Fridge help

[sniper7]

My fridge has been kicking on and off a lot lately, I can hear it turn on, then click off. Not sure if that is a thermal fuse or thermostat or what.

symptoms are now it doesn't keep the freezer side frozen. Will de thaw then freeze up again. Obviously the fridge side is doing the same thing since the cold air isn't cold from the freezer side.

any ideas what it might be? It's a 7 year old kenmore side by side. I have to leave tomorrow for a couple days and hate to leave the wife to deal with it but it's looking that way. Got stuff in a mini fridge, other freezers and outside in a cooler but not a long term solution.

[gnihcraes]

blow out the dust bunnies in the motor and refer coils.. amazing how much stuff gets in there.

[sniper7]

Did that, vacuumed up everything. Unplugged it and left it sit for several hours. Plugged it in a few hours ago and not even a sense of cold, but sounds like things are running. No idea on this one really. Coolant leak, thermal fuse, thermostat??? And we are planning on moving in a few months so I really don't want to buy a new one to just leave here

[gnihcraes]

no idea really. I know my mom had an older fridge, the coils in the freezer portion would ice up over time - preventing anything from working.

Unplug, pull the panels inside freezer, thaw out (hair dryer) and then it would run great for a few years again.

But you say it's a fairly newer style unit, so ... [Dunno]

[Wulf202]

Pm me if you dont get it figured out. I'll try to stop by tomorrow on the way by.

Most likely a contact for the compressor or its stuck in defrost mode

[Jefe's AR]

I have a working but noisy side by side in my garage that you can have if you come get it. It's black w/chrome trim. Wife wanted to keep it when we bought a new one but never kept enough in it to justify running it and taking up space in my garage.

If the OP doesn't want it, my offer stands for anyone wanting to come get it.

I'm not going to be very helpful loading it. Back has been acting up since car accident back in Feb. I do have a hand truck (dolly to some) you're welcome to use and a single approx. 13" wide aluminum motorcycle ramp as well. For loading only. You're on your own once you leave my driveway. [Wave]

[sniper7]

Sent you a PM Wulf.

And Jefe's AR, I'll see what happens tomorrow, and talk to the wife and see what she thinks as well, I appreciate the offer.

[Fentonite]

We had similar symptoms in ours recently, i decided it was the compressor wearing out. It was a cheap fridge, so not worth the cost of a service call, let alone fixing. We did get a little extra time out of it by putting a bag of ice in each produce bin, and a fan blowing on the compressor to keep it cooler. There's lots of info online, search the symptoms. Here's the first one I found with a quick search, seems in line with most of what I read: http://www.blog.applianceoutletservice.com/2008/11/my-refrigerator-is-clicking.html

[gnihcraes]

Sears outlet store. Pick up a scratch and dent.

Look closely at models if shopping for a new one. Many makes/models are the same MFG with different prices. Whirlpool/Maytag make a majority of them. We saw $1000 difference in the same models with different names on them.

[sniper7]

Wulf is going to stop by and see what we can figure out. Hoping for an easier fix. The compressor start device that plugs into the compressor seems to click on, then it sounds like things are trying to run, then clicks off within 30 seconds. Could be that or plugged up somewhere, we shall see once the expert arrives