Refrigerator Advice

[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=