Gas Dryer problem, stops running...

[bad Chad]

Our 20 year old Admiral gas dryer is having issues.  (ran perfectly for 19.5 years, maybe it was built along side lake Como!)

It will start up and and work fine for 15-20 min, but it starts to give off hot electrical smell, and then stops.  It will then not start until it has cooled off.  I opened her up and cleaned and vacumed all I could, greased the barring/bushings, but that didn't seem to make any difference.

I suspect the motor is going, but I was wondering if one of the thermo fuses could be going bad and cutting it out mid cycle?  But that still wouldn't explain the weird smell would it?  We don't operate the dryer unless someone is home, for fear of fire.   Any ideas?

[LaMojo]

Admiral and Whirlpool dryers are identical.    Sometimes older machines wiring connections will loose their connection "grip" and cause a larger amperage draw.  Look for any wiring  insulation that shows it has been getting hot.   More than likely it will be a loose spade connection on the motor or within the timer molex type connector.  Unplug all connectors including the one between the dryer base and controls and look for brown areas on the plastic.  If the problem is traced to the timer, then it might be one of the "points" that ride on the timer drum and will need dressed just like you would do with ordinary engine points or buy a new timer.  Also check the connections on the door safety switch and back to the control head.  Lastly, make sure the dryer fan has plenty of air flow in that the exhaust hose/vent is not partially blocked causing heat build up causing a thermal sensor tripping.

If not these areas, it may be a shorted winding in the motor.. 

[HardAspie]

Admiral and Whirlpool dryers are identical.    Sometimes older machines wiring connections will loose their connection "grip" and cause a larger amperage draw.  Look for any wiring  insulation that shows it has been getting hot.   More than likely it will be a loose spade connection on the motor or within the timer molex type connector.  Unplug all connectors including the one between the dryer base and controls and look for brown areas on the plastic.  If the problem is traced to the timer, then it might be one of the "points" that ride on the timer drum and will need dressed just like you would do with ordinary engine points or buy a new timer.  Also check the connections on the door safety switch and back to the control head.  Lastly, make sure the dryer fan has plenty of air flow in that the exhaust hose/vent is not partially blocked causing heat build up causing a thermal sensor tripping.

If not these areas, it may be a shorted winding in the motor..

Dang, I like you Goose Guys!

[guzzisteve]

Certainly sounds like an appliance repairman, eh !!

[pat manning]

Take an amp draw on the motor and compare it to its rated amps. It sounds like it is heating up and going off on an internal safety. After 20 years the best decision may be to let it retire...

[Matt Story]

Gas or electric?  I went thru this recently myself with a gas unit.  It worked fine until the gas solenoids warmed, at which time the coil on one of them became open, shutting off the gas.  There are a few redundant safety circuits to check out, thermal cutouts, etc...  You have to know the logic they operate on to troubleshoot them.  Often there is an electrical diagram behind (inside) the control bezel.

I would recommend searching your dryer make and model number on Youtube.  There is almost certainly a how to video on your model with troubleshooting and probably the specific problem your having.  Its how I figured out how to fix mine.