How to check a dryer timer

[JWWebster]

http://appliancejunk.blogspot.com/2011/10/dryer-timer-101.html

[Washaman]

  Had a few of these lately but they are just dead. Won't turn on at all like it's got a bad door switch. All had the contact burnt off and rattling around inside like a baby toy. LOL! I have a few extra timers laying around for parts so I just swap it out with a good one. The pic I attached is one I was reassembling and I circled the one I replaced.

[theoldstoveguy]

3 of the same timer, all Whirlpool number 3397273 within 4 weeks.  All dead.  Now I won't see any for another year.

[JWWebster]

Interesting. I would love to know where to get some new stake on points to go in these timers. I used to send these off to Midwest timer service for rebuilding. Another guy in Miami also rebuilds them.

[Washaman]

It's like performing brain surgery. Lol! But as long as I have a donor it can be done.

[theoldstoveguy]

I actually installed a rivet in one as was 47 miles away. They were remodeling and needed it to work for 5 days, lasted through that. Made them unplug it between loads.

[JWWebster]

Wow you riveted the 2 legs together? Don't give me no Ideas. LOL

[AJ]

Wow you riveted the 2 legs together? Don't give me no Ideas. LOL

Or did he simply replace the burnt contact with a rivet?

[rmbraught]

You guys are great! 7 points for not mentioning Super Glue or duct tape.
Seriously, I tried to 're-surface' a timer's contacts once with one a conductive silver 'plating' pen (after filing and polishing), I found that the 'spring' of the contact arms had weakened (with heat, from the original failure) so just 're-plating' the surface didn't work after a week (new contact rivet? never tried that!)

[theoldstoveguy]

It replaced the contact with a rivet filed it and worked. NOT AS A PERMANENT REPAIR! That would be too dangerous and would not want to burn someones house down to save a few bucks.