ADG20L4A Admiral Dryer - Instructions

PartSelect showed seven different possibilities why the dryer wouldn't heat. I removed the two screws to remove the bottom panel and turned the dryer on and noticed that the heating element that ignites the gas was working fine. This meant that it was not getting gas so it could be the gas valve or one of the two gas valve coils which are located on top of the gas valve. I borrowed my neighbor"s ohm meter and touched the two probes on the coils terminals to check for continuity and found that one of the coils read zero. I then took both of the coils out by removing two screws and tested each coil again. One coil read 500-850 and the other read zero. This meant that it was no good so I called for the part and received it in three days. I reassembled the parts and turned the dryer on and it fired up after a few seconds. It works as good as new. The part plus shipping was less than $30. My repairman would have charged me $150-$200. While the dryer was apart I gave it a good cleaning with a vacuum and a toothbrush in delicate areas. I also removed and cleaned the lint trap housing by removing two nuts. I didn't know much about gas dryers, but thanks to PartSelect I easily fixed it myself.

1. Unplug dryer from power outlet
2. Lift dryer top from front (hinged in rear). Just friction holding top down. Use flat scewdriver wrapped in cloth to help lift.
3. Locate heating element - rear top behind drum
4. Unplug red wires to the high limit thermal fuse
5. Unplug red wires to the heating element
6. Unlug white wires to the high limit fuse
7. Remove high limit thermal fuse
8. Remove heating element
9. Remove high limit fuse
10 Clean heating box
Installation is reverse order but do the following first!
Clean lint trap - Remove front of dryer
1. Unplug white door switch wires. inside front top right
2. remove two screws securing the front of dryer - inside front top left and top right. Front of dryer is hinged at bottom
3. Clean all the lint you can find. If you have never cleaned out the lint, there might be a lot and the cause of over heating (shorting fuse life). Add to your yearly things to do list.
4. While your at it check the alignment of the plastic glides the drum sits on.
5. Also check the foam gasket between the fan housing and lint trap. Mine was off a bit. Realigned with doubled sided tape.

There was no problem with lint build-up within the dryer & the exhaust vent. I removed the gas cycling thermostat & thermal fuse from system & dryer still was not operating correctly. The radiant sensor & hi-limit thermostat both seemed to be operating correctly. That left either of the two coils as the culprits. I replaced both coils & the problem was corrected.

Timer wasn't working on the regular cycle so I replace it with a new one from partselect. It still wasn't working so I ordered and replace the cycling thermostat, the thermal fuse I also cleaned the vent and dryer it still didn't work so I read the diagram for the electrical and found that a coil for the gas valve is line with timer. I ordered the coils for the valves, replaced both valves and tested the dryer and it work just like when I first bought the appliance.

1. Removed the screws from the lint catcher
2. Removed the bolts from upper rear of dryer
3. Pried off the dryer top from the front (it rests on rear hinges)
4. Disconnected dryer door wiring
5. Removed bolt from inside upper front corners; removed front panel (be careful: the edges are sharp and the tumbler will fall when it loses support)
6. Removed broken belt and lint from interior parts; removed tensioner (which had fallen out of place). Note: The newer models have a tensioner pulley; my older model had a smooth semicircle that was confusing at first glance
7. Flipped dryer onto its back (for easier reinsertion of new belt and tumbler)
8. Placed new belt on tumbler; reinserted tumbler
9. Inserted new belt through tensioner, inserted tensioner "legs" into grooves on floor. Note: The belt will pull the tensioner upright when it's inserted properly (which isn't obvious at first)
10. Made sure belt and tumbler seal were properly installed
11. Replaced parts in reverse order
The process took over an hour because I couldn't figure out how to insert the belt through the tensioner. The trick is to insert the folded belt through the tensioner and onto the motor pulley. If I had to do it again, it would take about 30 minutes (including cleaning lint)

Determining the problem was the hardest part. With multiple parts (coils,thermostats...)possibly causing similar symptoms, I narrowed it down to the two coil valves.
Un plug the dryer. Remove two screws at the base of the front panel. Turn the front panel 180 degrees to avoid disconnecting the door switch. Gas valve with coils on top are on the right in front. Remove two screws in bracket holding coils, disconnect the wires, replace with new coils and reconnect wires. One coil has 2 terminals the other has 3 no chance of crossing the wires. I used an offset/right angle screw driver for one of the bracket screws due to close proximity to the drum. A stubby phillips head will work. You can check the burner operation with the front panel off as long as the door switch is still attached. Swing the front panel around and lift back into place securing with the two screws. Dryer works fine now.

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.

Started out taking the back off, then found online that access is from the front and much easier to get to. Simply pop the hinges in the back of the top panel and then the front of the top is popped off. From there, it is easy to remove the old belt, clean the innards (found 31 cents) and replace the new belt. It was a little disconcerting to see the idler pulley laying loose inside, but the diagram showed exactly how to put it back in place, with the new belt keeping it in place.

I opened the dryer from the front by pushing in on the two clips just under the top. I then had to remove two screws on each side and took the front panel off. I reached around underneath on the right side to slip the belt off the pulley. I pulled the drum out and then I could see the roller that was squeaking (the left one). The wheel had sheared some of the support off and that was the cause of the squeak.

I took the locking ring off and removed the wheel and support. I put the new support in, attached it, and then the wheel, washer and lock ring. I used pliers to push the lock ring onto the support.

Then I put the drum back in making sure it was in all the way (it fits snugly between the wheel and the back of the dryer). The belt is a little tricky to get back on. I put it around the drum and then reached underneath and behind again. The pulley is on a spring, so you have to pull it up and put the belt on all one-handed and blind. Once that was on, I gave it a few turns to make sure everything was working again.

It is quiet as can be now!

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.

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

Popped the two latches at the front of the machine inorder to raise the lid/cover. Found the part just above and behind the drum. Removed the screws, disconnected the wires and replaced the parts. I did have to remove the heating coils, but that was easy too. No wonder the Maytag repair man has nothing to do! Thank you Partselect.com. Not only did you ship the part to my house fast, but it was just as expensive if not cheaper than going out for it. Plus, I found instructions for the repair on your forums. Thanks again, you have a customer for life!

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)

Removed front of gas dryer and cleaned all lint out. Checked HSI, and cleaned flame sensor. Split (3 terminal) gas coil terminals were intermittent. Read about 700 ohms across outer two terminals, but center terminal to either outer terminal was open (Infiniti on meter) 2 terminal coil measured about 550 ohms. 3 terminal coil should read about 700 ohms across outer terminals, and about 1.5K ohms center to outer terminals. Unscrewed index cover plate and replaced coil, 2 terminal coil was okay. Reassembled and finished 12 loads of laundry no problems at all.

First it was a process of alimination to find out why it was dropping out. After the problem was found it was just a matter of replacing the holding coil on the gas valve. Thank you fred kenney sr