Clothes Dryer Won't Stop - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

sunedog · #1 08-11-2014, 09:06 PM

Hi. Tried Googling and then searching this forum, but couldn't find anything that seems to make sense for my situation. So I'll hit you guys up for help.

We have an Amana electric clothes dryer that won't stop. Wife sat up in bed at 4:30 AM this morning because she heard it still running upstairs. I thought I heard a motor running last week when I was getting ready for work but didn't go upstairs to investigate. It is definitely fupped duck.

The model is ALE643RAW / PALE643RAW and I have no idea how old it is. We bought it new sometime in the last 10 years.

It dries clothes fine, so it heats up.

The timer does advance in the timed drying mode. But she said the pointer was pointing at 5 - 10 minutes left in the cycle when she went up to stop it this morning. It seems like it gets hung up there.

Wife almost exclusively uses the timed drying cycle. She doesn't like the cycles that monitor the dryness of the clothes and automatically turn it off when it reaches the selected dryness setting. So I can't tell you if the timer advances in those modes.

The dryer does stop if you open the door (thank God) and it does not re-start on its own when you close the door. You have to start it normally.

It seems like it would obviously be a bad timer, but repairclinic.com trouble shooter suggests it could be 1) air flow problem 2) blower wheel 3) heating element 4) lint filter 5) high limit thermostat or 6) cycling thermostat. Ironically, it doesn't suggest a bad timer. Every one of their suggestions only make sense to me if you are using the moisture sensor modes and the clothes aren't getting dry so the dryer continues to run.

The timer costs north of $125, so I want to be sure before I buy it.

Thanks in advance for your help.

kerry · #2 08-11-2014, 10:16 PM

I'd say try the other cycles and report back.

P.C. · #3 08-11-2014, 11:27 PM

If you manually advance the timer from the stuck position to zero, does the dryer turn off?

Jim B. · #4 08-12-2014, 01:51 AM

It could be anything

cmac2012 · #5 08-12-2014, 02:32 AM

I'm going with timer, but yeah, try every possible test you can think of, such as these above.

Skippy · #6 08-12-2014, 07:07 AM

Bad timer is the most obvious answer, but I would try things as suggested first.

Can't Know · #7 08-12-2014, 10:27 AM

Given that the must common causes of failure to end cycle are related to bells and whistles (aka moisture-sensing, etc.) and further given that timers generally are pretty robust, I'd tend to guess that's why you don't see it suggested.
But from your description, that's where I'd be focusing my attention. I'm not familiar with that specific model, but I can't come up with any other explanation for why the timer wouldn't advance to end of cycle in timed mode. It's worth at least pulling it out for an inspection to see if there's something obvious, dirt and lint do get everywhere in dryers.

Good luck.

kerry · #8 08-12-2014, 12:25 PM

i've got a thread on a dryer problem here from not too long ago. My recollection is that it kept running independent of all the controls. Tried to diagnose for a long time. Not even the experts on the repair forums could diagnose it. Best guess was stuck contacts in the motor. I ended up buying a used identical model from Craigslist for less than the cost of the parts and then I stripped the old one of any useable parts and scrapped it.

spdrun · #9 08-12-2014, 12:30 PM

Is there an electrical diagram inside the dryer case or on the back? Figure out what controls the motor. Chances are that it's either the timer, or the timer feeds a relay or two that might be stuck.

barry12345 · #10 08-12-2014, 12:44 PM

Once you observe the timer has stopped moving. Then verify the timer motor is receiving voltage still at the same time. It then is probably the timer sticking. You should be able to detect the actual motor wires and terminals.

The dryer is old enough an appliance service place might have a good used timer. Some areas have piles of scrapped appliances where one might find the part for free or almost free.

I went to purchase some common parts for two of the wifes stoves awhile back. The current prices floored me as we used to sell those parts. No wonder people just replace appliances when needing repair. Parts prices today almost make them throwaways. The wives dishwasher at home is down at three years of age. She is at the cottage for the summer so it can wait for me to have a look at it.

More on a point of principal I found some discarded units easily and got the parts from them. I asked permission to remove the parts and the guy said they are yours.

sunedog · #11 08-12-2014, 03:43 PM

The dryer does turn itself off in the moisture sensor mode. So either only the timed mode is the problem or we have an intermittent problem.

I won't have time to dig into it before the weekend. I'll report back what I find.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

kerry · #12 08-12-2014, 04:16 PM

problem solved. Just use the moisture sensing mode.

pawoSD · #13 08-12-2014, 04:53 PM

Sounds like a worn out timer unit to me, especially since it works in the other settings.

sunedog · #14 08-14-2014, 03:21 PM

About the only thing I've had time to do so far is start it in different modes, set a timer for 20 minutes and come back and observe the pointer on the dial. Can't replicate the fault in any mode now.

So I guess I fixed it.

Seriously, I'll have an opportunity to open it up tomorrow and will let you know what I see.

sloride · #15 08-14-2014, 07:01 PM

You think you have problems, my dish washer won't stop "shopping".