dryer drama, wasted hours.....

[mikeb]

So the wife tells me that the dryer is buzzing and making sounds of death.... i can't imagine why, it's only 24 years old.... clothes are piling up and it must be fixed this weekend(!)

Since i was out of town i googled "buzzing dryer" and the most frequent answer was a bad dryer motor. So i ordered a new one off of ebay.

So today a friend and i go to change it.... how does this damn dryer come apart anyway.... and once we finally got in there we find that the new motor has slightly different wiring than the old motor. We finally figured it out after taking it back apart a few times after it didn't run LOL... The instructions that came with the motor weren't very clear about the wiring change that was necessary.

While we were testing it with the new motor and i was feeling happy about finally getting the new motor in..... the dryer kicked off. The new motor was overheating and was kicking the dryer off every 90 seconds. I did notice that the new motor was way harder to turn than the old motor..... but it did turn.

So out of desperation I cleaned up the old motor and reinstalled it. The dryer is now purring away drying a load.

I'm just totally confused as to:

A) What was causing the buzzing and the death sounds, and
B) Why it's apparently working just fine now, and
C) Why would a new motor overheat and trip the thermal limiter?

This is an old kenmore if that makes any difference.

[scootro]

i know dryers are expensive and all but why risk your home to repair it especially since its so old?

[scootro]

[UserX]

It has been 24 years... do everyone a favor and just buy a new one. Cheapass

[mikeb]

lol.... i'm not afraid of a dryer fire. Those are mostly caused by a clogged up vent, and i keep mine clean. I also keep lint cleaned off from around it too.

Following this logic, none of us should ever work on our cars either

[scootro]

why not just replace the dryer

[mikeb]

why not just replace the dryer

Have you looked at the prices of dryers lately?

fix old dryer - ~$50

replace dryer with equivalent new kenmore model - $450

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02661202000P?vName=Appliances&cName=Washers+%26+Dryers&sName=Dryers

[scootro]

Why not just buy used? It's cheaper.

[mikeb]

Why not just buy used? It's cheaper.

No doubt, but i already have a used dryer... so why not fix it?

It's just a machine, like our cars.... a dryer is dirt simple - you've got a motor, a heating element, and some control circuitry. It's infinitely rebuildable. I'm surprised to find this fear of dryers on this board among people that aren't afraid to modify and haul ass in a car down a dragstrip (?)

I was just asking if anyone had any useful advice besides buy a new one. The motor i bought off of ebay is obviously fubar, so it's going back.

I dried several loads today and it's working just fine. And no fires either

[red95gts]

Was the motor wired for 120V or 240V? I know my 14 y/o Kenmore electric dryer runs everything off 120V except the heating element....

[fordracing19]

I thought 24 years ago everyone used clothes lines.

[03trubluGT]

Older appliances use larger motors that use more electricity, but run easier.


The newer ones use smaller motors that use less electricity, but burn out quicker.

That's how an appliance gets the "Energy Star" rating, by using less electricity.


I'd rather fix an older dryer than buy a newer POS dryer.

[94mstng94]

Buying the new Samsung front loaders was some of the best money I have spent. You can wash/dry so many more clothes at one time.

[mikeb]

Was the motor wired for 120V or 240V? I know my 14 y/o Kenmore electric dryer runs everything off 120V except the heating element....

Both the old motor and the new one are 240v; the wiring diffference in the two had to do with where the thermal limiter wire is connected. I looked up the part # on the sears site and then went hunting on ebay for it. My best guess is that the motor got dropped on it's end somewhere and screwed up the bearings, causing the drag.

[unkoricky]

24 year old dryer? I'm 25.. haha


Buy a new one. craigslist or Lowes