Water not flowing into icemaker

[h2]

[Mike O.]

I have a Sears Kenmore side by side refrigerator/freezer. I don't have the model number handy, but it has an icemaker with an ice and water dispenser on the door. It's about 4 years old.

About three weeks ago, it stopped making ice. The mechinisim seems to be working correctly; the "fingers" go around, the lever rises and falls, and I hear the water valve turn on for a short time (5 seconds?), but no water comes out into the tray. My first thought was that the valve attached to the water line in the basement was plugged. I checked it and the valve was fine. However, the water dispenser DOES work, although there's a delay from when you push the lever until the water starts to come out. After you get water, if you press the lever again, the water comes out immediately. If you wait a while, you get the delay again. This behavior started about the same time as the icemaker stopped functioning, so I'm assuming that the same thing is happening on the ice maker and that the delay is longer than the ice maker valve is open.

It's almost like the line is draining and needs to get refilled when the valve opens, but I can't figure out how that would be happening without leaving water on the floor. There's no water underneath the fridge or on the unfinished basement ceiling directly under the fridge. Could the water be leaking and draining into the condensation pan?

I haven't pulled the unit out yet since the previous owners built cabinets all around the unit (the coils are on the bottom), and it will be difficult to pull out. Also, the water line is copper and I'm concerned that pulling the unit out (and putting it back) may kink the line.

In the next few days I will pull the fridge out, but I was looking for any suggestions in the meantine.

Thanks.

Mike O.

[Greg]

The cold water "tank" is really nothing but a coil of nylon tubing in the back. It is possible that it has a leak and drains back into the pan. Pull the bottom crisper drawer out and watch the drain hole in the bottom when you run water from the door.

[Trent©]

Unlikely.

Turn off the water downstairs again...and pull the ice maker out. Then check the line where it empties into the maker...and the maker itself.

Yer not gonna find a problem unless you start tearing it apart.

Have a nice one...

Trent

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

[Mike O.]

Thanks, I'll take a look at it. The strange thing is that the water dispenser has that delay in it; that has only showed up about the same time the ice maker stopped working.

- Mike

[toller]

I have the same fridge. Sadly I can't offer any advice; all I can do is commiserate.

Mine stopped working last year (a month out of warranty) when I turned the water off on vacation. After a week it started working again. Two weeks later it stopped working for a month, but has been working fine for the last

6 months.

Can't wait for my next vacation for the drama to replay itself.

[SJF]

I have a Sears made by GE. I've had the same problem. There is a solenoid valve (lower right rear corner) that delivers water either to the water tap or the ice maker. The cure is to replace the valve, about $40 plus labor. You can do it yourself but you will have to make three connections to quarter inch plastic tubing and remove and remount the valve in an awkward location. I elected to pay for a service call.

I've had that frozen outlet problem another poster mentioned. But that was accompanied by frozen water diverted into the freezer compartment. The cure then was a thorough defrosting of the freezer side. I put the frozen food in Styrofoam boxes and blew a fan into the open freezer door. Took about an hour.

SJF

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

Check for a internal filter in refrigerator area. It will be built into the box in the back.

Then Check to see if some one has a filter installed in the water line going to the refrigerator. It might be behind the refrigerator installed on the tubing leading up to the water inlet of the refrigerator.

I just thinking plugged up filter or froze up line in refrigerator area.

TURTLE