Hi -
Sorry if this post is long, but I wanted to give all the background. The actual questions are summarized at the end.
Our GE Adora washer started leaking water while operating. The washer was purchased in Boston in 2006, but we now live in Montreal, Canada. I called Sears Repair Service (we've been dealing with them for furnace and other things), and when they came they quickly identified the problem as a torn Front Door Gasket. The difficulties started when it came time to identify the model number and required part number. The technician looked everywhere for the model number, which he said should normally be on a sticker around the door opening (there was nothing). We both looked everywhere for a model and serial number plaque, and could find nothing. I still had the receipt and a copy of the warranty card, which indicated the model number was WHDVH626FWW.
The Sears technician insisted that this could not possibly be the model number, and that we could not trust those documents. He nonetheless called the number in to his parts department, who also said they could not find this model number in their system. I searched on the web, and found some indication that in Canada this washer may be sold under the model number GCVH6260 (option for French language panel?) and that model number is indeed one of the ones included on the Owner's manual for our machine. At the end of this first service visit, the tech grudgingly took down the model number from the warranty card, and said he'd look into it further to try and find the correct replacement boot gasket. The bill for this service call included a hefty chunk of time during which the tech was on the phone with the parts dept. trying to figure out the model.
A few days later, I got a call from Sears Service indicating they had the part and wanted to schedule a return visit to do the repair. A different tech came for this visit, and he was also rather shocked to find there was no model identification sticker inside the front door frame. He had a gasket with him, but after opening the box and comparing to what was still on the machine, he looked doubtful as to whether it was the right one. He pried out the old gasket, and compared it with the new one and announced there was no way the new gasket would fit. He was particularly concerned that the new gasket had a large rubber projection (looks like a handle) on the inside that was not present on the old gasket.
As the tech was about to leave, I was Googling our model number and was thrilled to find appliancepartspros.com and quickly found the gasket for a WCVH6260F0WW, which seems very close to my machine's model number. I showed the tech this page, which indicated a part number of AP4334050 for the gasket at:
Part Details - GE Gasket, part number: AP4334050The tech looked at this, but claimed that AP4334050 did not correspond to the parts numbering used by Sears. The gasket in the picture also has the rubber 'handle' on the inside that had concerned the tech. He left saying that he would get back to the parts department and try again to identify the correct part.
If I'd known about this site before, and had thought to actually check the gasket, I might have just tried to repair it myself based on the excellent instructions I found in other threads. I'm still considering doing this, but wanted to clarify a few points before ordering the part. So here finally are my specific questions:
1) Is the AP4334050 gasket indeed the correct number for a WHDVH626FWW washer purchased in the US in 2006? Is the rubber 'handle' a feature that was added in a later design of this part? Will it be compatible? Can I ignore the extra trailing zero in the washer model number I found on appliancepartspros.com?
2) What might have caused the gasket to tear? I have to confess that my pump filter (AP4360540) got to be in pretty awful shape on a couple of occasions. I found stuff like children's socks in it, which might have happened after the tear? Is it possible that blockage of this filter will cause too much pressure to build up, bursting the gasket? The tech also mentioned the importance of using only HE detergent, which we have not always done (too much pressure from suds?). Finally my wife is really bad at leaving stuff in her pockets in the wash so it might have been torn by some hard object.
3) The filter pump on our 2006 machine is covered by a panel that has to be unbolted to access it, which is partly why I didn't look at it more often. I noticed that newer machines seem to have a small access panel - is it possible to order one of the newer panels, with filter access, to replace the old one and facilitate cleaning?
4) Is it reasonable for Sears Service to have so much trouble finding the correct part? I'm looking at something like a $400 repair now, including the $170 they charge for the gasket plus all the time spent to figure out the correct part. I don't mind paying the initial $100 minimum service call since they did quickly find the problem, but this is getting ridiculous. I am considering just ordering and installing the part myself, and politely requesting to Sears that fees beyond the $100 minimum service call be waived.
Thanks in advance for any info someone can provide, and for this excellent forum resource!
Rick
