My dryer was not dring clothes very quickly and I put off cleaning the vent. One day it got so hot that it almost burned the clothes and then quit. It wouldn't run at all. I used to own a heating shop so I figured that the dryer probably worked something like a furnace w/ high limits and a fusible link. Once I figured out how to get accsess and found a schematic (Maytag's site was so un helpful that they actually told me that they didn't have a model w/ my number???!!!!) I found the the thermal fuse and it didn't have continuity. I cleaned out the vent and found that it was stuffed almost solid. So I surmised that the clogged vent had caused the thermal fuse to melt down. I replaced it and the dryer worked....except that it was still getting really HOT. So I replaced the thermostat/High Limit. It still seemed too hot and seemed like it continued to power the element even w/ the door open if there was still "time" on the Control knob. It didn't shut off unless I turned the knob physically to "off". Now it has quit working at all again, except that when I set it to run and push the start button...I can hear a slight hummm but nothing else sems to be happening.?????Any thoughts???

I further observed that the element is on and heat is coming out of the perforated plate as soon as i turn the control dial to anything but "off". This is with the door open.

Definitely sounds like a grounded element.

There is an outside chance that it is dropping the voltage and this is causing the motor problem.

If the heater is grounded, I would remove the wires to it (mark where they go).
Tape them up so they cannot short to the frame
Give it a try.
If it starts, then all you need is the heater.