Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - Maytag refrigerator not cold

Hi and great site,
In the last few weeks I've noticed my msd2756gew is not cold enough. Even though I keep turning it colder, It never gets there. Today the frozen foods are now soft. It seems to just run forever (the fan for the coils anyway). I just blew the dust off the condensor coils and cleaned it all up,(it was not too dirty) but I don't think thats the problem. How loud should the compressor be? I'm not sure mine is even starting. I see that it is shock mounted on rubber feet, yet mine barely buzzes. One of the compressor lines feel slightly warmer than the other, shouldn't one be real cold? shouldn't the condensor feel cold?
Can these units be recharged? I have a tag that says it was 5.55oz of freon 134A is the type?
What is the typical cost of a recharge and/or compressor repair?
Sorry for so many questions, but as I type so slow it gives me time to think of more :rolleyes:
Anyway thanks for any info you can shed on my situation,
ratski

If the ref and or freezer is too warm and you turm the dial to make it colder the compressor should come on.If the ref or freezer is not cold like you say the compressor should be on all the thime You should hear it,but you can definitely feel it and it [the compressor] should be very warm after a short while.

If the compressor does not get warm[uncomfortably] unplug the ref with the compressor running and plug it back in immediately. A good compressor should not start up right away.

If it is running and not getting warm and does start right up after unplugging it and plugging it back in it is inefficient and not compressing the freon gas enough and therefore not cooling enough.



The fan[hidden] in the freezer should be runiing as should the fan under the refrigerator.

The condeser should be warm and the fan should be blowing[drawing] air across it when the compressor is on.

You don't repair compressors and to recharge them correctly is expensive.


Check into this stuff. There are other possibilities having to do with the defrost circuit,but this stuff is easier to get out of the way.

Here is your ref.

http://www3.sears.com/Paul/document_search.asp?bnd_id=3048&prd_typ_id=0165000&model_num=MSD2756GEW&doc_id=&model_desc=SIDE-BY-SIDE%20REFRIGERATOR&

Pics and names of parts in case you are interested.

Thanks for the info joneq,
My compressor just quietly buzzes, I can place my whole hand on it and hold it there - mildly warmer than ambient. Can I remove the connector to the compressor and check with a volt meter to see that it is being told to turn on?
Since there is no reasonable way to recharge, Do these come as a sealed unit when they're new?
I dug up my paperwork, It's under warranty till 2/06, so I'll get a break this time. But I do like to learn a little bit about it.
thanks again,
ratski

With the compressor running unplug it and plug it back in---does it start.

The ciompressor comes all sealed up[sealed system] and you can do nothing to affect what is inside of it.

No it doesn't, just the fan for the coils starts. When emptying the frozen(unfrozen) foods, I noticed a layer (~1/2 inch) of ice covering the lower rear back panel of the freezer compartment. Would this be caused from the compressor not running?
ratski