Refrigerator Advice

[mznb1u]

I have a 10 year old Maytag side by side refridgerator (actual model MZD2766GE called the wide by side--seemed like a good idea at the time).  Anyway, the last couple of days the fridge side does not seem to be cooling too well and the freezer is cold but not as cold as it should be.

Any ideas, is it worth a service call or is it time for a new fridge?  It is not real easy to move because it is shoe-horned in between two counters and we have hardwood floors in the kitchen so I will have to plate the floor to avoid damage from the weight.

My 20 plus year old GE fridge in the garage is working just fine.  They just don't make them like they used to.

  Tim

[johnieG]

Clean the lint and or pet hair out of it's condenser coils down by the drip-pan area. possibly the condenser fan as well...good place to start..

[zadd]

We have a Maytag with the french doors and freezer lower drawer and the samething happened to it . Your compressor is going bad and  in the next fewdays I'm sure you will her it buzzing or getting louder. Our frig was just 4 years old good thing we bought the extend warranty. But yours could be just the coils like johnieG said ... that would be the first thing to check.

[Yarochrehc]

Most likely the defrost heater is broken, the first signs are as you have discribed.

[David D]

Agreed, it's probably the defrost heater, I had this same issue, the ice build up on the freezer side limited airflow to the refrigerator side.  Pretty simple fix once you get the part if this is the issue.

[mznb1u]

Thanks for the advice.  Hopefully, Johnie's suggestion will work.  If not and it is time for a new fridge, I will once again vow to never buy another Maytag product.  Hate to say that about a great Michigan company but the quality of their products has declined.  Three years ago I had to replace my 7 year old Maytag Atlantis washer because the transmission went out.  I made a few calls to see if I could get it fixed and the response from everyone was "This is the machine that took Maytag down!  Bad transmission and they did not stand behind it."

Oh well, you live and you learn.

  Tim

[Marvin]

My uncle is in the appliance biz.  My fridge started acting up a while back.  I went to price a new one.

He said "10 years is about all you get from then now"  Mine is 11 years old.  Got it patched up and working.  I'm not looking forward to replacing it.

[collecture]

I have a Kenmore in the garage that is in use thoughout the 110-120 degree summers here. We bought it in 1990-1 and retired it to the garage in 1996-7 I think.

[90grad]

Tim,

If the freezer side is cold and the frig side isn't, my guess is the bi-metal defrost.  This is a small component which attaches to your evap coil in the freezer.  They cost about $25.  They are super-easy to put in.  All you need is a couple of wire connectors like, say...., someone would use to restore a soda machine!  

What is happening is your system never enters a defrost cycle.  So, when the temp drops, the compressor kicks on, ices up the coils more, etc.  At some point, the ice is so bad on the coils, the air cannot circulate properly and food starts to get warm.  It takes longer to feel the effects in the freezer.

The other possibilities are the defrost timer and the heater itself.  

However, I would:

1. Get the stuff out of your frig and freezer.  Soda machines can certainly keep stuff from the frig side cold!
2. Take a look at the evap coil.
3. Get the part number of the bi-metal defrost.
4. An appliance supplier (not a retailer, some one who sells parts) should have them.  If not, Amazon sells them.

Service folks have to make a living, I understand, but it will be $75 for them to walk in the door, plus the cost of the part and installation.  If you can do it yourself, have at it.  This is a fairly simple repair.

My 2 cents.  Holler if you have any questions.

[90grad]

Tim,

It looks like (from www.searspartsdirect.com) your fridge has the bi-metal defrost incorporated with the heater.  If so, you can get the whole shabang at Amazon for about $30 (http://www.amazon.com/Whirlpool-61006199-Defrost-Heater-Refrigerator/dp/B0053Y2YUC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332159926&sr=8-1).

