Recently, my whirlpool dryer has started to run intermittently. When pushing the start button, it usually tries to start (you hear a relay click on) followed by the motor kicking on but then it shuts down almost immediately. It sounds like the motor just stutters. If I keep cancelling and restarting, eventually the motor stays on and the dryer runs but then it stops at random intervals. Sometimes after a few seconds and other times after a few minutes.

Any idea what might be the cause of this?

I've performed a little troubleshooting using the tech sheet. Running the onboard diagnostics, the system reports a control board malfunction, but I don't necessarily buy that. Taking the measurements described in the tech sheet, the control board checks out. The door switch checks out too as does the belt switch.

However, I can't quite figure out if there's a problem with the motor circuit. Measuring between the light blue wire and the bare copper wire of the main winding, I get an open circuit (> 200KOhms). Same with the start winding. However, when I measure between the light blue wire and the main winding terminal (what the bare copper wires connect to), then I get a short. Same with the start winding.

The tech sheet says that if there's resistance between 3.3-3.6 ohms, there's a problem with the main control board, and if the resistance is much greater, there's a problem with the motor. What doesn't make sense to me is why I get an open circuit measuring on the bare wire but an short measuring on the terminal that the bare wire connects to. How can that be?

The wire doesn't appear broken and is touching the terminal so current should flow via path of least resistance. I should either get an open or a short in both places, not both.

Any ideas?