GE refrigerator compressor issues

[supersuds]

I have a 1999 GE fridge, a top-freezer model, that works perfectly -- EXCEPT that most of the time, the compressor makes a loud THUNK when it shuts off. Loud enough to make visitors jump, although I've sort of gotten used to it.

It's been doing this for a couple of years but recently seems to be getting worse. I should say that sometimes it shuts off normally.

Otherwise, the unit has no problems with keeping a steady temperature or anything else.

Is this something to worry about? Is there any fix that doesn't involve a new compressor?

Thanks in advance.

 

[dnastrau]

Rubber mounts

Here is my initial thought:

Check how the compressor is mounted to see if anything is out of whack. It should be isolated on rubber mounts. Perhaps when it is shutting off it is moving enough to contact something metal.

If there were an internal problem with the compressor causing it to make a noise like that, I would expect that it would have failed completely by now.

Andrew S.