I have a 9 year old side/side that not cooling efficiently on recommended settings and slow freezing. Comes on and off intermittently. Already replaced start/stop overload switch... What's next?? Thanks

Check defrost timer. Check defrost heater.

Look underneath the unit. It is most likely full of dust and dirt which blocks the coils of airflow and prevents it from cooling and will burn up the compressor. Remove rear cover and wash out coils (unplug unit)with a spray of water then clean up with wet-vac. This should cure the problem. Make sure to replace cover or it will not cool because the cover in many cases routes air through coils. Make sure fan blades are clean and if there is an oil hole in rear of motor put some oil in it. DrTom4444

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Originally Posted by hkstroud

Check defrost timer. Check defrost heater.

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Refrigerators are quite simple appliances. It's usually the faulty defrost timer, defrost heater or defrost limit switch.

I'm out of greenies, Harold, sorry.

Let's start by first looking in the freezer about midway down. Do you see frost building up on the back wall? If you don't. It is not the defrost timer or anything pertaining to the defrost system at all. And in that case. Please check to see if there is a build up of dust and debris on the front and back kick plate and filter. If there is a bit of dirt clean it. And if you are lucky that will cure the problem. And while you are down there check to see if the condenser fan is running. If it is not then your compressor is overheating and shutting down. Which would cause your problem. Check to see if it is burning hot. If the fan is running then I would stick to the cleaning.
Now back to the freezer. If there is a build up of frost on the back wall of the freezer. You will need a amp probe or meter to do the following checks. And while your at it, take out a hair dryer because you will need it to manually defrost the refrigerator before checking if the frost is that bad as to where you can't even see the evaporator coils. Now when you have defrosted the machine I want you to check the heater first. We will do this with a meter or probe that has a continuity check or function. Take the wire leads off the heater first. Wait, back up I am sorry. First unug the machine at this point. Just to be safe. Sorry. Now take the leads off the heater. The heater can either be a glass type heater or a calrod type heater. Glass heater is usually covered by a metal shield and a calrod is just a black rod with no protection. I might add that if it is a calrod heater, they rarely go bad.
In either case remove the leads and heater from the machine and with your tester test the heater by applying one end of each if the probes to either end of the heater. If you set your meter correctly you will hear a tone and see a number in the meters display. This us good which means we have continuity to the heater and it us good. If you correctly applied the leads of meter and you don't get any tone. You have a bad heater. Replace it and it will solve you're problem. If heater good I would replace the defrost timer and thermostat. If you have any questions or concerns please feel fre to email me and I will gladly walk you through this whole lenghy process. God luck.
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