# Kenmore Ice Maker Module Problem



## oregonlee (Aug 29, 2008)

I have a Kenmore side by side Model #106.53534300. The shaft that connects the large dial/gear (marked "do not turn rotate manually") on the module broke. I was able to find a replacement gear and shaft, however, I do not know where it should be set (as in a start position). There is a blue mark with a small notch on the large gear itself, but no indication as to where this mark should line up in relation to the module itself. I am sure that this gear must be in a "starting" position and the blue marking on the gear must line up with something. I have found no diagrams that show where the blue mark should line up.

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks


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## sv9779 (Sep 19, 2008)

There is no timing. just install it. It will stop and start on it's own.


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## oregonlee (Aug 29, 2008)

*Ice Maker module problem*

Thanks for the reply. I have installed everything but nothing is happening. There are metal contacts on the reverse side of this large gear. Do they have to be aligned a certain way in order to get things going? The large on/off lever is in the "on" postion.


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## sv9779 (Sep 19, 2008)

It won't start untill the thermostat in the icemaker closes. Then it should cycle by itself and fill with water. The resting positioin for the fingers is the 2 oclock position. If you put everything back togeather and leave it for a day it should cycle. 
As you look at the front of the module there are 2 holes marked "T" and "H" short these togeather with a piece of 12 or 14 guage wire. Just strip the wire back about 3/4 of an inch and push it into the holes. This will bypass the termostat and and icmeker should start running.


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## oregonlee (Aug 29, 2008)

*Thank You*

Thank you for your reply. Sorry for not responding sooner, but my notification that you posted a reply got lost in my inbox. Just discovered it today. I will follow your instructions today and am anxious to get it going again. No more running to the store for ice.

Thanks again...


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## boman47k (Aug 25, 2006)

sv9779 said:


> There is no timing. just install it. It will stop and start on it's own.


I had a strange situation once before I reall had any interest in appliances. My icemaker was not working right. I was telling a guy that works on and sells appliance that I ligned some holes up on the gears like a timing gear on a car. The doggone thing started working. He insinuated I was crazy, there was no such thing as timing for an icemaker.
I can't argue that they do as I do not know nor ever took much interest in them, but that thing started working. Maybe It just had a bad connection and it got jostled, I don't know, or maybe a stat had stuck, don't know. 

Did you give it time for the temp to drop low enough to make the stat close?


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## sv9779 (Sep 19, 2008)

boman47k said:


> I had a strange situation once before I reall had any interest in appliances. My icemaker was not working right. I was telling a guy that works on and sells appliance that I ligned some holes up on the gears like a timing gear on a car. The doggone thing started working. He insinuated I was crazy, there was no such thing as timing for an icemaker.
> I can't argue that they do as I do not know nor ever took much interest in them, but that thing started working. Maybe It just had a bad connection and it got jostled, I don't know, or maybe a stat had stuck, don't know.
> 
> Did you give it time for the temp to drop low enough to make the stat close?


 
In the 80's Whirlpool came out with the Flextray Icemaker. There was a big gear and a little gear. And yes you had to time them by lining up the holes so the firing pin would fall into place. Most of the problems came from the firing pin being bent and not dropping into place.


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## oregonlee (Aug 29, 2008)

*Thanks for info - Still no go*

I appreciate the responses, but still have had no luck in getting the icemaker going. I have the fingers in the 2 o'clock position, I shorted the holes marked T and H and nothing happens. A quick additonal question though... should I leave the shorting wire in place or remove it after I have connected the 2 points? Could it be possible that the motor has burned out? When I tried shorting the therm not a sound out of the motor. I suppose I could just purchase a new ice maker, but now it has become a challenge of sorts. 

Anyway, thank you all for your responses.


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## sv9779 (Sep 19, 2008)

Now you need to get serious. You'll need to check you 120 volts AC between the black and white wires going to the icemaker. You should also take an ohm reading of the black wire in the icemaker harness. There is a fusable link that is clipped to the bottom of the icemaker it is designed to open if the heater gets too hot. 
Is this the unit with the ice bucket in the door with the optics to shut off the icemaker or the one with the bucket on the shelf inside the freezer?


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## sv9779 (Sep 19, 2008)

oregonlee said:


> I appreciate the responses, but still have had no luck in getting the icemaker going. I have the fingers in the 2 o'clock position, I shorted the holes marked T and H and nothing happens. A quick additonal question though... should I leave the shorting wire in place or remove it after I have connected the 2 points? Could it be possible that the motor has burned out? When I tried shorting the therm not a sound out of the motor. I suppose I could just purchase a new ice maker, but now it has become a challenge of sorts.
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for your responses.


 
Forgot to answer your question. With 120 volts to the icemaker, when you short the two contacts together the motor should start right away. After a few seconds you can pull out the wire and it will continue to run. If you pull it out too soon the motor will stop. Just put it back in.


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## oregonlee (Aug 29, 2008)

*Thank you again*

I will check the link you referred to. I am definitely suspect about a connection being open to the motor since nothing happens when I short the thermostat. The icemaker bucket is inside the freezer and not in the door.

Thanks again for responses.


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## sv9779 (Sep 19, 2008)

oregonlee said:


> I will check the link you referred to. I am definitely suspect about a connection being open to the motor since nothing happens when I short the thermostat. The icemaker bucket is inside the freezer and not in the door.
> 
> Thanks again for responses.


It's very possible the contacts that send power to the motor were damaged when the gear shaft broke. They are very fragile. even with out physical damge I have had the contacts that activate the water valve go bad.
Take a good look at the teflon coating in the mold. If it is good shape it would be worth replacing the whole module. If it is flaking off at all just replace the icemaker. After you have made your other checks of course.


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## oregonlee (Aug 29, 2008)

Success! One of the contacts inside the gear/motor unit was not making contact when the lever was in the on position. I aligned the contact and as soon as I placed the module back on the unit, the motor began running and now the unit is working properly. I appreciate the help... very much so.

Hope your holiday's went well


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