If it's the defrost timer, it's about $40 (http://www.amazon.com/Maytag-Refrigerator-Adaptive-Defrost-61005988/dp/B002B8KEUK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332160183&sr=8-1)

You can probably do some troubleshooting by the literature that came with the appliance or by doing some net surfing.  Having cussed my fridge more times than I care to remember, I have found a wealth of info on the net on how to perform troubleshooting and parts replacement.

[mznb1u]

Thanks Wayne!

[collecture]

Having cussed my fridge more times than I care to remember, I have found a wealth of info on the net on how to perform troubleshooting and parts replacement.

Isn't the Internet a wonderful thing! I can't count the number of things in my home that I have learn how to fix by reading it on the web. Just this past weekend, I learned something. Our hot water started coming out brown, so I thought OK time to empty the hot water heater. I followed the water heater manual instructions for draining the tank, but the brown was still there! I go to the web and find my answer. I got clear hot water now!  

[rayg]

I agree and thank God for youtube espeically when you need to find how to take something apart,  fix it & then put it back to together (for me it was the new model Xbox 360)

Tim good luck on your frig trouble!

[tkaz]

Got done with one of the craziest fixes a month ago I found on the internet...got a really cheap Macbook Pro off CL, and it ended up having a bad video chip on the main logic board...some site said to take the card out (disassemble the whole laptop), and put the logic board in the oven for 7.5m at 350 degrees to reflow the solder on the chip...sure enough, worked great!  Typing on it right now!

[Slapshot42]

and put the logic board in the oven for 7.5m at 350 degrees to reflow the solder on the chip...sure enough, worked great!  

I used to do that with iPod hard drives when they would seize up.  Fixed many that way in the oven!!

[mznb1u]

Finally got a chance to pull the fridge out and clean the coils.  The freezer side has been working fine but the fridge is hovering around 45 degrees.  There was some dust and a little dog hair in the coils but it was not as dirty as I would have expected.  I left it pulled out to see if it cools down overnight.  The compressor fan is working great.  One small problem, the insulation on the back of the card board cover for the compressor area pretty much disintegrated.  The backing is still on the cardboard.  Is there any risk if I don't replace that insulation?  I am hoping the fridge goes back to normal but what do I try next if it does not?  The fridge is running (and no I don't think I can catch it!) as normal with no odd noises.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Tim

[johnieG]

   "Is there any risk if I don't replace that insulation? "   ( on the back of the cardboard compressor area cover)

Nope, it's basically noise insulation

here's a little experiment to help determine the status of the system, but it can be a pain in the neck, you have to unload the freezer, unplug & defrost it for about 12 hours with the doors propped open, this will see if the evaporator/freezer coil is iced over & not allowing any airflow over to the refrigerator side, as they share a common coil, but each has a separate air-flow path.  if it works & the 'fridge side come back down to normal (33-40 deg. F) then you have defrost coil issue.

[90grad]

Tim,

When this has happened to us, unload the freezer, pull off the access cover to the evap coil.  If the coils all all iced up, it's a defrost timer or bimetal defrost issue, like I described earlier.  If not, it's not a defrost issue.  Side-by-sides have a device between the freezer side and frig side which controls the airflow to the frig side.  It's called a diffuser on mine.  Yours is called something different, because I couldn't fid a diffuser in your parts diagram. You'd have to look at your manual.

My gut feeling is your diffuser is going (or has gone) bad.  I say that because if it were a defrost issue, your freezer would be warm, too.  You initially said something about this problem nearly 2 weeks ago and if your defrost cycle wasn't working, both sides would be warm by now.  There are ways to test the diffuser.  I just did a quick Google serach and there are numerous posts.

[mznb1u]

I really don't have a problem with the fridge side staying at 45 degrees except for I like my beer colder than that!

I am in the process of cleaning out and cleaning the fridge side.  Luckily, I have a second fridge in the garage and the contents of the house fridge and freezer freezer will fit in the 20 plus year old, working perfectly fine, free refrigerator that my wife's aunt and uncle gave to us.

