Is the element shorted to its metal shell?

Do you have 240 volts AC to the dryer and is it 120 and 120 volts (either side to neutral)(240 volts across the left and right terminals) with the neutral in the center?

Is there 240 across both terminals of the element? Or only 120?

I suspect a voltage or grounding problem.

I forgot to mention: no. It seems like it is which is a mystery.
I get 120V from either element lead to the shell or the dryer body
so I thought it might be coming through the orange lead in the middle.
But it behaves the same without that lead attached.

CASE A: With the unit plugged in and OFF:
1)There is continuity across the element terminals (beeping on multi-meter)
2)There is also continuity from either terminal to the body of the unit
3)120V from one terminal to body of unit, also 120V from other terminal to body
4)0V from terminal to terminal

CASE B: With the unit plugged in an ON:
1)Exactly as 1-4 (above)

CASE C: With the orange wire unplugged from the high limit (on the element) and plugged in but no power:

1)There is continuity across the element terminals (beeping on multi-meter)
2)There is NO continuity from either terminal to the body of the unit
3)There is no measurable voltage from the terminals to each other or the unit body

CASE D: With the orange wire unplugged from the high limit (on the element) and plugged and power ON:

1)There is continuity or voltage across the element terminals (beeping on multi-meter)
2)There is continuity AND 120V voltage from either terminal to the body of the unit
3)There is no measurable voltage from the terminals to each other



CASE E: With the unit plugged in, OFF, and the heater element housing dangling free
with all wires attached but not touching the dryer housing:

1)Result is exactly as CASE C (above).

CASE F: With the unit plugged in, ON, and the heater element housing dangling free
with all wires attached but not touching the dryer housing:

1) In the past the element has heated every time, but I could not replicate this
within 15 minutes...perhaps there was nothing in the dryer...I cannot find a
moisture sensor on this unit and it is empty...I assume it would eventually light up
and I am glad it didn't because it gets so hot so fast testing the rest of the way
would get have to stop.
2) Continuity only between the element terminals.
3) Continuity and voltage between each element terminal and the housing
of the dryer (not the part dangling free)...120V from each terminal.



CASE G: With the unit plugged in, OFF, and the heater element housing dangling free
with all but the orange wire attached but not touching the dryer housing:

1)Result is exactly like CASES C,E (above)

CASE H: With the unit plugged in, ON, and the heater element housing dangling free
with all but the orange wire attached but not touching the dryer housing:

1)Result is exactly like CASES C,E,G (above)

Bottom line is this: there is continuity AND voltage powered or unpowered
in the unit's standard state from the element to the housing. The only way to create an exception to this is (without detaching the element housing) if the orange wire is disconnected and the unit off. Then there is zero continuity to the dryer housing.

Hope this helps. I am getting ready to buy another dryer but it seems like
everything but one detail is missing in this puzzle.

Thank-you immensely. That was the best video I have seen and I
have reviewed dozens. It IS/WAS no 240V in the control dial.
An actuator arm inside had gotten munged. From what I could tell
it's purpose in life was to shim the dial. Without it there is
240V across the terminals, and the rest of the dryer tests fine.

The only problem is that withput it if I attach the drive motor the gears are
no longer shimmed. But manually it tests great, albeit on the "low
heat setting" although it seems to get the full 9 yards.

Do you know if the cycling sensor or the high limit switch
report to the dial, or simply break power where they reside
in the unit? I am looking for a cheap source for a dial in the interim...the
local shops want half the cost of new dryer.

Yes, and more specifically, I took the motor off the back of the timer and opened it up and cleaned the contacts. Inside the timer there were three polypropylene "armatures" driving about 7 copper "wands" that had contacts. I cleaned those contacts and the voltage became intermittent because the tolerances were so fine. One of the armatures was simply worn and actually interfering with turning the mechanism. I believe it's purpose was so that when you plugged the actuator motor on the back of the timer it kept the gear wheels stable in the enclosure.

The motor actuator works fine but is turning nothing presently, and the timer works partially without one of the arms. I am replacing them all because I don't see where I can get them separately. In reality it looks like a 10 cent piece of plastic is what I need. My fear is that running the unit manually without a motor turning the timer prevents cycling the heater on and off...thus my test dried three big wet towels in less than 5 minutes.

Do you think I am right about that...not that it matters, but I may want to dry something before the part comes?