Got a Kenmore clothes dryer. It's hesitating. It works but periodically it acts as if the electricity cuts off a split second and then comes back on again. It's not a predictable pattern but it's frequent. It also makes a thump when it stops and starts. Anybody have a diagnostic hypothesis?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Fairly easy to check:
Loose wire terminal where power cord enters back of dryer, or wire connections to power outlet? TURN OFF POWER BEFORE CHECKING !

Harder to check:
Bad/failing switch contact(s)
Bad/failing relay contact(s)

go buy a new one.

Obviously unfamiliar with the character of the original poster.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

If it is an older dryer then check on the back for some round looking things with wires going in one side and coming out the other. These are heat sensors of some kind and they, among other switches and such, tell the machine when to run and when to stop.

If one of them fails you will get this type of action since it is telling the machine to stop, then to start, then to stop.....

But the good thing is that it is a Kenmore. This means you can go online and buy for just a few bucks a repair guide for your machine.

These are not complicated devices, at least the older ones are not. And if you have a voltmeter and a phillips head screwdriver you can almost fix anything on them.

For our Kenmore, (20 year old gas dryer), there was a neat little wiring diagram tucked inside of the little control board on the top... it was especially useful because I couldn't find a manual online (Idle, do you have a link to the manuals you reference?).

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Also, here is a washer/dryer/dishwasher collector forum -- you might get some results by posting there? I don't know how active it is.

The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

They do have some cool pictures of the "Old Aberdeen Farm", a giant and now gone appliance junkyard.

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

And the good news is that now they appear to be free!

Have your model number ready. You will need to enter it to get the correct information.

Dryer DIY Repair Help & Troubleshooting | Sears PartsDirect

I love you, man.

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Is the dryer hesitating when you press the starter button or while it's already running?

If it's immediately when the button is pressed, I would look at the button. If it hesitates intermittently when it's running, I would look at the belt safety switch that keeps it running after the initial press of the starter button and also shuts it down in the event of a belt break. If the belt has stretched, it may also be bouncing around, turning the unit off and on depending on the laundry load in the machine at the time.

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

Not when the button is pressed but intermittently. Any idea where that belt safety switch might be. It does sound like it's bouncing around when it turns off.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

The belt switch is generally on the side of the motor. The belt loops around the drum and then makes a "S" curve over an idler pulley before it loops around the motor pulley and back to the drum.

You have to take the top/front/side shell off the unit to get to any of the internals. Not a big job if you have room to move it around to access all the screws.

If you go to all that trouble, you might as well replace the belt while you're in there.

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

I've owned Kenmore appliances in the past, and only hesitation that I've ever experienced is to buy another.

I'd be looking at the door-closed switch, as well. Intermittent contact there could be your culprit.

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1961 220b: first project car - sold.
2000 CLK 430: first modern Benz - sold.
2001 CLK 55: OMG the torque!!! - sold
1972 280SE 4.5: Baby Gustav
1991 300TE 4Matic: Gretel the Snow Bunny - sold
1978 300SD: Katz the Free Man - given away
1980 Redhead: Darling Wife

I've always found that dryer problems require left brain solutions. So yes, the door switch may be triggering the stop. But the reason may be that a bearing is allowing the drum to put pressure on the door. Or it could be that a shorted heating coil is fooling the thermosensor into thinking the wash is dry. Or a clogged exhaust is causing a safety to shut it down. Or a belt is slipping and making the machine think it's stalled.

When she says "can you look at the dryer," I always begin by taking out the drum and correcting any obvious problems, even if they seem unrelated. Then reassemble and see what happens.