Whirlpool GD5SHGXKQ01 Ice Maker

[SonofaWhatthe]

Hello all,

<I tried to search for my answer first before posting but I can't find the magic to make the search function work. Maybe it's a Chrome issue?>

Anyway: the ice maker is leaking water into the catch bin while making ice so it's freezing some of the already-made cubes into big blocks.

Is this a bad water inlet valve? We have very hard water where I live (Lincoln, NE) so that may be contributing to the problem. 

I *think* the fridge is level so I don't believe it's just overflow happening due to gravity. We haven't moved the fridge in 5 years and this problem just started a month ago or so. 

When the  ice maker arm is "up" the leak stops if that helps isolate a troubleshooting best guess. 

I consider the automatic ice maker to be one of mankind's greatest accomplishments (after the wheel and red wine) so it's critical to get this fixed!

Thank you in advance for reading / suggestions!

[16345Ed]

Could be a bad inlet valve. I’d remove ice maker and inspect mold tray carefully for cracks. If that looks good. Try a new valve and see how it goes. 

Part number: W10408179

[RhodyGrad]

Also make sure that there is no ice build-up in the ice maker fill tube, if this ices over, it could cause water to be diverted right into the bucket of ice, causing it to freeze

 

[David C]

The issues that I have experienced with this model Ice maker was due to ice build up in the fill cup. Replaced water valve. Problem solved.

[SonofaWhatthe]

Thanks to all for replies.

I went simple route first: removed ice maker, cleaned out the molds and re-installed. I found residual ice in the molds and was hoping that was the culprit. I found a little residual build up in the bottom of the fill tube too. 

Unfortunately as we are cycling into the next batch of ice I have found that the drip has started already. It looks like maybe it's coming out of the "back" of the mold where the fill tube empties. If it was just "over filling" the extra water would be coming from non-specific spots right? This extra water dripping ALWAYS comes from the back of the mold in this same area. 

Thoughts on that?

I guess I can't attach a picture so here is a link to an instagram post of the drippage.

 

[SonofaWhatthe]

Okay guys,

I took your silence to mean: "Hey, you idiot, we told you to buy an inlet valve and there you are, asking more questions".   So I have an inlet valve replacement headed my way.  I'll report back after I replace and test. 

NOW I have a second problem:  since I thawed, cleaned, reinstalled the ice maker the sensor arm / bail for some reason stays UP after it dumps ice into the bin. It goes back down manually without much fuss but next time it dumps ice it stays up and stops production again.  Any idea why this would be happening?

Thanks again for the help, all!

[16345Ed]

11 hours ago, SonofaWhatthe said:

Any idea why this would be happening?

Broken, now sounds like you need a new ice maker too. 

[RhodyGrad]

Make sure you have the arm pushed all the way into the receiver opening, if it's not all the way in, it's not going to work properly. Push til you hear a click. If no click, new icemaker....

 

[AccApp]

Also check the icemaker mold itself, the plastic separates from the metal mold and can siphon off the water through capillary action. 

[howdryiam]

Regarding the drip: On occasion I have found that if the fill tube extends too deeply into the fill cup water will splash off the back of the fill cup wall. Looks like a drip, but turned out to be a splash! Any issue with excessive water pressure? 

[SonofaWhatthe]

I went quiet on this topic because I found a lazy workaround which allowed me to procrastinate. I finally replaced the inlet valve last weekend and as I expected: no change. The icemaker still drips from the back of the fill tray near the fill tube. 

The idea of high water pressure is a good one especially because we have crazy high water pressure in my neighborhood. However: this is very much a drip drip drip and not a splash. 

I'll order new ice maker and 1) Thank you for all your replies and 2) I'm sorry I was quiet for so long. It must be frustrating to offer advice and feel like you've either been ignored or not properly thanked.

[SonofaWhatthe]

Okay! New ice maker is in place and everything is working as expected. 

EXCEPT:

It will only dispense crushed ice. Regardless of where we flip the switch (cube / crushed) it spits out crushed ice (which of course is messy and undesirable)

I searched the forum for a while for this and the problem seems unique?

[johntech]

On the ice bin is a lever that when lifted up moves the crushing gear out of the way so full cube can fall thru the door. Make sure the lever is in place and functions by removing the bin and testing by hand. If that’s good then look behind the ice bin and you will see the hole that the lever inserts into. White the door switch held in and cubed ice selected press the ice dispenser paddle and see if the plunger inside that hole moves. If not can you move the plunger up and down by hand? If the coil did not move  in previous test you will need to access the coil that activates the plunger and check for 120vac when it calls for cubed ice. If you cannot move the plunger up into the coil then the coil is bad. If you do not see 120vac to coil with door switch pressed, cubed ice is selected and the dispenser paddle is pressed then let us know and we can help you troubleshoot the missing voltage.

