..

The left mounting screw hole on the oven had been drilled out oversized, so I drilled another hole in the mounting plate above the original., after attaching the element with a single screw.

I removed the one screw, removed the bake element and pulled the electrical wire without the terminal end. Next, I put a terminal on the wire and attached the wires to the element. Finally I installed the element with the two screw into the rear of the oven.

Unfortunately the element didn't work, so my next step is to trace the wiring and determine if a switch or thermostat might be faulty. I have checked the continuity of the wires from the bake element to the thermostat.

More in chaper two..

Oven unit went well and is working. Tilt burner unit was wrong and did not fit. Needs to be replaced by 8 inch tilt burner with four input.

Before ordering the new part, made sure the problem was the burner and not the wiring in this very old stove by putting an ohmmeter on the terminals of the burner after removing it. Since it showed no conductivity, the burner was bad (could have put the voltmeter on the wires and turned on the power to ensure power was coming in......but did not want to mess with 240 volt/high amperage. With power off at the breaker, installed new burner. One caution... since the wire on the burner terminals is pretty soft, don't bend them by putting too much torque on the screws. This turned out to be my only problem.....I had to clean up the screws and work them through the copper terminals with the burner outside the oven before attempting to screw them on the wire connectors in the oven. Not a big problem, but if you bend the terminals too much when you install the burner in the oven, you run the risk of shorting them together, or breaking one. And that would be a big problem.

First I made sure the electricity was off. Then, I flipped the burner up, and loosened the screwon the hinge. This allowed the burner to extend onto the cook surface. After loosening the clips holding the ceramic insulator together, the wires to the element were exposed. The wires were then transferred to the new burner element from their corresponding position on the old one. The new ceramic insulator was affixed over the wire with clips, and the hinge reattached. The chrome ring was worked over the burner, and the burner reseated in its proper cook poistion. Testing confirmed the burner to now work as new.

Removed screws that hold element in place. Disconnected the two electrical leads. Put the new element in place, hooked up the two leads and installed the the screws that hold the element in place.

Because of the age of the oven it took a little time to loosen the screws that held the element in. Once the screws were removed it was a matter of pulling the element out about 3 inches and disconnected the two wires, then it was a matter of repeating the steps in reverse. Very quick and easy

First I shut off the range breaker in the main electrical panel. I slid the oven door off for easy access to the back of the oven. I loosened the two hex head screws holding the element to the oven wall. I pulled the element forward to reveal the two hex head screws holding the wires to the element and removed the old element. I attached the wires to the new element with the hex head screws, fastened the element to the oven wall, slid the oven door back on, and flipped on the breaker. I gathered up my tools and left the apartment. It took me longer to get to the apartment and back than it did to do the repair. PartSelect.com got the part to me within two days of my order, and for six dollars in shipping that's great.. PartSelect.com has been added to my internet bookmark.

This was quite an easy fix once I got the correct part. It was my own fault for ordering what I thought went with my oven. I didn't expect to be able to even find a new heating element because the stove is almost 40 years old. Except for that one part it works just fine. It took me about 20 minutes to do the repair. I unplugged the stove, unscrewed the 2 screws holding the element to the back of the stove, pulled it out far enough to unscrew the 2 screws attached to the wires, screwed the new part to the wires, screwed the whole unit back onto the back of the stove and plugged it back in. It works great. Moving the stove away from the wall was more difficult than installing the new part. It couldn't have been easier and it was a lot less expensive than buying a new stove. Also, the customer service people I spoke to were very friendly and helpful and there was no problem returning the incorrect part. I would recommend this company to anyone who asks.

removed the end caps from the stove panel, unscrewed the back, unscrewed the old switch, CAREFULLY noting which wire went to which terminal, removed the wires.
Reversed the process. took a little longer because I felt compelled to do a thorough cleaning while I was there.

The delivery of the part was within 3 days.I only had to connect the two screws had biscuits that night.

Repair was easy.
Note: the element leads have a potential across them,
so unplug the unit or you'll have an arc strike.

I liked the selection method at PartsSelect.com.
Finding the replacement part was easy from the pictures.
The prices were reasonable.

The part came next day, which was a surprise.
Removal and Installation was 4 screws.
I have become a DIY hero.

Only downside was going out for dinner every night ended.
This site is now a Favorite.