Solved

A Snapped Screw!!

Asked about 5 years ago 4,509 views
0

So I decided to replace my washer dryers heater element in the blower manifold Indesit IWDD7143SUK I see one screw holds it in place, well it snapped so half is still in the blower manifold, will the Heater element be okay to be held in place by Just putting it all back together Temporarily or can I use an alternative To hold it in place ?

Solution Summary

AI-generated from this discussion

This thread was marked as solved. Here's a summary of the problem and the fix, generated from the discussion below.

Snapped fixing screw on Indesit IWDD7143SUK heater element

The problem
While replacing the heater element in the blower manifold of an Indesit IWDD7143SUK washer dryer, the single retaining screw snapped, leaving part of the screw in the manifold. The question was whether the element could be refitted temporarily without the proper fixing or held by an alternative method.
Likely cause
The retaining screw has broken off in the blower manifold, leaving the heater element without its intended secure fixing. The accepted reply indicates the fixing is probably necessary to stop the element moving when hot or during spinning.
What fixed it
The accepted advice was to drill out the broken screw if possible, taking care not to enlarge the hole. Reassembling the heater element without its proper retaining screw was not recommended. Further diagnosis should be carried out by a suitably qualified appliance engineer.
Checks to try
  • Broken retaining screw still lodged in the blower manifold
  • Heater element is normally held in place by one screw
Parts or tools mentioned
  • Heater element
  • Retaining screw
  • Drill

Safety: Do not operate the appliance with the heater element unsecured or with an improvised fixing.

Cause identifiedGenerated 15 Aug 2026 · AI summaries can make mistakes - read the full thread below.
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1 Answer

Accepted Answer
0
Verified Engineer
Answered about 5 years ago

Are you able to drill it out? Although obviously this could be tricky because you would need to ensure that the whole isn't made bigger. If it's a screw holding the element in place I would speculate that it is quite necessary. The element is likely to expand when it gets really hot. It could also move and shake around a lot during spinning. That would potentially damage it as it is usually filled with a ceramic or powder which could crack.

Whitegoods Help — appliance repair expert and forum host.

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