80s GE dryer gets SCALDING hot quickly

[mrb627]

I would...

Raise the top and run the dryer on fluff setting.
Do you feel any airflow/draft near the top rear of the rotating drum.
There shouldn't be any. The interior of the cabinet should operate in a vacuum of sorts
Your air flow system may have a leak.

Malcolm

 

[DADoES]

 
Attempting to pin-down some further details ...

You say the dryer gets scalding-hot on top near the control panel within a couple mins of running (from a cold start?) on Medium heat setting.

1)  As Malcolm asked above, does that also happen on High and Low?

2)  What is the temperature of the air blowing out the back of the dryer after it runs for a while (longer than two mins)?  Check it at all three of the heat settings starting first on Low.  It should, of course, get progressively higher on each higher heat setting.

Regards to the vent hose being disconnected ... is that how you normally run the dryer?  Or you disconnected it as part of troubleshooting this scalding-hot problem?

 

[cardinal24]

Dryer gets scalding, below Control Panel, on Warm, Medium or
Hot settings (but doesn't get hot on No Heat setting). (See Reply 10)
I will test the exhaust temperature on each setting and post the results.

Malcolm: (Reply 21)
I disconnected the vent hose to simplify troubleshooting.
Once fixed, I'll reconnect it.

Malcolm (Reply 20)
I will run with top open and check for air flow behind drum

 

[cardinal24]

Comment, question, apology

I'm sure everybody has figured out (quickly) that I'm a complete novice.

I've finally messed with this thing long enough that my confidence grew.
Looking inside (form the front), I saw a lint "blanket" around the motor.
I then realized (duh!) that the lower-back plate provides perfect access to the motor.

I removed the handle and turned the machine on her face. I then removed the back-lower plate. I cleaned out a ton of crud from the motor and fins. Then I looked at the part of the hose the is INSIDE the machine. Lots of lint. I cleaned that crud too.

I haven't re-tested. I'm waiting for an answer to my question below about lubrication.

Comment: I am starting to believe: "There is air-flow, and there is AIR-FLOW!" I'm guessing dryers need GREAT air-flow.

Question: Yogitunes (Reply 11) wrote the following:
"...and some grease/oil applied to the rollers/bearings will help this machine run for a long time.... "
Can somebody provide detail on doing this? Type of grease? Where to apply it. Thanks

Apology:
Folks have been writing "air-flow, air-flow, air-flow". And I've been responding "I have good air-flow". I am feeling pretty dumb. It is my guess that a dryer needs GREAT air flow not just "air flow".

I haven't put it back together yet and tested. I waiting to hear back about lubrication, but I'm feeling pretty dumb about my resistance to the air-flow suggestions. So. I apologize.

 

[powerfin64]

I have been following your thread..

Im going to chime in on this one.

I'm not surprised about the lint build up that was found, it happens over time with the plastic exhaust hoses.
but before you hook up your exhaust hose, PLEASE throw your old one away!(picture #3) That is a MAJOR fire hazard! Don't try to clean it out. Do your self a big favor, Replace it with semi-rigid metal exhaust hose.(Others on here will agree with this)

I replaced mine with semi rigid years ago. Its peace of mind.
also, check and clean your outside exhaust hood from lint. it will help. Im glad you didn't have a dryer fire because of picture #3.

 

[mrb627]

Dumb? Not at all!

Taking action to solve a problem is never dumb! It is very difficult to convey the term airflow on a blog such as this. I would say that you have most likely solved your problem. Good Job.

Malcolm

 

[yogitunes]

recommended you take that whole machine apart and give it a good de-linting....imagine all the hiding places that you will find more lint...

brushes and a vacuum will help greatly, better if you have compressed air, especially around and inside the motor....

there is a rear bearing, and if you refer back to the vids I posted of disassembly...you have one of two types of rear bearing that holds the drum...

its either a ball type, that would lift up and forward and out.....or a 'C' clip on the rear that needs removed, and the drum will simply slide forward, up and out...

by the look of the condition with all the lint, probably in your best interest to open this machine up and clean the old grease out before adding new....simple auto bearing grease will work....

your going to want to grease the idler pulley as well......and zoom spout oil(3-n-1) for the motor bearings...a few drops in each end...

when your done, your going to have one happy, quiet machine, and most likely, more efficient...

 

[ken]

A person learns by asking questions and doing. You can feel proud of yourself and also have a feeling of accomplishment that you kept with it to fix the problem. Most people today would have scrapped it and just gone out and purchased a new one.