Help! Need advice. Last week the frige stopped cooling but the little condensor fan in the bottom rear was still running. Was suggested that it may be the defrost timer so I replaced it. I had the frige unplugged for 3 days prior to changing the timer. Once I replaced it, plugged in the frige, it ran perfectly. Compressor started and stopped just like normal for about 3 days and all was well.. And then...I found the frige warming up on the inside, the little fan in the rear running continously and everything thawing out.
This Kenmore has a tecumseh compressor and a tech told me today, over the phone, that the compressor was shot. Could it maybe be just the (PTC) start relay on the compressor?
Oh yea...one more thing. When the compressor decided to stop running the first time, the water on the front door wouldn't work. When I replaced the defrost timer and got the frige running, the water started working. Coincidence?
Thanks, Steve
Chattanooga

[COLOR="Blue"]This Kenmore has a tecumseh compressor and a tech told me today, over the phone, that the compressor was shot.[/COLOR]
Do not know how the tech came to that conclusion unless you gave them more info than given here.

[COLOR="Blue"]Could it maybe be just the (PTC) start relay on the compressor?[/COLOR]
Yes

Here are a couple a good sites with fridge repair info.
Refrigerator Repair Guide: How To Fix a Refrigerator - ACME HOW TO.com
http://www.applianceaid.com/frig.html

First you have to determine if the compressor is running.
It should be warm and you should be able to hear/feel it vibrating.

If it is not running then it may be a starter problem or a compressor going bad.

If it is running then you may have a defrost problem.

First remove the evaporator cover in the freezer so you can see the coils.
Not do not let them de-ice.
If they are heavily iced/frosted over you have a defrost problem.

If yes.
Manually force a defrost cycle by turning the defrost timer cam (Item in Section ) till the fans and compressor turn off.
Now check the defrost heater to see if it is on.
Be careful you do not want to burn your fingers.
If the heater is on then the timer needs replacing, re: it is probably stalling during it's rotation so is never getting into a defrost cycle.

If not on.
Unplug the unit.
Remove the wire for one side of the heating element (Item in Section ) from the wiring and measure it for continuity, usually around 20 ohms or so.

If the heater is OK
Remove one wire to the defrost thermostat (Item in Section ) and measure it, should be 0 ohms when frozen. Note that it opens just above freezing so must be frozen to check it. Also inspect it, if it is bulged at all replace it even if it measures OK.

If both the above are OK then odds are the defrost timer contacts are toast.
Best way to test this is a live test to see if you have 120 volts across the heater/defrost thermostat combo.

If you do not own a meter, I would suggest you purchase a one. You can get a decent digital multimeter for under $20.00. You do not need fancy though it is nice if the leads are a couple feet long.
If it saves ordering one unnecessary part it has paid for itself and you end up owning a useful tool.
Most places will not let you return electrical parts so if you order it, you own it.
A couple things to watch when measuring ohms and continuity
1. Always remove power from the machine otherwise you could blow your meter.
2. Always disconnect at least one side of any device you are checking. This eliminates the possibility of measuring an alternate/parallel circuit path.
3. When checking for closed contacts and continuity use the lowest scale (Usually 200 ohms). Then try higher scales. This scale is 0 to 200 ohms so if the device you are measuring is 300 ohms this scale would show an open circuit which it is not, you are just measuring outside the scale's dynamic range.

There is a good STICKY at the start of this forum about it's use.