I did not win the Mega-Millions , my son is working and my wife is out of town.  I guess, I might as well clean out the entire fridge and freezer and check the defrost situations to see if it is that or the diffuser.  Whether I fix it or not, I will get some points from the war department because she will have a clean refrigerator when I eventually have to call in a repairman!

I sense some money coming into the fun budget!

  Tim

[90grad]

Tim,

Your part is called a damper control.  It's about $75. Basically, it's an actuator that opens and closes a vent flap to allow cold air to enter the frig compartment from the freezer compartment.  It could be stuck, blocked, or just shot.

Here'e the link..

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/part-number/Maytag-Parts/Refrigerator-Parts/61005971/0046/464/Model-MZD2766GEQ/3048/0165000?keySuffixId=NA&pathTaken=partSearch&pathRender=modelComponent&documentCompId=M0312513&diagramPageId=00002&productTypeId=0165000&searchModelNumber=MZD2766GEQ&subCompDesc=Controls&brandDesc=MAYTAG&modelDesc=SIDE-BY-SIDE-REFRIGERATOR&blt=11&shdMod=

[mznb1u]

Got the fridge all emptied and found this when I removed the cover in the freezer.  Could this problem have been caused by the air vent being blocked?

Thanks Wayne, I will look into that part.  I appreciate all of the help!  Still cleaning while the coils defrost.  This thing might not work when I am done but it will certainly be a helluva lot cleaner.  Maybe I will cut the cord and sell it on CL!  

"Worked last time I used it but somehow the cord got cut so I can't test it!  Restored this is worth five maybe six grand!"

  Tim

[90grad]

Tim,

WOW!!! That's a lot of ice.  You have 1 of 3 possibilities...

1. Bad defrost module
2. Bad defrost timer
3. Bad damper control

I cannot believe your freezer was still cold, but with THAT much ice, it may not have been affected.  Well, this tells me you have something bad in the defrost system.  I was suspecting the damper control, but your defrost system still should have been working and that much ice shouldn't be there.

I would start by replacing the defrost module (I think I provided a link to that on another page of this thread).  If that doesn't work, move on down the list.  At the most, if you wind up replacing all three, you are only in for about $200.

Defrost modules are a common replacement.

[globalcompressors]

bad door seal as well...

[mznb1u]

Thanks Wayne and Eric!  The door seals are tight but my high school son often stands in front of the fridge with both doors open for extended time periods.  I may have also contributed to that problem because I recently replaced the ice dispenser motor mount and shelf.  The door was open and the freezer was running for long periods of time.

I guess I will start with the defrost module (pardon my ignorance but is that the actual heating element that goes through the coil); but, I can't get any parts tomorrow.  Also, if I pull all three parts are these something that an appliance parts dealer can test?  Looks like I will be stopping by Master Tech in Ann Arbor on Monday.

I was wondering if it would be worth just firing it up and seeing if things go back to normal?  Any chance I would get that lucky or will I just be defrosting the unit again when I start to replace part?

Thanks again guys!  And Thanks Wayne for the link to Sears--I am downloading all of the parts diagrams for the various systems.

  Tim

[Yarochrehc]

Tim, that is a lot of frost, and that is probably why the refrigerator side is warm.  That style of defrost heater doesn't burn out to often, not like the glass tube style. The problem could be the damper but I would start the refridge back up and let it run for a couple of hours (4 or 5) if it is already defrosted and try a few simple steps with the freezer coil cover on the inside back off.

1st, see if you can find the defrost timer and turn it slowly until you here a click and the evaporator fan and compressor shuts off, you should now be in the defrost mode. Heat should be coming for the defrost heater at the bottom of the coil, if not it's most likely it's the defrost determination switch has gone bad, it's usually a round metal disc that is clipped to and near top of the coil. Most defrost times are around 20 minutes so if you let the defrost cycle run for about 1/2 hour and the compressor and evap. fan come back on you now know that the timer is okay.

