How to fix a broken ice maker?

[fan-of-fans]

My parents have a mid-90s Kenmore refrigerator that was made by GE. Just recently it stopped making ice. We believe it has a stripped gear possibly because we got it to make one more batch of ice and then nothing else. They don't want to replace it right now, but are getting tired of using ice trays.

Is there any way to repair it short of a whole new ice maker? I looked on ebay and saw some gears and motors. Just wondering what we need to get it going again. I saw some ice maker kits available that look the same as theirs, but they are around $90. I'd prefer to just replace the part if possible, just wondering exactly what part it may be.

 

[whirlcool]

I've screwed around with ice makers before and I find it much easier to just replace the unit rather than screw around with parts on it. But others will probably chime in that is not the way to go.

 

[travis]

Agreed

I also have never had any luck fixing an icemaker. I tried once and later replaced the unit. They're designed to be disposed of and replaced as a unit. You'll likely spend more money and frustrate yourself trying to repair it. At least, that's what happened to me.

 

[whirlcool]

On the few I have replaced the originals had some gunk in them, there was calcification in the part where the ice cubes are frozen, etc.

I should note that I found a NIB Whirlpool ice maker on Ebay for $49.00 with free shipping. They guy who owned the refrigerator I put it in said even when new the ice maker didn't make ice as fast as the one I installed. Just make sure the electrical plug matches the one the original has.

Usually if the refrigerator doesn't have a filter, I'll install a filter inline with the unit. It makes for much better tasting ice.

 

[dnastrau]

The ice maker in our 2000 Amana bottom freezer unit recently stopped making ice. I removed the ice maker (held in with 3 screws and one wire harness plug) and found that the fill tube at the back of the freezer was partially blocked with ice. I squeezed the tube (it is flexible) to break up the jam. I flushed out the tray portion of the ice maker with warm water to remove some ice that seemed to be stuck in there under the tines, dried it out and reinstalled it. It has been working fine ever since.

I think the act of removing it, letting it warm up and reinstalling it may also have helped to reset it based on what I have read about them.

FWIW, the ice maker in our Goodman-built Amana is made by Whirlpool.

Andrew S.

 

[whirlcool]

Also remember that it could also be the water inlet valves too. Is water going into the ice maker at all? If it is, then the valves are working correctly.

 

[whirlcool]

Also remember that it could also be the water inlet valves too. Is water going into the ice maker at all? If it is, then the valves are working correctly.

 

[mrb627]

Ice Maker

I too suffered from a blocked inlet tube. Ultimately, the water filter was clogged to the point that not enough water would enter in on the first pass. Eventually the ice build up in the tube caused an overflow into the bin freezing all the good ice cubes together.

A clean filter and a tube wash fixed it right up.

Malcolm

 

[fan-of-fans]

I wondered if the filter may need replacing because it could be the original one. I don't feel any water or ice in the molds but when it first stopped working I could feel water.

 

[fan-of-fans]

They never fixed it, but did notice recently after a power failure, that it started making ice again, just a few cubes. Then it stopped. Then after another power failure it started again, this time making much more than the first time. I am wondering if something is freezing and the power is off just long enough to thaw any ice buildup, therefore letting water through until it ices up again.

 

[whirlcool]

That's a strong possibility. You could have leaky water inlet valves that are leaking a small amount of water into the ice maker tubes and then freezing up the tube. You may want to look into that. Those ice maker water valves are pretty cheap to replace.

 

[rp2813]

Here's a recent thread about a similar problem, and how it was resolved.

Someone PLEASE help - My Ice Maker Fill Tube is Frozen!

I just noticed this and I found a YouTube video in which the person as the Kenmore version of my Whirlpool and he had the same problem. It looks easy enough to fix.....But my problem is at the back of the fridge where he takes the water hose off so that he can take the fill tube out from the...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[firedome]

if you do find you need a new one...

I have a NIB GE made one here that fits GE, GE/Kenmore and Hotpoint for $50 including shipping, it still has the manual/instructions etc.