Tom wrote:

If my sales training was right, the thermostat on the exhaust doesn't
actually sense "dry" clothes. The auto 1 cycle works this way....As the
heat comes on and is rising, the timer doesn't advance, when the heat cycles
off at it's upper limit setting, the timer will start to advance but as the
clothes are wet, it won't get far before the heat cycles on again and stops
its forward motion. This cycle continues repeating itself but as the
clothes get dryer, they don't cool the inside of the dryer so fast and the
timer is allowed to advance further each time of "heat off" and subsequently
runs the timer out and shuts off. If all is well this coincides with the
clothes being dry. But if it isn't cycling the timer off, it would run out
before the clothes were dry.

Thanks for the detailed description.

However, I read you to say that the timer is
still in the middle of its "on" position as all you have to do is hit the
start button so it must not be running to the end prematurely. I'm not a
service person so I'm sure I haven't been of much help. And I'm not all
that familiar with how electricity works (other than I don't stick my finger
in any light sockets) but I have a question. What is the function of the
resistor in the auto dry cycle line just to the right of the switch. If
that were defective, could it somehow open (or close, whatever they do) and
stop the heater coil and motor.

I can see that affecting the heater element and the timer motor. If the resistor
was the cause, I have the feeling that the drive motor would still spin and
perhaps the clothes would not dry.

And one other question... the thermal
fuse...does "not resettable" mean that it could burn out and not be
resettable like a circuit breaker or does it mean that you can't adjust the
heat limit at which it cuts out but that it closes back up automatically
when cooled down some?

Be sure and read one of the follow up messages psted by Jeff regarding the fuse.

Geez, I think I had more questions than you did...

Sometimes questions are more helpful than answers.

Thanks Tom,
Daniel
--
Daniel S. Schudel