Icemaker icecicles...

[sapp4l]

I've had several freeze-ups of the in-door icemaker on this Kenmore (I think Whirlpool) side by side. The fill tube froze up twice in the past month -- the beast worked ok (and made ice) after I thawed it out.  Today, there were icecicles hanging down the front of the icemaker.

My guess is the water valve is somehow not closeing fully or quickly enough, and allowing a slow flow of water that keeps dripping and eventually freezes.

Is there a way to diagnose this without replaceing the part straight away?

I removed the valve to see if I could determine if there was something sticking in the thing (causing it to hang), but it's a sealed unit (outside of the solenoids).

Is there a way to clean out this thing, or should i just bite the $50 bullet and replace the valve?

THanks for advice you appliance junkies...

Model 106.53603202

[JWWebster]

Your water valve is dripping like a faucet does when the rubber Oring wears out. Change the watervalve.

[sapp4l]

The new valve did the trick.  Thanks.

By the way, the new valve came with a new style 'push in' connection rather than the screw on type. Are these reliable? They were certainly easy, but seems like a flood may not be too far off if something goes wrong..

Thanks for all the advice. It's reassuring to get a little hand holding.

[Repair-man]

Those new fittings are called Guest fittings, named after the inventor, John Guest. So far they have been very reliable, and all the manufacturers have switched over to this design not only to save money on fittings, etc., but as an improvement. I have personally never had one leak as long as I cut the 3/8" off the old tubing before I insert it into the valve body.

[JWWebster]

Those guys push in but they do not release. They are good fittings. A cupla tips ta remember: The tubing must be square cut to make a good connection AND if you want to remove the tubing simply press the the lock tabs against the valve and the tubing slides right out with out resistance.