Refrigerator problem

[slapshot]

I hope someone can help. I have an old Kenmore SxS refrigerator, model number 106.8566782. It has been a reliable unit, and with normal maintainence and regular cleaning, it has performed well over the last

20+ years. The other day, my wife called me at work to let me know that the fridge was warm, and everything in the freezer had melted. When I got home I inspected everything I could while cleaning the whole thing out. I eventualy took off the control panel cover and bumped the defrost timer with my finger and the compressor immediately kicked on. Unfortunately, the next time the timer went to kick in the defrost mode, the timer stalled again, and I advanced it to get it to run once again. I looked up the part on Sears parts website and the reccommended replacement for the original timer pn. 943435 part was pn. 482493. I located this timer locally and replaced it with the loose lead for the motor on terminal 2 since the original timer was wired to pins 2 and 3. The fridge seemed to work fine, and I could hear the timer running, so I thought all was well. The next morning the unit seemed fine, and everything was as cold as it should be. But a new problem seems to have been created with the replacement of the timer. When the fridge goes into the defrost cycle now, the items in the freezer thaw out considerably. The bread and waffles are soft, there is moisture on all the shelves and walls, and the ice in the icemaker is clumping together. Once the defrost cycle is complete, the freezer operates normally once again and everything freezes solid once again. I did not experience this problem before the original timer failed, and am wondering if something is wrong with the timer or the installation of the timer. I have read that a defrost thermostat could cause this problem, however, it seems odd to me that it would fail at the same time as the timer did, when it hadn't exhibited a problem beforehand. One thing of note is that when the thawing is occurring in the freezer, during the defrost cycle presume, the evaporator fan is running and warm air is coming from the vents inside the fridge and freezer. But, when I looked at it a little while ago while it was thawing and the fan was running, I cycled the defrost timer until the compressor turned on then off again, and the fan turned off as well and everything is quiet. Thanks in advance for any help with this. - Mike

[Appliance Repair Aid]

Hi,

New defrost timer *might* have a longer defrost cycle than the original did!?!

Probably would be good idea to change the defrost thermostat at the same time, they are in series with one another and are often changed together.

During the defrost cycle the evaporator fan and compressor should go off together and come back on together. Shorted fan motor, shorted fan motor wire, wrong wiring on the timer?? That is a good place to start, why is the fan running during the deforst mode. Most often the condensor fan motor should also go off with the evap fan motor and compressor, the odd older fridge kept the condensor fan motor running during the defrost mode.

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[delphiprog]

{Details Clipped}

Geesh, Mike. Just buy a new one. The money you'll save in electricity alone will probably allow a new one to pay for itself in a year or two.

We bought a house in 2004. They still had the original refrigerator from when the house was built in 1964 (they don't build things like they used to do they?). We used it for a few months until we got around to replacing the kitchen appliances. Upon replacing it my electric bill dropped by $40 a month. At that rate, the new one paid for itself in less than a year. And it was bigger.

See other links on this repair v. replace topic here:

Doug

[yatesat]

I have a side-by-side refrigerator. The rubber (or gasket) that goes does the side (between the side and the back) of the freezer has fallen

down. Is there anyway the piece of rubber can be reattached? I tried using goop but that didn't work. Any ideas? Thanks. AY Hi,

GE TFX22K

Gasket is not torn. The strip has come apart from refrigerator. I'm thinking I might need some kind of glue that will adhere in cold temps.

Thanks your for reply.

R

[Appliance Repair Aid]

That is part of a full model#.

of the > freezer has fallen down.

The back wall edge trim for the evaporator cover? No adhesive on it! The push on rubber trim just pushes over the edge of the cover and is a pressure fit. Might be best to remove all of the shelves and the cover to help install the rubber trim properly.

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid