squealing old ice box

[bobski]

every time it kicks on....a bone chilling squeal comes on and as time passes, it goes away. everythings cold. just noisy for about 30 seconds. motor bearing? pulley bearing? the fix?

 

[NikA]

Depending on the age of the unit, there could be only one motor. Freezer/fridge units normally have 2; one to blow air around inside, one to ventilate the compressor and keep it from overheating.

The fix is to replace the bearing that's noisy. Replacing the whole fan assembly may be easier and about the same price. Replace it before the bearing seizes or you'll be replacing a compressor too.

 

[JPGLSG1234]

Tip of the day....Don't buy an LG refrigerator of any kind they are chi-con pieces of crap. Ask me how I know this after spending 3,400.00 for the latest as greatest.

 

[Fox Mike]

I have never seen an ice box with a motor. All I have seen just had a place for the block of ice. Now, refrigerators, on the other hand, do have motors. :roll: :roll:

 

[Busterswoodshop]

Call the Maytag Man , he isn't doing anything.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Nobody works on appliances anymore. They're designed to be 5-8 yr service life then disposable. Sounds like you might have one of the old good ones, and worth fixing if you can do it yourself. Good luck finding anyone to work on it for you - at least at less than the cost of a new one.

 

[bobski]

i got an 30 year old kenmore. just curious since getting parts in the time frame needed to remove and replace is tight....can i shoot a squirt of oil in that squealing bearing until i can get a new fan motor in my hands? like i say, it squeals now, but stops.

 

[gunzo]

In the movie Tremors, a squealing ice box got the general store destroyed by a big worm.

OTOH, many old &/or big units had a belt drive compressor of fan. If so, the belt is likely the source of the squeal.

 

[bobski]

i know youre all wondering why i havent opened it up yet. i will! i will! but the wife has it loaded up full! its heavy.

 

[bobski]

ok, found the owners manual i saved 12 years ago. its a model 106.8618761.
no belt. it has 2 motors. one for the freezer and as mentioned, one to cool the compressor down low. #12 on unit parts = 851618.
i will take it off asap and see if its the one growning. most likely. if all it needs is a squirt, why not?

 

[Pat-inCO]

OTOH, many old &/or big units had a belt drive compressor of fan.
If so, the belt is likely the source of the squeal.

Ya beat me to it. :wink:

Second thought, when was the last time you used a vacuum to pull out the dust
and such from around the motor?

 

[bobski]

3 years.

 

[bobski]

pros and cons to a squirt of oil? we are in the sticks.

 

[bobski]

my chevy 2500 pickup heater motor blower was sqealing and my mech said the motor was fine and just drilled a hole in the cover and said squirt it if it does it again! is this the same situation?

 

[NikA]

A squirt of oil is a very temporary fix that will likely make the bearing seize faster in the long run. Oil will cause dust to stick in the bearing.

Used to be you could pop the bearing shields and repack with the appropriate grease. Most modern shields don't survive the removal process. Most motor bearings are too small to be anything other than disposable.

Verify the fan is the noisemaker and start the replacement process. It's unlikely to die in the several weeks it might take for a part to get to you. Or call a service tech now and overpay for something you could easily do yourself.

 

[hittman]

if all it needs is a squirt, why not?

Depends if you want it fixed or not.
I like to fix things right and move on. Put it behind me.
A squirt ain’t gonna do it …. At least not in the long term.

 

[bobski]

id prefer to squirt it if i had a new motor in my hands. fyi....for the last 10 years, i only run this ice box 8 weeks a year. 4 at a time. the rest of the time its off.

 

[bobski]

ok, anyone got a link to the place i can get that motor for the kenmore? i can do it, just need one.

 

[hittman]

https://www.partselect.com/Kenmore-Parts.htm?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=kenmore&msclkid=3b817ac795141e39a5da18ea86e01ba8&utm_term=kenmore%20parts%20direct&utm_content=Kenmore%20Parts%20(Generic)

Kenmore Parts

https://www.partselect.com/KenmoreModels.aspx?ModelNum=1068618761

1068618761 Kenmore Refrigerator Parts List

 

[bobski]

all thats left is to slide out the fridge and compare the pic to the actual old fan and its set. you guys are the best.

 

[Johnnu2]

Good luck bobski.... I know exactly how you feel about doing repairs on something I never repaired before. Not to mention trepidation that only comes with age (our age).... In younger years, that baby would have been apart just for experimentation

Anyway, since you have downtime when the ice box isn't being used, I'd get the part and just wait till you can repair it without worrying about all your food going bad.

Let us know how you do...

J.

 

[bobski]

ok, found issue. classic freezer fan motor, not the one below. on order! thanks again guys.


btw, fear of doing it isnt an issue. fear of being in the middle of nowhere w/o a backup plan is. :wink:

 

[Rick Courtright]

pros and cons to a squirt of oil? we are in the sticks.

Hi,

In my personal experiences with smaller bearings:

Pro: quick, cheap and dirty.

Con: doesn't last long especially when working with a bronze bushing instead of a roller or similar bearing.

Grease is usually far better if you can get it into the bearing. Many years ago an old time mechanic told me to get a needle adapter for the grease gun from the auto parts store. I've been able to rescue a number of bearings with it. If you're careful, it's designed to go in past the seals with minimal to no damage, and it even works as designed!

As for parts, maybe these guys can help you: https://www.genuinereplacementparts.com/

Rick C

 

[Jimbo357mag]

If it is the defrost motor just replace it. The hardest part is getting to it. YouTube can help you with that.

 

[bobski]

new part hasnt arrived yet but the old motor said i quit. rrrr,rrrr,rrr. no movement.
plan b.
took off cover, slid fan off shaft, and squirted oil in the shaft.
i now have a working fridge again.
these old kenmores....a joy to own some old school usa.
cant beat the funky mustard yellow color either.
the wife rewarded me with a freshly baked swedish tea ring!

 

[Johnnu2]

CONGRATS bobski.... I love it when the quick and dirty method works. It would be interesting to see how long it keeps running; it may be "forever". Once you have the spare parts, you can just sit and wait....
Nice work buddy,

J.

 

[Bob Wright]

I have never seen an ice box with a motor. All I have seen just had a place for the block of ice. Now, refrigerators, on the other hand, do have motors. :roll: :roll:

You beat me to it.

And my mother used to collect the water from the ice box for her flower beds. She held the opinion that ice-house water contained more minerals.

Bob Wright

 

[bobski]

we had an ice pond in my home town. in the winter, theyd saw out blocks and sell it to nyc or anyone who needed it. the pond was kept at 5' to give ice equal freezing. the dam is still there. i use to fish out of the pond as a kid, never knowing what it was.