engineer/multi property manager and (diy) appliance repair person here...thanks in advance for any advice...

2010 Maytag french door refrigerator/bottom freezer from sears - sticker inside says it is whirlpool made. sticker says 5 oz R134A 7.1A (lock up amps?)

compressor sticker in lower rear - Brazil made Embraco EM2Z 60HLT 10.5 LRA (1/5 hp?)

came home from trip wife reported fridge was warm. it was totally room temp inside all had melted in freezer.

took off lower rear panel - fan was running - compressor was very hot to touch - not running. unplugged, etc. replugged - compressor would start/run briefly a few seconds - then a loud 'click' and it would stop - then repeated this every few minutes. vacuumed all coils in rear and beneath - had done this periodically in past so it wasn't super clogged with dust.

did some research - and checked ohms on 3 compressor terminals - seemed within good range- and no shorts to ground. then removed start device/capacitor and direct wired compressor - and bumped start terminal - and it ran and cooled. then it would not restart after attempting to repeat this procedure.

then i orderred Supco RCO810 3n1 hard start mechanism then wired it up and the compressor started right up - albeit was fairly loud to start - then got quieter. it has now been running for a week cycling normally - with loudish starts - gradually less loud - but definitely louder than before the buzzing is louder and the 'phase wobble sound' is louder - but it is cooling well/freezing well.

looks like it is running and drawing about 2.35amps right now - after running at 2.58 amps after it started. at start it peaked briefly at 7 amps. have it plugged into a kill-a-watt meter to give me amps. (also have amp meter which i used when rear was open).

i assume compressor is having some issues/failing/on its way to failing so the normal start device couldn't handle it - but the hard start is able to start it? perhaps this new status can give me weeks or months? to find a replacement?

any thoughts appreciated.