Electric Dryer Troubleshooting... HELP

[HMFIC]

Hey guys... I know at least one of you has to have run across this before so I'm throwing it out for some assistance.

I have a 15 year old Whirlpool Heavy Duty electric dryer that I've successfully been able to keep alive despite the ex's attempts to kill it dead every once and a while by loading it too full, never cleaning it, and I suspect even purposefully throwing rocks in it just to mess with me. I guess I should be thankful that she didn't try to throw whole chunks of meat in there, but that's another story...

However... now it seems that it's bitten the dust (or at least part of it has). It started out that it was making a loud noise when it was running, then it would stop also. Then it would buzz really loudly when you pressed the start button before the motor turned like it was having trouble with the starting phase. It will still start and run but if you load it up with much at all, it can't even turn the drum for very long at all before it stops.

So... I'm pretty sure that it's the motor and it appears to be very easy to replace and only costs about $50 or so. I just want to make sure that's it before I go replacing a part that either doesn't need replaced or might need something else in addition that would stymie my efforts.

Any advice, troubleshooting ideas or suggestions (including the best place to buy a new motor here in Tulsa area?)

Thanks!!!

 

[booger]

Make sure you check the drum roller bearings. Could be causing the drum to get in a bind when it's trying o start.

 

[cmhbob]

Is it direct-drive or belt-drive? Any chance the belt is failing?

 

[David2012]

I'd suggest taking the drive belt loose and rotating the drum by hand to see if it is hard to turn.. that may point to your problem.

Make sure that lint hasn't built up in the drum's tracks or rollers. I had a dryer that sounded & acted a lot like that.. and it turned out the drum was just binding up on built-up lint after 10 yrs of use. Also, if it has a belt driving the drum.. make sure that where the shaft goes goes through the frame ...that the bearings aren't locked / rusted up. Sometimes damp lint can get into cracks and harden up like concrete over years of use... or act kind of like sand paper on the bearings wearing them out.

Also, try blowing the air cooling vents on the motor free of lint.. so you are sure it isn't over heating the motor.

 

[HiredHand]

What's the model number?

 

[HMFIC]

Great suggestions guys, thanks and keep them coming.

I did clean everything out really really well and the motor had tons of lint caked up on it originally. The rollers seem to be fairly free but they won't keep spinning by themselves... certainly not hard to turn at all though. The drive belt looks ok and the drum will turn fairly free, again I cleaned that up pretty good too. I'm sure the belt and the rollers need to be replaced too just for good measure so I could do that too as long as I know that the rest of it will work ok.

Model number is LER4634EQ2

 

[HiredHand]

Is it odd that when I google'd "whirlpool heavy duty electric dryer LER4634EQ2" that two of the top four search results that come up are threads on gun forums? One of those threads was from two years ago which was the last time HMFIC needed help troubleshooting his dryer woes.

Sounds like you've got things under control. Does the motor turn freely by hand?

 

[bearpaws]

sounds like the start winding in the motor. If so , you need a new motor. I had a similar problem with a compressor motor recently.

 

[HMFIC]

Is it odd that when I google'd "whirlpool heavy duty electric dryer LER4634EQ2" that two of the top four search results that come up are threads on gun forums? One of those threads was from two years ago which was the last time HMFIC needed help troubleshooting his dryer woes.

Sounds like you've got things under control. Does the motor turn freely by hand?

LOL! Ya, I remember that, it was the thermal switch or something the last time. I'm getting every last dime out of this dryer!

I don't have it apart again right now, but I'm pretty sure it did? Depends on your definition of "freely I suppose". Keep in mind that it will rotate the drum just not under a load and it sounds like it's killing it just to start. My thoughts are sure leaning towards the motor but I just need some affirmation from all you guys.

 

[cmhbob]

I would tend to agree it's the motor, although I don't know enough about big electric motors to be certain. Is there a start capacitor or anything like that? Basically I'm wondering if any of the electronics that control the motor could have failed to make it act like this.