My Whirlpool WGD5300VW0 shuts off after a few seconds.There is noise from the control area that sounds like something is turning inside. If I unplug it and plug it back in, I can restart it with the same results. I have removed the back, and cleaned everything out. I haven’t checked the thermal fuse for continuity yet.
I am by no means experienced since I am fixing my own dryer, but from a lot of the help sites and videos it seems like the Gas Coils go bad. Try searching for that and see if your symptoms line up. I just changed mine and the issue still remains though, so I posted hoping for some more insight.
Seems like most people on the web change their gas coils and they are back in business though.
Good Luck
Faulty gas coils cannot cause the dryer drive motor to shut off. When it shuts off, can you restart it right away by pushing the start button? Turn the buzzer on. When dryer shuts off, does the buzzer sound?
Eric
The buzzer doesn’t sound when it shuts off. I have to unplug it in order to start it again.
You say the dryer shuts off. It stops tumbling??? Drive motor not running at all? No noise from drive motor? Noise you hear is from timer motor?
Eric
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You say the dryer shuts off. It stops tumbling??? Drive motor not running at all? No noise from drive motor? Noise you hear is from timer motor?
Eric
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Yes,it stops tumbling after a few revolutions. The light inside is on, so there is still power to the unit.
I can’t help if you don’t answer the questions.
Eric
It starts normally, runs for a few seconds, then stops. After it stops, the only noise I hear is from the control panel. I don’t hear the motor running.
Are you able to rotate drum by hand? If it’s binding, the motor overload switch may be tripping. If that’s not the problem, it might be a faulty start relay. Unplug dryer, set timer to OFF position, open the control panel, unplug connector from start switch and fashion a jumper wire to jump out the two blue wires on the connector. Plug dryer back in and turn timer on. Dryer should start right away. If it stays running, start switch may be faulty but you really should check the voltage at the blue wires first to make sure it’s not a low voltage problem.
Eric
I checked the thermal fuse and its ok. I have unhooked the gas line and removed the drum. I turned it on and the motor started, the heat element came on , but it shut off after 20 seconds. I unplugged it and started it again on air dry only. It ran for a few seconds and shut off. After the second try, when the motor started running, there was a clicking sound from it for the few seconds it ran.
You need to jump out the start switch/relay as I suggested and check the voltage there as well, should be around 120vac. Thermal fuse is not in the motor circuit. Normal for ignitor to cut off after it gets hot and flame sensor opens.
Eric
I’ll try that but I believe the motor has a problem. The front of the motor shaft inside the stator (copper windings) has two metal pieces surrounding it. (Magnetic brushes?) There is one spring holding them together. It looks like there should be two springs.The spring has a loop on each side that connects it to a little "tab" on the metal piece. One of the metal pieces is missing a tab.They should have one on each side. (no spring can be connected to it). Picture the metal pieces at 3 and 9 o’clock, and the spring at 12 o’clock. I believe there should be a spring at 6 o’clock also. I’m guessing that the tab broke and the spring came off.
That is the centrifugal mechanism that operates the motor switch. When the motor starts spinning, the weight of the spinning mechanism pulls it in and operates the two switch contacts inside the motor wiring receptacle. One contact opens the start winding circuit and the other completes the neutral circuit to the gas valves. When the motor stops, the springs force the mechanism back to original position. It is common for the tabs that the spring connects to, to fail. The stainless steel spring loops wear through the aluminum tabs. The only option is to replace the motor. I’m not sure that is your problem though. The motor does start and the ignitor glows so the motor switch appears to be working properly. The springs have no function once motor is running. They are only there to bring the switch back to starting position after motor stops. If you lost both springs, the mechanism would stay in the run position and the motor would not start. It may be that the start winding switch contacts are stuck closed which would cause excessive current after motor has started and trip the thermal overload. Either way, you need to replace the motor.
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/whirlpool-dryer-drive-motor-279827-ap3094245.html
Eric
Thanks for your help. I’m looking for a replacement switch first but haven’t found one yet. It would be cheaper and easier to replace it than buying a new motor. It sounds like the switch wasn’t designed to last.