Drive belt for ge gas dryer will not get tight. Is

The reason for this will be that you have mis-routed the belt or that the spring on the idler arm is weak or has broken / dropped off. The idler pulley puts tension on the back edge of the belt. What made the loud noise will be the key to this. My bet is that you lost the spring or an idler arm mounting bolt.

If the model number you listed this question under is correct, changing the drive belt involves the following steps (skip down to step 6 for instructions on how to route the belt on the belt tensioner and motor pulley):
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1. UNPLUG the dryer and remove the lint screen.

2. Remove the two screws that were under the lint screen and lift the top panel.

3. Unplug the door switch connector plug and any ground wire that may be installed on the casing.

4. Locate the two screws that hold the front panel in place. There should be one screw on each side in the cabinet interior.

5. With the door shut, lean against the front panel and remove the two screws that hold it in place. Once the screws are removed, grasp the front panel at the top center and lift straight up to remove.

You should now have complete access to the dryer interior. Release the belt tension, by pushing the idler pulley (tensioner) to the right (away from the belt) and remove the old belt from around the drum.

If the belt has broken, this may sometimes cause the idler pulley (tensioner) to come loose. This is normal with no tension on the pulley to hold it in place. To install a new belt and re-install the pulley, follow these steps:

6. Loop the drive belt around the dryer drum with the groove side facing the drum. (Try to line the belt up with the wear marks already on the drum from the previous belt).

7. With the tensioner in your left hand, insert the clip end of the idler pulley into the grooves on the dryer bottom casing with the idler wheel pointing to your left. (The grooves are directly in front of the drive motor.)

8. While holding the tensioner in place, insert the belt UNDER the wheel with your right hand and push the wheel to the RIGHT while pulling the belt over the drive motor pulley.

If this does not explain it well enough, you can also verify by going to repairclinic.com. Click on the Repair Help link and look for the "Dryer Belt Diagrams" link under the Special Features section on the next page. Look for WHIRLPOOL and refer to diagram H (This model is manufactured by Whirlpool).

Replacement parts (if required) can be ordered on line at any of the following websites:

searspartsdirect.com
pcappliancerepair.com
appliancepartspros.com
repairclinic.com

The part number for a replacement belt is 341241. All these sites offer great service with competitive pricing, so shop and compare. The first three sites I have listed also include helpful exploded view diagrams that can help you locate and properly identify the parts you may need. you can view a diagram of the belt and tensioner under the "Cabinet Parts" section.

NOTE: If you still have the Teflon glide type tensioner, Whirlpool recommends you replace it with a conventional roller type idler pulley. The Teflon type tensioners caused premature wear to the drive belt. The part number is 691366.


Once you have the belt installed, re-install the dryer front panel by holding it as you did previously. Line up the holes on the inside bottom edge of the front panel with the small mounting cleats on the front edge of the side panels. This can be done by yourself, but an assistant may make it easier. Once you have the front panel in place, lean against it to hold it in place and install the mounting screws.

NOTE: Don't forget to reconnect the grounding wire and door switch connector plug. Without the door switch connected, the dryer will not run.
Lower the top panel back in place and reinstall the two screws.

NOTE: Placing a piece of duct tape over the dryer vent chute will help safeguard against dropping anything down in the blower fan assembly. If you drop any screws down the chute, you will need to remove the dryer back panel to retrieve them. If you have any questions about this repair, please post back and let me know. I hope this helps you.

Most dryers have a tensioner pulley that the belt needs to go around to keep it tight. The belt goes around the motor pulley and the drum, but it goes around the tensioner pulley in a way that would keep it tight (you also need to release the tension on the tensioner to get the belt around it) If there's not a tensioner pulley there has to be some other means of putting tension on that belt, look around the the other pulleys that the belt goes around.

you will have to loop the belt through the roller first then while you are installing the belt around the drum it will have tension. two people will need to install this since you have not done this before I assume. One to hold the drum up for you

Yes there is. The flat side should go against the drum and the tension spring pulley. The ribbed side should go against the motor pulley. The tension arm is probably out of position. You'll have to try it in different positions. Look at this diagram. It don't show how it goes but it may help. http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=5170715&diagram_id=1353177#d1353177

This is actually not that complicated. Unplug the machine. Lie it on its back. Remove all screws holding the front panel on. Disconnect the doorswitch wires don't worry you can cross them either way when replacing them. Remove the front panel. If you look down to your right side bottom corner you'll see the drive motor and tensioner spring. Remove the old belt. Slide the new belt over the drum, making sure the correct side is in contact with the drum, you usually can tell by looking at the old belt.
When it comes to the drive motor and tensioner(use care not to let the tensioner fall out, it only sits in a slot on the bottom panel. After you have the belt in its groove around the drum, worm it over the drive gear and pull the tensioner back enough to grab the belt.

with belt around drum, pull idler back with tension on it and put belt over pulley of motor and let idler up against belt and it should be right ,,,, larryyb

That I believe is an older model GE with the idler bar instead of the short bar. I believe there is also a rear panel that you can remove to gain access to it. I dont remember for sure if it keeps tension up or down. Loop your belt around the motor pully, then find out which way it keeps tension on the belt, then loop the belt around the idler pully and release so that it keep tension on the belt itself. Let me know if you need further information.

there is a spring-loaded belt tensioner pulley. make sure it is part of the belt loop. you will need to move the tensioner pulley against the spring force then place belt on tensioner pulley and then release the tensioner pulley and belt will now be tight.