If you are confident at working with electricity you can jumper out the defrost determination switch to see if heat comes off the heater while in the defrost cycle.

Servall or Servall City ( same place) also has appliance parts and has sold to the public. They're in Detroit

[90grad]

I guess I will start with the defrost module (pardon my ignorance but is that the actual heating element that goes through the coil); but, I can't get any parts tomorrow.  Also, if I pull all three parts are these something that an appliance parts dealer can test?  Looks like I will be stopping by Master Tech in Ann Arbor on Monday.

I was wondering if it would be worth just firing it up and seeing if things go back to normal?  Any chance I would get that lucky or will I just be defrosting the unit again when I start to replace part?

Tim, if you fire it back up, it will work fine for a while.  But, eventually, you'll get back to the same problem.  You might be able to find some stuff online about testing them.  Yaro has some good advice on how to test the system. The "defrost determination switch" he mentions is the bimetal defrost.  Cross over everything to the parts diagram and then you'll know exactly what to get.  The defrost module (in my frig, it's called a bimetal defrost) in your system has the heater and bimetal in one unit.  Amazon sells them here:  http://www.amazon.com/Whirlpool-61006199-Defrost-Heater-Refrigerator/dp/B0053Y2YUC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332159926&sr=8-1

If you need the defrost control (a little computer board), Amazon also sells them.  Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Maytag-Refrigerator-Adaptive-Defrost-61005988/dp/B002B8KEUK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332160183&sr=8-1

[mznb1u]

Thanks Bob and Wayne.  Being that the defrost determination switch appears to be integrated into the heater, I will try to locate the timer and try what Bob has recommended.  I am not too confident with wiring and electricity so I don't think I will be jumping any wires or you guys might be recommending a house builder for me!

Stay tuned!

  Tim

[mznb1u]

Plugged it in and it is cooling great as expected. 

If I am reading the wiring diagram correctly, it appears that the defrost timer may be incorporated into a unit called the adaptive defrost assembly.  It appears to be a plug and play part.  To the experts, can you tell me if I am reading this correctly?

Thanks again guys!

  Tim

[90grad]

Tim,

Yep, that's the controller for the defrost cycle.  It tells the heater to kick on.  It should be plug and play.  

Amazon sells them for 1/2 of what Sears does.

Keep us posted.

[mznb1u]

Thanks Wayne!  Plugged it back in and it is cooling just fine.  I am going to pull the defrost heater/determination switch and the adaptive defrost units and see if Service Tech can test them for me.  If not, I will just replace them both.  Looks like it will cost me about $125 or thereabout for both parts.  Much cheaper than a new fridge!
  Tim
 

[Yarochrehc]

Tim, the tech should be able to test the heater and defrost switch, I don't know about the adaptive unit/timer.

[mznb1u]

I want to once again thank everyone for the free refrigerator advice.  Happy to report that I have installed a new adaptive defrost unit and heater coil with defrost switch.  The problem was the ADU but I figured I would change the coil and defrost switch as long as I had everything taken apart.  Total cost of the parts was $125 so it did not break the bank.  The guy at Master Tech said that the ADU is the usual culprit on the Maytags.

I appreciate the collective knowledge of this site!  Oh yeah, the fridge is working great!
 
Tim

[collecture]

I know who I'll be calling on when mine goes...

[90grad]

Great news, Tim!

[mznb1u]

Here she is all cold , clean and ready to reload! I even took the time to replace the $40 water filter--what a racket that is!  By the current contents can you tell that my son had all four wisdom teeth removed yesterday?  Tough kid--he made us let him go back to school today.

  Tim

[mznb1u]

I know who I'll be calling on when mine goes...

Tom,

You can call but don't ask for help with the cleaning.  That took longer than fixing the darn thing!

  Tim

[johnieG]

In comparison to a commercial refrigerator, you got away on the cheap for the repairs!