My Amana Electric Dryer will not heat up. Model# LE8317W2. We have cleaned out the machine and the vent. I will be purching a heater element (as recommended) is that easy to replace? IS there anything else it could be? I really cannot afford to replace the dryer.

These units are totally repairable and will run for ever. Need to assume that other damage has occurred as a result of the failed shorted terminal connections.

Possible that the circuit breaker is defective caused by the dryer failure.

Assume that one of the components has shorted to the grounded frame of the dryer.

The 11 ohms of the heater is about right.

Confirm that heater element is not shorted to the dryer frame (heater housing)! This condition would have caused the initial wire terminals to fail and now trip the circuit breaker!

Use an ohm meter and check resistance between hot leads on back of dryer. Check resistance between each hot and neutral.

There is a switch located on the motor that connects power to the heater. When the motor is running the centrifugal switch closes. This saftey circuit confirms that the blower is running before heat is turned on. Check that the switch is not damaged from prior terminal short circuit failure, Repair kit is p/n WPL-501218

Timer is the next check. Same thing confirm that no damage to the switch circuits has occured. Last check thermal fuses and thermostars for short to netural.

Hope this helps?

You didn't state if it is a gas or electric dryer. If gas the igniter element is bad, if electric the heating coils need replaced. Goodluck Google burdfrenzy

Make sure the vent from the dryer to the outside is clean.
Reduced air flow can cause your symptom.

You can remove the vent hose from the dryer and operate the dryer in the automatic cycle.'
If the timer advances you know the vent needs cleaning.
Clean the lint filter housing also.
A flashlight helps to see all the way down the housing.

gas or electric? if it runs, check the heating element for a break. make sure the dryer venting is cleaned or the safety on the heater element will shut off the heat to prevent a fire. you may also need a thermal cut out kit which is mounted on the heater assembly.

check the heating element and the high limit fuse

probable broken heater element. you can call a repair service or pick up a new element at a retail a/c appliance store using the make and model number from inside the door and have a neighbor/friend/ you trust fix it with basic tools.

Check for 220 Volt at the heater entrance to the heater box (accessible from picking up the top on most models). If you have 220v there the heater element is out. If you don't have 220v on the terminals of the heater the problem is in the controls. The fuse link, the timer contacts, the centrifugal switch on the motor, and the heater safety thermostat and operating (s), are all suspect and have to be eliminated 1 by 1. Hope this helps. With any luck all you need is a new element. Clean the duct out while replacing the heater if so because the main thing that causes heater element burn out is low air flow a kinked Dryer vent hose, lint, and plugged up fan on the motor are the 3 main causes of low air flow. If yours has little holes in the inside cabinet these can get clogged with lint also and cause a problem. Hope this helps and please rate me accordingly Thank you and good luck.

Probably the heater element. You need to pull the back of teh machine off and check the heating element for continuity. If its open then its shot.
These are parts that normally go bad.
Check on ebay these can be had for less than 50.00

bbrhoades the first thing I always tell people with dryers to to 1st turn the breaker off and then back on. The reason is that only the heating element uses 240 volts, the motor is 120 volts. If this doesn't resolve the issue, then inspect the heater element for breakage. Hope this helps.