KENMORE REFRIGERATOR MODEL#253.44503602

[Woody]

My ice maker started giving me trouble, ice was forming in freezer everywhere. So I removed all of ice, took out ice maker and removed ice from plugged over flow piping. Restarted everything, went to bed, at about 2:30am a loud grinding noise was coming from back of freezer. Icicles had already formed every where in freezer. So I'm thinking that ice must have formed around a fan and that must be the noise. Now there is a code flashing in the refrigerator, on the control panel "E"'F", I'm not sure what the issue could be, water from ice maker doesn't seem to be controlled any longer. Now with these error codes, it seems there are a lot of variables that can be creating this issue.  

Thank You

[Vance R]

57 minutes ago, Woody said:

So I'm thinking that ice must have formed around a fan and that must be the noise.

Agree with statement.  Remove the ice maker, check to see if fill tube was in correct place. Then remove back of the freezer to inspect fan motor, remove ice as need. make sure everything is dry before reassembly.

[Woody]

Okay, what about the code flashing on control panel?

[Vance R]

It is probably (E) error (F) fan.

[Woody]

Okay, thank you both, that's where I will start and hope that it all goes back together in working order and without  burning up the circuit board...stay tuned the wife is putting all the perishables in the deep freezer so I can work on it.

[Woody]

Hey Vance, thank you for your support, I went through everything and took it all apart cleaned and dried everything real well. Ice was in everything, even the gear mechanism for ice harvester, on big brick behind the back cover where the fan is. Put everything back together and the error code wouldn't clear, so thinking along the lines of a computer, I rebooted it, pulled the plug waited a minute. Everything cleared, went back to my original settings, loaded ice tray without spilling a drop, I'm going to let it run through the night just to be sure it's good before we reload it with the perishables.

Thank You Again,

Woody

[Woody]

Vance, if your still out there, this morning I have the same issue of icicles hanging from racks, puddle on the floor. The ice machine seemed to put the correct amount of water in the tray the first round before going to bed for the night. So I don't know if it's not pushing the ice out in time, before the water is dispensed, then overflowing. One thing is sure, it's overflowing... 

[AdrianMutescu]

1 hour ago, Woody said:

Vance, if your still out there, this morning I have the same issue of icicles hanging from racks, puddle on the floor. The ice machine seemed to put the correct amount of water in the tray the first round before going to bed for the night. So I don't know if it's not pushing the ice out in time, before the water is dispensed, then overflowing. One thing is sure, it's overflowing... 

You checked if the fill tube is in correct position?

[Woody]

1 hour ago, Woody said:

Yes, fill tube is in correct position, I can't be sure due to all the newly formed icicles, but it may be leaking from ice maker gearbox housing. Is there a seal in the housing that can be replaced, or would I have to replace the ice maker?

 

[AdrianMutescu]

I didn’t work on this models,so I don’t have so much experience,I will just tell my opinion. Look at the door seal if is in good condition.Maybe the other techs will have the answer for changing the ice maker or not. 

[Woody]

Okay, thank you for your response, I know it's Sunday and Mothers Day, so I don't expect that many techs are watching the forums today...

[Vance R]

Empty the mold on the ice maker, reinstall and maker it is level front to back. To start the harvest cycle remove end cover use small screwdriver to turn gear or pull on the ejector fingers with study pressure. Once the ice maker moves by itself you can stop. Watch the fill and see what happens. It may have a cracked or corroded mold. 

[Woody]

Thank you for responding Vance, I was able to watch a full cycle, everything appears to be functioning properly. After the ice is harvested the water flows properly and the correct amount, but a few seconds after that water starts streaming from both sides of mold. I was wondering if it was a seal at the gearbox end, but maybe it is the mold...

[Vance R]

The ice maker controls flow for fill. There are no seals. Sounds like the ice maker is overfilling.  You can adjust the fill amount on the end plate. Wouldn't recommend doing adjustments because the ice maker been working good for a long time. Probably time for new ice maker.

[Woody]

So, I took it all back apart examined the ice mold for cracks and did a static test for leaks, determined that was good. Reassembled ice maker and ran cycle through, while examining cycle when water was dispensed the water was coming from the length of the ice mold over the top from the front. It's difficult to find a spot to determine the side to side level or the front to back level. So the water is coming evenly across front, so side to side level is good. The fridge is 13 years old, so I think over time the weight of everything hanging there has changed the front to back level. I took it back apart along with ice dispenser tray and mounts, shimmed 3 different locations so that ice maker would tilt back, lifting the front up. Ran a cycle through, when water dispensed I didn't see anything dripping or leaking. I'll observe it for a few hours before reloading the groceries back in the freezer. If it doesn't work, I'm not sure what the answer would be, it's been a great appliance !?? 

[Woody]

Okay, the first cycle was perfect, then the 2nd ice harvest happened, I heard it so I went to observe. The ice went into storage tray no issues, then the water was dispensed into ice mold, no problem with overflow or leaks. Then it continued to cycle, ice machine tried to harvest more ice but it's still water, then it refilled the tray overflowing into freezer. I let it go, and it cycled again, doing the same thing, then again it cycled, I shut it off. Now, why would the ice maker keep cycling, is it receiving instruction to keep cycling, or is it simply malfunctioning at the source, I mean at the ice maker...?

[Vance R]

The ice maker will start a harvest when internal bi-metal gets down to 17 degrees, also turns on a hater to release ice from mold. Sounds like you have a switch sticking on and having ice maker continue to cycle and fill.  Time for a ice maker.

[Woody]

Okay, I was afraid of that, no big deal, it looks like they are still available. I just wanted to make sure that was the culprit and not a circuit board or ECM within the fridge...

[Woody]

Ice maker finally arrived(thanks FedEx), it did the trick, thank you for your help!!