I have an old GE/Hotpoint dryer ddg6380 bal model. about 1984. I am trying to locate the thermostat and have been told it is below the lint trap. Cant find them, could they be visible on the plate, but wired underneath. I do see wires leading into a place with what could be thermostat caps

First the most obvious and you've most likely covered yourself look at the lint trap/if clogged clean thoroughly with vacuum cleaner pull out lint trap and **** up as far as deep as you can get some of the lint that you don't see and believe me there's a ton depending on your exhaust/vent type . Next go outside check the vent attached to the outside of home for clogs/lint buildup lastly here's a trick I've personally used SEVERAL TIMES on my old ge dryer if you have a LEAF BLOWER pull dryer out of the way and next go outside remove exhast vent usually 4 phippls screws going out next remove vent/trap outside go back inside and use the leaf blower to blow out all of the lint caught in the vent tube your be surprised how much was in there. HOPE this quick fix addresses your dryer issue if not its most likely the dryers thermostat they're fairly cheap online. Just trying to save you a buck friend. Have a good day Ryan in Minnesota

Since this is an electric dryer, if it gets warm, that usually means that the heater is working. The drum tumbles so that tells you the motor is working. Which leaves a few things. Clogged exhaust vents could cause it, and even a dirty lint trap could effect it. But on your GE I would most suspect either the thermostat that is located in the dryer blower unit (http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/part-number/GE-Parts/Dryer-Parts/WE04X10028/0026/363/Model-DVL223EB6WW/0432/0151200?keySuffixId=NA&pathTaken=partSearch&pathRender=modelComponent&documentCompId=G0407006&diagramPageId=00004&productTypeId=0151200&searchModelNumber=DVL223EB6WW&subCompDesc=Motor&brandDesc=GE&modelDesc=ELECTRIC-DRYER&blt=11) or the blower unit itself. Now remember that the blower is driven by the motor (which also turns your drum - so the thermostat becomes the most likely suspect. It is 1315 on the parts breakdown to give you an indication of where it is located.

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/part-model/GE-Parts/Dryer-Parts/Model-DVL223EB6WW/0432/0151200/G0407006/00004

Hi.

With most Hotpoint/GE dryers the blower motor is not spin by a belt. The problem is unlikely the blower motor. The problem is lint in the air ducts and in the blower housing. The lint results in overheating and the high limit switch cuts off the power to the heater (burner or element depending on the model).
As a result the dryer does not heat up.

Access the heating group and remove lint from the air ducts. Also clean the lint filter.

Hotpoint appliances are built by GE. Below service manuals for different GE-manufactured dryers:

Technical Service Guide

Technical Service Guide

Service manual

ELECTRIC & GAS DRYER SERVICE MANUAL(Kenmore)

Bob you will probably have to change the limits or also called thermostats if you want to try this yourself. There is probably two of them, they are located down by the burner/blower assemble and not more than 1 1/2 around with two wires going to them

Unplug the dryer
locate the thermostats close to the burner . You may be able to remove the lint trap and lint trap cover. remove the wires from the thermostats and using an ohmmeter ohm across the thermostats . The needle on the ohm meter should peg all the way across if they are good. If you get nothing the thermostat is open and needs replacing. I hope this helps you , you are probably tires of working on it by now. Also there is a sight, www.ehow.com that may help you even more. Good luck, Mark

In the Kenmore equivalent, the lint trap is on the back wall of the interior of the dryer. If GE is the same then you'll see two vents at the back inside, one is the intake (where hot air enters), the other is the outtake, which contains a lint trap. You might have mistaken both for nonremovable vents. But one of them is removable. It should have finger holes or something to grab. Just pull it and it will pop out without difficulty. It's probably a two-piece unit (a grate on the dryer side and a screen on the exhaust side, with a space in between for collecting lint), which snaps or slips apart easily, then you can clear the lint, and then snap or slip it back together and just push it back in place in the dryer.

clean lint trap out more often after every load and try to vacumn inside lint trap lint tends to slip down below the trap and yes it will ignite from time to time My gas dryer did it once and yours it smoked and stunk but because I was home it never went furtherif you open bottom front panel if your machine has one you can get a lot of old lint cleaned out there as well...and most dryers post in their manuals the risk of lint fires

its the flame sensor,or the coils on your gas valve

Sounds like an intermittant break in the heat element. Could also be an irratic control thermostat or bad connection somewhere between the line and the heater. Simple to isolate with a tester.

needs a heater rework kit probably. contact fisher paykel and they will pay for the repair.