B136CAL3 (P1197501W) Amana Refrigerator - Instructions

First turned off the water and unplugged the refrigerator and then removed the old ice maker by first removing the side cover plate and then next removed the ice level detector. Remove the screws that hold the ice maker in place and rotating it somewhat soas to gain access to the wires and then unplugged them. Next I had to modify the way the water comes into the new icemaker by adapting a CPVC street ell to fit into the hole on the side and then hook up the water supply. Installation is just the reverse of removal.

The refrig seemed warm so I checked the temp of some liquid with a thermometer. Readings were above 60 degrees and I knew food would spoil soon. I vacuumed the dog fur off the cooling coils underneath the machine to see if that would help. Nope. I realized cold air from the freezer was not reaching the refrig. The fan was working but no cold air was coming out. I figured a blockage either in the air duct from the refrig or in the return duct to the freezer. I didn’t see any blockage in the refrig section. I took everything out of the freezer and removed the back wall. The cooling coils were completely frozen solid with frost. Being a frost free machine, I knew there were heaters that were controlled by a timer that melted this frost away periodically and that this cycle was no longer working. I found a schematic on the web, maybe your site, and educated myself on the heater circuit. The circuit consisted of a timer, thermostat near the coils, and a cal rod heater all wired in series. The timer was easy to get to and being a mechanical device I figured it must be the culprit. I ordered one online. I checked its operation and it worked fine. Realizing time was short, I hot wired the cal rod around the thermostat and rotated the timer to its heat position. The frost melted quickly and I put the freezer back together and ordered a thermostat. I canceled the timer order. When it arrived, I installed the new thermostat and it has worked fine for the past month. A little colder than usual as I don’t yet have the settings back to where they were. I have checked the operation of the old thermostat. It’s supposed to close at 30 degrees and open at 45. I have done a continuity check on it by putting it in the freezer, letting it cool down, take it out, let it warm up and it seems to work fine. So I have doubts if I really solved the problem. Wire connections were tight and not corroded. Maybe the timer was hung up on debris that I freed by cycling it. I don’t think this is the end of the story.

I was told to order the run capacitor and the technician thought it would repair the refrigerator; but it did not. The appliance technician had to take the run capacitor off and install what he called a "hard start" and the refrigerator is operating right now.

Part received was what I needed. There was one issue--the 'feed' opening to receive water and direct it into the ice tray was a side feed and what I needed was a back feed. That means I had to do some exchanging of parts to make it work. That exercise took more time that the actual installation.

I took a chance and ordered a switch that is next to the top of the door. looked for how to remove it easily done in ten minutes works fine last long time.

Pull refrigerator out from wall to shut off water and power. Remove ice bin, pulling front down then out. Remove screw at bottom of icemaker, then pull down to release two clips, Pull out a couple inches to get hand behind icemaker to release wiring harness connector. (squeeze top and bottom to release clips). Remove unit. Remove wiring harness and wire bail from old unit and install on new unit. Reverse steps to install new unit. Make sure ice bin is fully inserted, or unit will not function.

Broken plastic part in motor assembly. Very simple to replace. Sears wanted $322.00!!!

I simply removed the old switch by gently pulling down on the old switch with a screwdriver. When it was about half way out I just gently pulled down on the old switch and it popped out... I removed the two connectors attached to the old switch by pulling on the connectors with a pliers...I tried using my fingers but wasn't able to pull the connectors off so I used pliers. It worked perfectly.. When pulling off the old connectors, make sure you attach the new switch to the same tabs on the new switch... It was very easy to do and took under 5 mins.....The light switch works perfect....P.S. You should unplug the frig while making the connection just in case....Safety first....!!!

After checking the water valves ordered new ice maker. received the part three days after ordering! Clearing out food, removing the old one and installing the new unit took under 15 minutes. Everything went fine.

inserted a knife between the switch and the plastic interior in order to pop the switch out.
then took off the 2 wires on the old switch put them on the new switch and reinserted the switch into the plastic interior.

Instead of the ice maker unclipping from the wall after one 1/4" screw being removed from the bracket, I had to remove three of the 4 Phillips head screws from the ice bucket slider below the ice maker and swivel it down to allow the ice maker bracket to clear. The two 1/4" screws holding the ice maker to the wall at the top had to be removed and then the ice maker could be pulled away from the freezer wall. The rest of the instructions went according to the video and went well.

Replacing the icemaker is pretty simple. Three screws, an electrical connector. Hardest part is getting to the icemaker since the freezer is below the refrigerator.

Replaced the control of the ice maker assembly.

The bearing & cup assembly was broken and the gears in the drive assy were stripped. Unfortunately I couldn't find anywhere to buy the gears without buying the entire motor assy with the gear box already on it. Cost was up to $85 with shipping but at least it now works fine.

To repair: a 1/4 nut driver will take off screw below ice maker and all you need to do is loosen the 2 screws above the ice maker then push it upward slightly and it will slide off the top 2 screws. Then pull the power connector off from behind the ice maker at the side of the refridge. Then pull straight out and it will slide off the water fill tube. Now with unit out of refridge I took the cover off the front of the ice maker and removed the 3 philip screws. I then pulled the motor/gear assy off from the chassis of the ice maker. I then had to remove the 2 philip screws on the chassis (under the motor/gear assy) to remove the cube maker/element from the chassis. This allowed me to remove the rotating cube spatula bar to replace the filler cup/bearing assy. Then I reinstalled the spatula bar and the 2 philip scews on the chassis to the cube maker/element assy. I then installed the new motor/gear assy to the chassis and installed the 3 remaining philip screws. Put the cover back on the ice maker and inserted assy back into the refridge by first reattaching the power connector and then sliding backward onto the water fill tube and then slipping over the top of the 2 top screws on the refridge. Then I installed the screw below the ice maker and tightened all 3. Presto - repair done in 30 minutes and perfect cubes were spitting out within the hour.

This was a very easy repair. Of course start by unplugging the power cord. Take out the lower freezer drawer. Unplug the wiring harness from the ice maker at the rear of the freezer. Undo 3 screws with a 1/4" nut driver. The ice maker will come right out. You don't have to undo any water connections, the feed tube just slides into a guide in the ice maker. Once the ice maker is out, unplug the harness from the old one and snap it into the new one. Same with the cover. Reassemble in reserse order. Plug the power cord back in and wait a couple of hours for the familiar sounds of ice cubes falling into the tray.