Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - Odd dryer issue

Hi all,
I've recently moved to a house where there is a 3-prong dryer recep. The recept is wired properly and safe - I've had an electrician come check it out. However, when I plug in my dryer, something weird happens.
First, let me say that I changed the 4 prong cord on my dryer with a generic 3-prong pigtain thing from Lowes.
When I plug in the dryer with the new 3 prong cord, then open up the dryer, it lights up and seems to be working. However, when I turn the switch to "on", the dryer starts and then suddenly stops withing a second of me turning the switch to "on". Why would it be doing this? After this happens, it takes a while for the light to come back on (24 hours?). How can I correct this?! :confused:
Thanks!
I'm anxious to get this fixed...I'm not really a handyman but am kind of tired of taking my wet clothes to the laundromat! :) hehehehe :cool:

Is this the older type manual control dryer or the new digital variety?

Can you give us a history on the dryer and how it was acting prior to the cord changeover? Was the dryer transported and tipped onto it's side or anything? Do not leave out any details, as any number of things may be important as to why the problem happened to start now.

Is the light designed to only come on when the door is opened?, or does it have a glass door and have a seperate switch you can turn on if you want?

Could be some loose connection, or, it could be something wrong down by the motor. Could be the motor or blower wheel seized up also. You can check this by disconnecting the belt and try to manually turn the motor shaft to feel if it is seized. And also manually try to turn the tensioner pulley and see if it is gummed up or otherwise will not turn easily. And if no problems so far, run the dryer, beltless, and see if the motor will at least keep running when not under load.

Thanks for the reply!
Well, here's a brief history with as much detail as I can fit in here. :)
I owned this dryer for the last 3 years. It is a standard Kenmore - solid with no windows - electric dryer. When you open the door, the light comes. The dials are not digital. I normally set the timer to x minutes or to "damp dry" or a number of settings and then turn another dial to start it up.
I have recently moved from one house to another. The previous owners left their old appliances but they broke, so I am trying to use my old dryer.
I think that I may have incorrectly set up the new 3-prong wire to the back of the dryer. There are 3 terminals - 2 hot and 1 neutral. On the neutral terminal, there was a pre-existing white wire and a yellow wire that were making contact. I assumed that was ok, but am not sure. There is no "grounding strap" anywhere inside the dryer - perhaps it was taken out sometime ago as I am not the original owner of this dryer.
This is a picture of my 3 wire setup job:
http://www.cckid.com/images/dryer.jpg
I think this covers all of the details...I appreciate your help!!

Do you have a volt meter? If so check to see if you have 220 to 240 at the outside terminals than check to see if 120 at each outside terminal to center terminal. From picture it looks like the outside terminals might be touching the frame, Make sure it's not. Could not see the rest of cord but it looks like the center wire of cord is connected to center lug of terminal block. that is right.Make sure that you have turned your breakers on and off a couple of ties, Have seen them stick.

Thanks pugsl -
I did check the receptacle - it does have the correct voltage output.
As for the outside terminals touching the frame: what do you mean? Do you mean the 3-prong gray cable? I'll double check but I don't think they are touching the frame. The center is connected to the center lug.
I've tried the breakers too...they seem to be OK.
When I get home tonight I'll try to take some better pictures - it's hard to get good light to the back of a dryer ;)
Thanks again!

Do you have a volt meter? If so check to see if you have 220 to 240 at the outside terminals than check to see if 120 at each outside terminal to center terminal. From picture it looks like the outside terminals might be touching the frame, Make sure it's not. Could not see the rest of cord but it looks like the center wire of cord is connected to center lug of terminal block. that is right.Make sure that you have turned your breakers on and off a couple of ties, Have seen them stick.

I think Pugsl wants you to not just check the recepticle, but make sure you have 240 at the outside terminals where they hook up in the back of the dryer.

Thanks for the clarification.
I was able to test and ensure that at the back of the dryer, it is receiving 240 volts.
One odd thing that I noticed is that when I turn the timer dial while the door is open, the light inside gets stronger or weaker, depending on how far around the dial I turn.
At this point, I have the dryer plugged in and when I open it, there is light. However, it won't even start (not even for the brief 1 second).
I guess I'm at a loss at this point. :confused:
Thanks again!

I think Pugsl wants you to not just check the recepticle, but make sure you have 240 at the outside terminals where they hook up in the back of the dryer.

If you are getting 240 volts by testing between the outer 2 terminals, then you are set up correctly.

From what you just said now about the light, I'm not sure you really have an issue there. It might stand to reason that if you are turning the timer dial, which is opening and closing various electrical contacts, that this action could weaken and brighten a light hooked into the same circuit. So we will let that issue go for now.

A dryer can remain totally dead from a thermal fuse inside being "open", or a door switch not working, or if the start switch on the control board were bad (I have never personally ran into that problem though, yet.). -

-or much worse, if say the timer were defunct, or the starter switch on the motor, was shot.

You can test these both (thermal fuse and door switch) with your meter when they are in place, while the dryer is unplugged. Each of these should have full continuity. With the switch, naturally you have to push in the switch while testing, and then see if you have it.

You can test these both (thermal fuse and door switch) with your meter when they are in place, while the dryer is unplugged. Each of these should have full continuity. With the switch, naturally you have to push in the switch while testing, and then see if you have it.

Ecman51` - Thanks for the reply! However, I'm afraid you lost me a bit. Could you explain how I test the continuity for those 2 things? I'm not really sure how I should place the probes on the DMM either. :)
Thanks for the patience too!

Please give type and model# and can tell you where the parts are and how to check.