Bad GE fridge compressor design from the 80s question

[ken]

Searched but couldn't find info I remember reading here once concerning the new style compressors GE introduced about 84 or 85. IIRC it was stated the design was bad and all failed sooner or later. It cost GE millions to make it right with owners. GE then switched back to a different design (older I believe) after the debacle. My sister actually has a 23 cf GE she got new in 85. The compressor was later replaced by GE and it has been working fine since.

Id like to know how the design of the new compressor compared to the older one it replaced. Also what year it was introduced and how many years it was used before they switched back to the older style.

Also is it safe to assume any GE's that originally had this bad design but is running today has had the compressor replaced?

 

[fan-of-fans]

Some in this thread

GE Americana?? Anyone able to ID this?

I'm thinking is GE Americana (?) probably pre 1985 or so...I'm not so into GE and cannot be sure what this actually is...Hoping one of you might know. 2 pics are all I have to go on for now.

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[vacerator]

GE scroll design compressors,

My 1988 24 cubic foot side by side came with one.
GE replaced it after one year with an axial type because of the high failure rate. They sent a notice by mail.
That was when GE still brought good things to life, and Whirlpool still made life a little easier.

 

[iheartmaytag]

We had one that was in new construction 1987.  The compressor failed within the first year, and GE just brought us out a completely new refrigerator.

 

It lasted until 2005 when it had major failure on Christmas eve.  Have had Maytag bottom freezer since then.

 

[combo52]

Mid 80s Faulty GE Refrigerator Compressors

Were a newly designed rotary design, they were not a scroll type compressor like many A/C type compressors have.

 

Initially when problems surfaced with these GER compressors they tried to install another GERC but quickly abandoned this and started installing regular piston compressors sourced from several different manufactures.

 

[vacerator]

John, ok,

thanks. I just guessed it was a scroll design. I recall it being louder than my current GE is before the retrofit.

 

[goatfarmer]

I had always heard that the wrong oil was used in them.

 

 Knew a guy who had a GE 'fridge, that the compressor went bad about 1 month out of warranty. Complained to GE, they told him the best they could do was sell him a compressor at cost, he paid for installation. Needless to say, he told the nice folks at GE where they could stick their refrigerator........

 

[vacerator]

They can do that with the

one I have now. It sounds like a plane taking off at times. At other times, it's as quiet as a mouse.
I guess I have to take the back of the freezer section apart. Check for play in the evaporator fan motor, or see if it is icing up at all.
Check continuity at the defrost heater, and thermostat. If those check out, and it isn't defrosting correctly, then it's the control board.

 

[combo52]

Mid 80s Faulty GE Refrigerator Compressors

If it was a simple as using the correct oil GE would not have abandoned an all new compressor design and factory that cost them hundreds of millions to build.

 

The basic problem was they used powered metal to make the rotor parts, and while this is a time proven way to make many metal parts such as gears in washer transmissions these rotors did not wear well in a refrigerator compressor.

 

GE did not do enough testing of this new design and by the time they figured out how to fix the problem GE decided it was cheaper to just source compressors from other countries.

 

Today every compressor for home refs are imported, Whirlpool for example bought Embraco in Brazil which make most of WP compressors for the last 15 years +. Embraco compressors are very good, in the service field we only see a few bad ones a year.