DDC4397VSL Dryer - Instructions

I removed the right side panel and top panel from the dryer. I removed the 2 wire and 3 wire connectors from the 2 coils. I removed the bracket holding the 2 coils, replaced the 2 coils, and replaced the bracket. I reconnected the wires to the appropriate coils and replaced the side and tops panels on the dryer. The dryer now lights every time the dryer calls for heat.

My gas dryer would run with heat for 5 minutes in all settings, but kick off and not heat again. Timer would not advance in autodry. Thought it was the cycling thermostat, so replaced that, but did not solve the issue. Ordered the coils, and cleaned out heavily clogged lint from bottom of lint trap, especially right above the fan motor at the bottom of the trap. Received the coils, opened the top and front, took out drum, and replaced the coils. The replacement took less than 2 minutes. Be careful putting the drum back on to make sure the felt is not caught inside the drum. You can give it a spin to make sure. Wear gloves, as I cut myself up pretty good on the edges of the dryer body. The inside of my dryer looks like a crime scene! Anyway, I put it back together, and it runs great. Solved the timer advance issue in autodry, and the heat kicks on and off when it is supposed to. Good luck! Thanks Part Select!

Unplugged the power cord, turned off the gas. Then I closed the gas valve feeding the gas igniter assembly. I disconnected the gas pipe from the gas igniter assmb. Then I removed the two screws holding the assmb. on to the front of dryer. From this point the assmb. can be lifted off a supporting bracket. Three cables must be removed in order to remove the assmb. from the dryer. The gas igniter measured very high resistance and actually fell apart. Reassemble in the opposite order as above. Parts diagrams on Partselect.com were invaluable.

Top is hinged in back, removing the 4 screws over the door under the top allowed the top to open. Removing the 2 screws near the top of the door panel allowed it's removal. Marked and disconnected wiring. Lifted drum through top. New bearing housing required 3 mounting holes to be tapped to 10-24. Installed bearing and backing shims with old hardened allen head mounting screws inside drum while wife held bearing in back of drum. Furnished 3- 10-24 lock nuts to lock mounting screws in place from their back side. Reinserted drum through dryer top with belt on drum. Hardest part was getting the belt on motor pulley while holding the idler in it's correct position due to small access holes at the very bottom in rear panel. Works just fine again.

I removed the front panel and the top of the dryer, pulled the drum forward and removed the old rear drum bearing then inserted the new rear drum bearing. I didn't replace the washers or the retaining ring in the back. Put the drum shaft into the new rear drum bearing. Put the front panel and the top in place and started using the dryer again.

As many of the other posts here on this website mentioned, I had the same problem of the dryer not heating up. I removed the front panel (4 screws on each side inside of door - easy - followed instructions) and once off I was able to view the igniter glowing properly so I knew the starter/igniter was not the issue. Everything I read then suggested that it must be the two terminal gas valve coil, and sure enough it was. Ordered part -- got it in literally a couple days -- removed bracket (two screws) put in new coil -- turned it on -- works great. Could not have been easier. This is a great website and would recommend it to everyone who is a Do It Yourselfer.

Really an easy fix. 2 5/16" screws hold the cover on below the dryer door. From here it's easy access to the gas element. 2 more screws for the valve cover and disconnected the attached wires to the gas coil valves. slip the news ones in place, re-attach the wires and install the holder.Tested the dryer and it fired right up. Put panel back in place and the wife is happy it didn't cost us more than just the parts. Yep, she's a lucky girl. ;0)

i read some of previous customer problems and fixes pulled the front cover off found coil's location when i turned on drier you could see the ignitor getv hot but burner would not ignite unless i put a little pressure on secondary coil when i let go of coil flame would go out. ordered 'M' series new style coil kit came in in about three days installed parts drier workng good i would reuse parts select agian thanks

shut off gas supply, pulled elect plug on dryer, removed gas supply assembly ( 4 screws and 3 plugs ). found broken gas igniter cleaned with air compressor. replaced gas igniter.

The repair in retrospect was very easy. Not knowing alot about the dryer I made one mistake. I put the bearing in backwards and broke the rubber gasket. After ordering a new gasket and paying close attention to what I was doing it worked out fine. Saved me about $200 for a repairman.

