I have a Kenmore with the freezer on the bottom. The compressor was not running ok, I kept hearing the clicking noise. I picked up a hard-start kit. Installed it. EDIT: Now that it has been running for a few hours I re-opened the back and the top of the compressor is very warm, actually too hot to keep my hand on top.

Fans seem to be running but it is not blowing cold yet. I removed the back panel from inside the freezer. The piping that goes to the radiator assembly has thick frost on it for about 3 inches or so, the frost stops where it hits the first heat-sink plate of the rad. The rads seem to be at room temperature. The exit pipe does not seem to be very cold and it is most likely at room temperature. This is after 1 hour of run time.

What is normal here? I would have expected to feel cold air blowing from the vents but I question if I have enough freon (or whatever they use) or if the compressor is truly running ok.

I should also state that I played with the red dial under the fridge which seems to be the defroster timer. If I turn it slowly, at one point it goes click and all fans stop. Any chance this is in the wrong setting? I rotated it to the mid-point.

PS: I am handy with electronics and have LOTS of test equipment but no knowledge of heating/cooling. Both my central air and fridge died after a power failure last week. I replaced the start-run cap and the central air restarted ok. I was hoping for the same with the fridge.

Model number: 596.69272993
Purchased Oct 1999 (almost 9 years old)

I unplugged it over night for safety reasons.
I reconnected it about an hour or so ago.

Current status after 60-90 mins of running:
The compressor is warm on top (not too hot to touch)
The 2 copper pipes coming out of the compressor: 1 is warm, the other is cold.

I felt under the fridge in an effort to see if the coils are cold, warm or hot. Very difficult to do but I was able to feel the edge of them where they curve back under. They seem to be cool... but I was expecting them to be warm (if I understand how this stuff works).

I have removed the back plate from inside of the freezer so I can see the rad. In the past 60 minutes, a thick layer of frost has formed on one of the 2 metal tubes entering the rad. But the frost is only on the part of the tube that does not have the heat-sinking squares. The tube that has the frost is the one that does not have the defrost sensor wrapped around it.

It appears that the start kit allowed the compressor to start but I might have a 2nd condition at play here. If it is electrical, I can fix it myself. If it is a sealed system leak or a compressor failure (weak?) and doubt if I want to have it fixed.

ps: For the past 2 days the fridge has been pulled out from the wall and is in the middle of a large kitchen. Nothing is blocking any airways from what I can tell. If a picture will help, I can take a photo and upload it to my home web server.

Make sure both fans (inside the freezer and next to the compressor) are working. Put back in place the rear panel in the freezer and the cover on the back of the fridge. Wait about 24 hours and do not open the freezer door.

Then remove the rear panel in the freezer and check the evaporator coil (you call it "radiator"). Normally it suppose to be covered in light snow about 100%.

Post the results.

Gene.