GE J402 - Need help to restore

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crafty

New member
Joined
May 19, 2014
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2
I just acquired this 40" from a friend that is remodeling her kitchen. It came with meat thermometer but not griddle (that's fine). Looks like some of the electrical was sniped...like the the griddle outlet over the burners. The timer needs to be repaired. I have not tested burners or even plugged in. I did shift top around today (removing screws) while cleaning and picked a good collection of macaroni noodles off the discolored insulation. Should I worry about color of insulation and/or not disturb at all? There is no bulb over cook surface, can these be found any more? Can I remove backsplasher to help facilitate repairs? I'd like to remove top to fully clean below drip pans. Do both top and bottom over element remove/unplug for cleaning?
 
Hi!

Your GE range should be capable of being fully restored. Some of the situations you describe need advice from others, but I'll tell you what I can.

You can dis-assemble the range as far as your skills and tools permit. If you haven't done anything like that before, your digital camera is your best friend - document, document, document as you go, so that you have photos of everything put together as it should be to help with re-assembly. The ideal would be to dis-assemble completely, clean each part, address all issues, then re-assemble, so that you have a range clean as new, with all problems taken care of.

Griddles turn up on eBay. You need to know which griddle your range uses, so that you get the right one. They do vary, and some use different plugs, so the right one is important.

Your range's timer can be rebuilt by General Time Repairs, the company that bought GE's timer business when GE stopped making its own timers. They rebuild using new genuine GE parts; they also offer already-rebuilt timers for exchange. Usual cost is somewhere around $75-100. Their contact info is:

GEneral TIME RepairS LLC
23500 Hwy 30
PO Box 24
Carroll, Iowa 51401

Phone: 712-792-1248

www.generaltimerepairs.com

It will also be very helpful if you post photos here, which you're free to do. Photos show other people what you're talking about, and also remind members of other range models that use the same parts as your range, which is very useful as you search for parts.

Good luck!
 
photos

Looks like backsplasher light fixture hardware was half removed. Owner said some of button lights work.

crafty++5-19-2014-11-13-13.jpg
 
I Would....

....Go over that range very carefully to see what it needs, making a complete list of everything needed to put it back in complete, operable condition. And then I would make a decision about whether you feel the expense and time are worth it.

The reason is: That is a range that is reasonably plentiful out there, with high-condition examples often available for not too much money. I know this range was free to you, but if it needs, say, $400 in repairs, and if one needing very little is available for $100, then you'd come out ahead to buy another and strip this one for parts.

If this was a really rare range, I'd say go for it if you love it, but that's just not the case here. So, you can afford to be a little more hard-headed about it.

And in the end, you're the only one who can decide what's worth it to you.
 
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