Key starting point is to remove top cover by removing two long screws located at the front of the cover
Remove control panel and it's bottom and side supports.
Remove short vent pipe by bending retainer tab.
Support the drum at the top using piece of rope.
Remove main rear cover (leave bottom attached).
Remove electric heating unit and install new bearing carrier from kit.
Reinstall the the heating unit
Remove three screws (inside the drum)to release the inner drum cover and release the bearing carrier.
Install new bearing carrier. Note: the three holes in the bearing carrier are not tapped, I suggest that the screws be installed (threads cut) into the bearing cover before attempting to install the bearing carrier.
Install the new bearing carrier. Note: pilot one of the holes using a small nail etc. then go on to install screws in the other two holes remove the pilot device and install the third screw.
Reassemble in reverse order.

Thanks to reports from others, I concluded that most likely the gas ignition coils (one or both) were no longer functioning properly. I replaced both with the 'M' Series New Style Coil Kit which is about 1/2 the price of either coil individually -- yes,true,go figure! The actual replacement took only about 10 minutes. What was most difficult and took the most time was the removal of the front panel of the cabinet -- this was difficult only because there were no instructions in my owner's manual (or any other source I could find) and it took me awhile to figure it out. Now I could do the whole job in about 20 minutes! The detailed instructions from others as to the process of replacing the coils was invaluable -- I don't know if I would have been able to figure that out on my own. But most important was the information that enabled me to diagnose the problem in the first place. Thank you, all you previous comment contributors.

The instructions that came with the bearing were limited and the illustrations were too dark to see. However, after reading the reports of others on this website, the repair was very easy.

Prior to disassembly, remove theaccess panel on the rear of the dryer. Pull the belt drive pulley arm up and the belt will easily slide off of the motor pulley. The belt can be left on the drum.

Then, remove two screws at the inside top of the dryer door. The top of the dryer will then lift up at the front and slide forward to remove. This will allow you access to two bolt head screws on each side of the front panel. Remove these two screws and then lift the panel slightly up and forward. The front panel will then be free and the dryer drum will slide forward and out. Remove the four bolt head screws (behind the electric elements) from the heater element on the inside back of the dryer box.

You can now exchange the bearing on the drum and the bearing insert on the dryer heating element simply by removing the old and reinstalling the new just as the old was removed - four screws for each.

You will need an assistant to re-install the bearing. Someone needs to hold the three pieces behind the drum as you insert the three screws. You'll also need a star wrench set for this.

The drum is easily reinserted - just be careful to get the front of the drum placed into the front bearing surface when reinstalling the front panel. One word of caution, My wife tried to remove the felt bearing on the bottom of the front panel thinking that it was lint.

I found that the inside of my ten year old dryer was unbelievably full of lint. I'm sure that the efficiency improvements by cleaning the air passages will be substantial and I've just saved $400 on the price of a similar dryer ($900 if my wife and I decided to upgrade to the "new" model that we wanted but really didn't need.

After identifying the issue, the biggest issue was trying to identify how to get the belt around the drum tumbler. After looking through the back hatch, I figured the best way was through the top. I removed the top just enough to work the belt in between the drum and the front sheet metal. Then I turned it on its side and worked the belt from the back hatch. I pulled the pulley back on the tensioner and slipped the belt under neath. Put it back together, been working great.

I read all the reviews first, and decided on the best method, which is, disconnect utilities, remove four phillips screws under front of top,swing top open like a box lid, pull the two spade connectors off of the door switch, loosen the two hex head screws under the front of the front panel,remove the 2 hex head screws near the top of the front panel, and free the wire harness along right side of machine, this will allow you to swing the entire front panel to the right side,now remove the three torx screws inside the drum,this will allow the drum to be removed, exposing the bearing assembly at the rear of the drum. My machine is 20 years old, and when ordering parts, my machine #s were not listed, but they looked identical, but my bearing's shaft had a circlip retaining it in the bearing receiver, which had to be removed,( the newer shaft just inserts into the receiver, which is screwed into the back of the machine). Make sure to install the ground strap like the one you removed.My best advice for someone thinking about this repair, take it apart first and survey the parts needed before making the decision to repair your old machine, my drum's old bearing allowed the machine to function, and the shaft wore through the bottom of the receiver, allowing the defector, a round disc of thin sheet metal at the back of the drum (a $128 part), to make contact with it's housing, severely damaging both parts, making further investment in this machine unwise,even if I replaced the disc, the cut in the back, would allow really hot gases to escape into the dryer's interior, a scary scenario. I cut my losses and bought a new dryer last week. Anybody want to buy a brand new rear bearing assembly & belt for a GE dryer?. If you only have to replace the bearing, the job is a snap, but prepare to do a lot of dust removal!. Steve