Edited May 14, 2018 by johntech

[SonofaWhatthe]

DISREGARD:  I had ice built up in the "opening" where the auger connects. I blasted that out with a hair dryer and boom we have cubes!

[SonofaWhatthe]

Everything was 8 out of 10 (the cubes it was making were so thick they weren't being easily broken up by the auger) but now we are 0 out of 10. The trays are full but nothing is being rolled out into the bin.

I've posted a phone video here if you want to see the nothing happening. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jqzCLg0F9U

 

[SonofaWhatthe]

The "timing wheel" is *trying* roll forward but isn't. It sort of vacillates back and forth. I'm going to remove unit, empty and reinstall I guess. I think there is too much ice in there. Need to reduce the fill level. Best guessing.

[Rhubarb Tau]

Might be worth checking the heating element, possibly isn't heating to release the cubes from the mold. Check for Ohms between L and H on the I/M module head (under the white plastic cover) , should see ~70 Ohms.

Could also be a stripped drive gear in the I/M module head. Either way, sounds like a faulty (new) I/M. It's be interesting to pull the module head ( three screws at the corners under the plastic cap) and look for anything obvious, but I'd be checking with the parts supplier that sold the replacement about their warranty.

[SonofaWhatthe]

6 hours ago, Rhubarb Tau said:

Might be worth checking the heating element, possibly isn't heating to release the cubes from the mold. Check for Ohms between L and H on the I/M module head (under the white plastic cover) , should see ~70 Ohms.

Could also be a stripped drive gear in the I/M module head. Either way, sounds like a faulty (new) I/M. It's be interesting to pull the module head ( three screws at the corners under the plastic cap) and look for anything obvious, but I'd be checking with the parts supplier that sold the replacement about their warranty.

Thanks for the reply, Rhubarb.  My uninstall, drain and reinstall has worked and I once again have cubage. I've backed off almost a full turn on the screw that fills but the cubes still seem super thick. I'll do another small turn and see if that gets us back to normal.

 

[Rhubarb Tau]

Glad to hear it, thanks for the update!

[SonofaWhatthe]

AND WHEN I GOT UP THIS MORNING IT'S NOT MAKING ICE ANYMORE.  arghh! @#$%$@!

Same situation as before:

* Mold is full of ice

* Timer wheel is vacillating slightly but not moving forward

* I'm completely frustrated

I assume if I empty it it will do again what it did yesterday: make 1or 2 batches of ice and then stop. 

[SonofaWhatthe]

More on my saga:

* So I had a new Ice maker sent to me free of charge under warranty. Installed.  Had ice for a few cycles and then it stopped too. Tray is overfull and seized up.

* Appliance expert was called and he thought the ice maker was out of level so ice was "too thick" on the front of the tray which is why the arm got seized with ice.

* This helped for a while: we had ice but it was too thick for the auger and it seems to only kick out during defrost cycle

* Called appliance guy back. He says that he's convinced it's a bad inlet valve that is overfilling the trays. I bought after-market cheap valve from McCombs supply when I replaced it.

* I said "okay fine- go ahead and replace my $15 valve with a $75 valve and charge me $75 for a service call. As long as I get ice again!!"

* He says "No- I can't do that unless I replace the after market ice maker and the after market water filter you are using with OEM parts too"

#$!@!#%^!~~~!!

I get it to a degree. It's probably frustrating that an expert has to come in and try to make a homeowner driven solution work. I'm over a barrel. 

I'm going to buy an OEM valve and install it myself and pray that it makes the right difference. But what if the valve is FINE and the icemaker I bought just has the wrong size molds and that's why it's looking over-filled?  

[16345Ed]

1 hour ago, SonofaWhatthe said:

It's probably frustrating that an expert has to come in and try to make a homeowner driven solution work.

The beauty is we DO NOT have to...

I always turn down jobs where homeowner has already tried to repair. 

 

[AccApp]

did you try adjusting the fill amount on the current icemaker? Pry off the front cover and the screw is on the right side. Might take a few tries to get it correct.

[SonofaWhatthe]

I didn't think to try this. Brilliant idea! Will try that.