Dryer won't turn

[tim birr]

I posted this about five minutes ago, but has not appeared. Hope this will not be a double-post, apologize if it is, but ignore the other, I guess...

I have a KitchenAid electric clothes dryer, Type I with the lint screen on the top of the dryer. Model number keys750Jq1 if anyone cares.

A few days ago, I pressed the start button and it did not tumble.

When I pressed on, it made the usual clicking noise and made the usual "sound it makes," minus the turning of the drum.

Tried to get it to go a few more times by twisting the timer to zero and then to time, turning off and on the circuit breaker, etc. It would click on and rumble, but no turning.

I then tried to turn drum. It was near impossible. I finally got it to turn. Tried again with the switches, no luck.

Took off the front. The idler pulley was missing the plastic wheel (nowhere to be seen) and the belt was slightly chewed. Bought a new idler pully and new belt.

Tried to turn the metal motor shaft that the belt loops around. The motor shaft turned easily.

Put in new idler pulley and belt and put it back together.

Drum turned fine. Turned on machine. Clicked on again, but drum does not turn. Turns easily enough if I turn from the inside of dryer.

I am thinking it might be some sort of switch in the control panel. This is an old analog dryer. Any thoughts?

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Do you have multi-meter> Most likely there is a one line wiring diagram on the back panel, refering to that, start trouble-shooting. Sounds like you are not getting any power to the motor,

[mm]

You're doing things pretty much right. Start over and do things again, more slowly, testing more often. For example, test if the motor runs when the cover and belt are off, and then when the cover is off and the belt is on. I don't have such a new model but there may be an interlock when you take the front cover off. If it's a switch rubber band it shut, or hold it shut, or jumper it shut**. And keep your hands off the electric parts and out of the moving parts.

**Buy a bag of 10 colored 12" wires with alligator clips on each end at Radio Shack. 3 or 4 dollars. Thousands of uses.

My car heater fan wouldn't work on speed two, my favorite speed. Took it apart, swished the conductive grease around, tested the switch with a meter, put it partly back togerher, tested the switch, finished putting it back together, didn't work.

I think I did it a second time, with one more test when it was even more back toghether. didn't work.

Went shopping for new control unit, 500 dollars. Got one from a van. Metal blender door cAble meant to come in from other direction, slight difference from mine in colors of the front piece. Pulled and pulled but not long enough.

Tried to fix it a third time, same technique. This time it worked and has for 3 years. I don't know what went wrong on that last step each time.