GE refrigerator loud and weak cooling
#1
05-18-17, 04:52 PM
GE refrigerator loud and weak cooling
I have a small top-freezer GE refrigerator in my garage, model GTJ17BCZ2RSA.
The last few weeks the refrigerator has been getting increasingly noisy and the fridge portion is getting weaker and weaker on the cooling. The noise is a fast rhythmic grating noise. It is coming from the the rear of the freezer. In fact, when I open the freezer, you can hear the noise much more loudly coming from the vent that pushes cold air into the freezer.
Interestingly, the freezer still freezes, but the refrigerator is barely cold at all.
What do you think? Something I can fix myself? Or better just to shell out a few hundred for a new garage fridge?
The last few weeks the refrigerator has been getting increasingly noisy and the fridge portion is getting weaker and weaker on the cooling. The noise is a fast rhythmic grating noise. It is coming from the the rear of the freezer. In fact, when I open the freezer, you can hear the noise much more loudly coming from the vent that pushes cold air into the freezer.
Interestingly, the freezer still freezes, but the refrigerator is barely cold at all.
What do you think? Something I can fix myself? Or better just to shell out a few hundred for a new garage fridge?
#2
05-18-17, 05:52 PM
Group Moderator
That sounds like a problem with the fan in the evaporator section in the freezer.
It could possibly need a drop or two of 3in1 oil.
OEM # WR60X23584 is the motor model number. The fan blades are reused.
The pictorial part is 610 in the diagram.
See "cabinet parts" in the following link.
GE REFRIGERATOR Z SERIES Parts | Model gtj17bcz2rsa | Sears PartsDirect
It could possibly need a drop or two of 3in1 oil.
OEM # WR60X23584 is the motor model number. The fan blades are reused.
The pictorial part is 610 in the diagram.
See "cabinet parts" in the following link.
GE REFRIGERATOR Z SERIES Parts | Model gtj17bcz2rsa | Sears PartsDirect
#3
05-18-17, 06:50 PM
Lotta frost in the back of the freezer. I have removed the ice maker and removed two screws from the top corners and two screws from the bottom back of freezer. Back cover still not coming off. It is possible frost is hiding more screws.
Appears frost had completely covered some grills in the bottom rear of freezer - which might be why the fridge isn't cooling? I think those vents might lead to fridge?
Ok yeah, I think it might be frost buildup that is the problem! A YouTube video says that frost buildup will cause fan to be noisy and I've got a lot of frost. Because it also clogged the lower vents, it sure looks like that's what might have been preventing cold air from reaching the fridge. So now the question is where's the frost coming from? It could be that too much leaving the door open (as my kids sometimes do) is the culprit. I'll defrost this thing and see what happens next. Hopefully haven't caused permanent damage because the fridge has been like this for a couple weeks.
Appears frost had completely covered some grills in the bottom rear of freezer - which might be why the fridge isn't cooling? I think those vents might lead to fridge?
Ok yeah, I think it might be frost buildup that is the problem! A YouTube video says that frost buildup will cause fan to be noisy and I've got a lot of frost. Because it also clogged the lower vents, it sure looks like that's what might have been preventing cold air from reaching the fridge. So now the question is where's the frost coming from? It could be that too much leaving the door open (as my kids sometimes do) is the culprit. I'll defrost this thing and see what happens next. Hopefully haven't caused permanent damage because the fridge has been like this for a couple weeks.
#4
05-18-17, 07:45 PM
Group Moderator
A manual defrosting is a great idea. After restoring it back to service see how long it runs before it has another ice buildup..... if it does. It may be not defrosting automatically.
I don't foresee any permanent damage.
I don't foresee any permanent damage.
#5
05-21-17, 11:59 AM
It was the frost. I removed the back cover once it was defrosted enough to do so and the whole coil system and fan were caked in frost behind there. Working fine now, so I should be set unless the thing is frosting on its own. Hopefully is was just a door being left open.
