Our dryer will not keep running. We have a Sears Kenmore Heavy Duty Dryer - 80 series, electric. When you push the button for it to start tumbling, it will not go. It was running about a week ago, then while in the cycle it stopped. Every now and then the dryer will start when you push in the button, but, for the most part it makes the sound like it is going to start, but will not run. Do you have any ideas on this matter?

andrewcocke

Hum.. thats a tough one. Your description of the problem opened up to many possiblities for me to post. I guess we might as well start somewhere, you're just going to have to start ruling things out one at a time.

When you say "it makes the ound like its going to start, but will not run", this leads me down to possiblile issues, either something went wrong with your start switch, or your holding circuit/relay.

You can also check/replace the capacitor(s) on your motor. They could have failed.

Just some general ideas, perhaps someone else here can help me fill in the gaps.

Oh yea, check the door switch, that thing could be getting gummed up, or the door may not be closing on it correctly causing this intermittent problem.

andrewcocke

It could also be the centrifucal switch in the motor, in most of the diagrams I have seen, this switch provides the latch ciruit that holds the dryer on once your release the start button.

Im not sure if those are changed seperate from the motor on these type of appliances, maybe someone else here does. In the motors I have worked on, they are removeable, and replacing the whole motor is not nessesary.

If this switch is malfuntioning, it could have taken out the capacitor anyway.