Chosen Solution
The compressor in my inexpensive, simple GE fridge is about to fail. It’s a GTS18FB and the R134a compressor is DC57C84RCU6. I’m confident it’s the compressor. I have previously replaced the startup capacitor and fixed this fridge. I could play audio for you and you’d hear it—a big clank when it starts up, a loud whirring while it’s running, and a clank when it shuts off. It’s still cooling fine though, so I have days / weeks to fix it. It’s straightforward to access and has extra room, so I think just about any compressor would fit in there. This is one that might work. What’s the budget way to do that? I called a random local shop and they said $900, but I feel like it’s just an hour or two of work for someone with the tools. This refrigerator only cost $600 new, but I’m totally willing to spend up to (and maybe a little above that) to fix it. It would be more of a pain to get rid of this and buy a new one, get it to the house, etc. than to just swap the compressor. Should I buy the tools and learn how to do it myself? Related rant: why in the world are refrigerator compressor lines brazed in place? Couldn’t they use removable connectors like auto compressors have? Come on people, this is a mechanical failure part. The lifespan of a refrigerator shouldn’t be limited to the life of the compressor.
It can be a few hours worth of work, or more, depending. You have to recover the refrigerant, do the change-out, pressure test for least 30min, pull a vacuum (least 30min usually), then weigh in the charge. This isn’t something I recommend the average DIY try to do. You need epa certification to legally handle refrigerant. You need a recovery machine. Oxy-acetalyne torch with brazing rods. Tank of dry nitrogen. Vacuum pump. Refrigerant scale. Also, do NOT just try and stab any old compressor. Ever. The system is designed to run with one particular compressor. Start stabbing other stuff and you’ll have big problems. Need the model number off the compressor to replace it with a proper one. As for the brazing, that’s standard. You’re dealing with high pressures. Vehicles are done the way they are because they’re made to be taken apart. Pulling motors n such would be difficult if they were brazed. Refrigerators and hvac systems etc aren’t. They’re designed to be put together and left to do their thing.
Looks like the compressor part cost $467.00 https://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/…
Most refrigerators have a limited warranty on the sealed system. Kenmore Elite is 10 years. You should first contact the manufacturer of the refrigerator to check your warranty. Most compressor jobs cost between $800–$1200 depending on the cost of parts. In the US you MUST be registered with your state and hold an EPA certificate to enter a sealed system. Unless you are qualified, certified and registered, you should not attemp to do the repairs yourself Refrigerators and vehicles have different systems and are not repaired the same.
This happened to me yesterday on an LG. I called around and the running rate is $900. He gave me a $40 discount without the tax charges, if I paid cash or Zell. That was $114.25 less which I am so grateful. It took the guy an hour but it seemed complicated. He had to use the torch to remove the compressor, compressorized the new unit to the required pressure, used the torch to put the new compressor in, changed the attached filter, and added freon. He said that LG purposely put a poor quality compressor in so that customers would have to buy the replacement after five years. I am just glad to get it fixed and it is much colder than before. Best, K.
I would buy a new fridge. You can buy a brand new quality brand 600 to 700 dollars with a warranty. It doesn’t make financial sense to repair it
