How to Troubleshoot & Replace Whirlpool AP6009347 / WP4391960 Dryer Heating Element

Remove the back of the dryer. the heating element is secured by a single screw on the BACK of the air-chute that feeds air to the drum. Very difficult to remove the screw, had to use a box-end wrench one-quarter turn at a time. Got it off, pulled out the old uint slipped in the new one and reattached the screws. 

Replace heating unit with replacement heating unit 

I removed the back cover from the dryer by removing the 7 screws that held it in place. I then removed the 2 wires that were connected to the heater element by using a flat bladed screwdriver. This dryer was purchased in 1992 and is older than the one used in the Appliance Pros help video so the procedure to remove the heater element is a little different. I removed the 2 screws that hold the top of the dryer in place and lifted up the top. The heater body is held in place by a bracket. I removed the screw that held the bracket in place and removed the bracket. The heater body then pulls up and off. The I pulled the heater element out, slid the new heater element into, and replaced the heater body and bracket. Reassemble everything, reconnect the ductwork, plug in the dryer, and it was ready to go. The whole process took me about 45 minutes. If I need to do it again it will take about 20 minutes.The dryer now works perfectly. 

Very simple. Two screws on top by the lint vent. One 5/16 screw holding the heat duct. One 5/16 on the bottom holding the coil in. 

Replaced heating element ,drum belt ,tensioner pulley ,drum rollers 

Replaced heater coil element with Genuine Whirlpool Part. Took about 1 Hour due to cleaning dust and lint from inside dryer cabinet. 

I replaced the electric heating element. Only issue with the new part was that the heating element is attached to its' mounting bracket by two spot welds. One of those welds was broken in transit. I used a self-tapping sheet metal screw and a 1/4 inch washer to hold the weld joint together since I do not have a spot welder. 

Put a new heating element 

Trouble shoot heat element . Had power to element, , open element 

Installed a new heating element and now my 40 year old dryer is back to working like new.