[ajensenlsu]

I have just bought a Frigidaire slide-in range and some contractors doing work at my house cracked the top. I need to get a new one (part#318223640), but I'm not sure how hard they are to install. Would this be something best left to a professional? I called an appliance service company here and they wanted to charge $130 for just the install. Any guides out there that show how to do this? Or can you give me a step-by-step?

[RobynE830]

I have the same problem, can someone send me the answer? I need to know asap so I can buy the replacement if its easily fixed.

[kawfeeman]

i have changed them before , sometimes it is worth throwing the tech $40 , he may be able to write up top as warranty.... you are happy and "he" is happy.. it is certainly worth it, as if you watch the tech replace the main top, you'll understand ...

[sgravel]

I just replaced this part on our slide in (PN PLES389ECG). I ended up taking more apart than need be, I think, so I wanted to post what's really necessary to make this repair.

UNPLUG THE RANGE!

1. Open the door, and remove the four screws from under the console assembly
2. Remove the knobs, and then the large black mounting nuts. These are all that holds the control panel assembly on.
3. Lift off the control panel assembly, and disconnect any cable assemblies that go from it into the range. There are three, I think. They all only plug in one way, and are "one of a kind", so can only be plugged into the right place when reassembling. Set the control panel assembly aside.
4. Remove the six screws holding the control mounting panel to the console assembly. These are around the perimeter, and not the screws between the control knobs. Lift the control mounting panel enough to expose the five screws securing the top of the console assembly
5. Remove the five screws securing the top of the console assembly. I just let this hang during the repair, but I am pretty sure a real repair person would not do this. Take care to note how the gasket between the control assembly and ceramic top was in there so you can put it back the right way later.
6. The "top" includes the ceramic top, burners, and the metal box the whole assembly is in. This assembly is held to the main chassis by one screw on each side, which you've exposed by getting the control assembly out of the way. Remove these two screws.

** Note**
This is where I think I did too much. I removed the upper side panels and the upper back panel from the range thinking that these held the top on. They don't appear to, but they do prevent you from removing the screws securing the ceramic top to the sides and back of the top's metal box. I think that once you've gotten this far, you could pivot the top assembly up from the back to remove all these screws, but then I didn't do it this way...

7. You should now be able to lift the edge of the entire top assembly from the main chassis. The wires connect in the front, so you may better luck lifting the back. Carefully remove the screws holding the ceramic top to the sides, back and front. You should now be able to lift the top and burners (attached to the top) from the box.
8. Carefully remove the burners. They are held in by retaining bars that press the burner in. The bars clip into the top on each end. Pressing one end in with a screwdriver should allow you to swing the retaining tab (connected to the ceramic top) away from the retaining bar. Lay the burners in the box. Squeeze the tabs on the heat indicator bodies to release them from the ceramic top, and take care to keep them organized.
9. The top is now free. Set it aside, and put the new top in place. Remove the protecting strips from each edge of the top, exposing the cushion. Bend the retaining tabs on the new top down. There are also smaller tabs that hang down at the edge of each burner circle. I think these are intended to be at the edge of the burner to keep it centered (and not pressed in under the burner).
10. One at a time, lift each burner in place, hook each bar into one clip on one side. The other side seems to go in easier if you bend the bar slightly by leaving your finger wedged between the bar and buriner. This lifts the end of the bar enough that you can swing the clip down over it, and yank your finger out.
11. Press the heat indicators back in.
12. When you set the cermic top back down, the metal edge of the top in front goes inside the metal box, and the other edges go outside the metal box.

From here on out, it's pretty much running the movie in reverse. It was not an easy fix, but if you are comfortable with moderately difficult repairs, this one is do-able, and you can save a house call ($$).

Regards,

Steve