Maytag RSW24E0DAM ice buildup - ApplianceBlog.com

ME2 · #1 October 11th, 2009, 09:38 AM

Maytag side-by-side fridge&freezer: Floor and rear freezer panel bottom is full of ice. May need to access drain behind the rear panel which has plastic seals in vertical rear corners; I can remove screws but how to then remove rear panel. Is icemaker removal required to remove panel and what to do about the corner seals? Seems they are pliable but not removable.
Drain pan under fridge is bone dry. Can I blow air up through the drain line to confirm it is open? Is just clearing the drain adequate or is defrost heater suspect also?
Thanks ME2

***Jake*** · #2 October 11th, 2009, 10:30 AM

On this model you may have 3 more screws at the very top, you may need to remove the light shield to see them, once those screws are removed, the panel should pull out.

You will need to get something to run down the defrost drain hole after your defrost all the ice at the bottom.

I use a evaporator cooler spider snake:
http://www.azpartsmaster.com/Products/Cooler-Spider-Snake__CLR4690.aspx

They are used basically in Arizona to clean out the water pump tubes that run to the cooler pads.

I don't know if they would sell them in your area, but if you go to your local hardware store, they should have something similar to run down your drain to clean it completely out.

Jake

ME2 · #3 October 11th, 2009, 12:25 PM

Thanks Jake. I will look again. Have almost all the ice out now; you've heard the word glacier

...well, amost have (had) one in bottom of freezer. I noticed that the bottom pan (which is still full of ice) is aluminum and was slightly tilted to the right, although the left side has the drain and is lower on the bottom...has a kind of belly in the bottom of the pan on the left side. Pitched my nice large piece of stiff packing styrofoam yesterday to the trash

so used a small block of wood to support the right side.
Started to remove the panel after realizing the side seals are apparently attched to the rear panel only and will just slip on the sides. I did not see the top screws so I started to remove the ice maker then stopped....did not really want to do tht unless absolutely necessary. Am so glad I remembered your site.
Will first check around here for the snake, but if not available will order from source you identify. Could come in handy at other times too, and it will work from the drain end. It is draining to the pan now, but it might refreeze once I turn the unit back on unless I can find the cause. If I can get the rear panel off, I can check the heater.
Again, thanks bunches.

***Jake*** · #4 October 11th, 2009, 12:43 PM

Ok,

You may have to remove the auger motor assembly #14 here to get that back panel off:

Jake

ME2 · #5 October 11th, 2009, 02:32 PM

Jake,
One more question please:
Looking into the slots at the rear of the freezer, I see a loose ring (can move it about with a slender tool) which appears to be made of styrofoam, resting in the drain pan. It is about 1-1/2 inches high and the inside diameter maybe 1-1/2 inches and the outside diameter 2 inches. Would this be the source of the drain problem and is there a diagram that shows what it might be? Was not planning to remove the rear panel, but with that loose ring, seems I might need to.

***Jake*** · #6 October 11th, 2009, 10:15 PM

That Styrofoam may be #35 in that diagram above that has come loose, it sits next to the drain trough on right side.

Jake

ME2 · #7 October 12th, 2009, 04:47 AM

I was thinking that might be #35. It was far left and may have been preventing flow into the drain. I moved it with a slender screwdriver to the right but still in the trough. Not sure what its function might be, but cannot be worse than it has been. If it should be far right but out of the drain trough, I can probably move it there. I don't have a pictorial or diagram that shows actual placement, and without purpose, rather hard to guess what it might do

.
I have found the freezer door ajar numerous times since the door closer is apparently broken (obsolete with no suggested source for replacement). Are the door closers intended for just closure or assist the magnetic strips to keep it closed? Are just the strips adequate to keep the door closed (assuming the innards are not pressing on the door

)?

***Jake*** · #8 October 12th, 2009, 10:17 AM

All the Styrofoam does is it act like a tunnel and its basically a return air duct that draws air from the refrigerator section into the freezer section through the evaporator fan in the freezer.

Quote:

Are the door closers intended for just closure or assist the magnetic strips to keep it closed? Are just the strips adequate to keep the door closed (assuming the innards are not pressing on the door

)?

The door closures just assist the door to close, yes most refrigerators don't use the mechanical door closures anymore like yours did, now they are more of a plastic pivot device thats replaceable in the lower door hinge.

Jake

ME2 · #9 October 12th, 2009, 02:29 PM

Was afriad it was something like that. Guess I need to remove the rear panel after all and figure where to put that styrofoam piece. If not there, fridge air could short circuit or not get to the fan at all. This fridge has never had an work done other than be delivered new to us.
This and the door closer fault says something about Maytag quality...guess that repairman who sits by the phone waiting on a call is either brain dead or deaf.

***Jake*** · #10 October 12th, 2009, 06:11 PM

Yes, thats why Maytag went out of business a few years back and Whirlpool now owns them. Whirlpool now oversees all Maytag productions now, and they have improved a lot since then.

Jake

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