CSW45 Whirlpool Ice Maker - Instructions

(1) Ordered PS371704 from PartSelect! Best advice EVER! (2) Unplugged refrigerator (since the water solenoid on the back of the refrigerator is powered to switch ON the water, you NEVER have to turn off the water!) (3) Pull off the refrigerator's bottom grill. (4) With a small saucer under the fittings, unscrew the black and white tube fitting. There is only one nut to remove on the white tubing side. You'll need to undo the compression fitting on the black tubing and slide off the compression nut. You'll need to MAKE SURE you keep these nuts and replace onto the black and white tubing the SAME WAY you took them off. You'll NOT need to use nut drivers as finger tight is the key. Too hard and you'll ruin these plastic nuts. You should get only about 1/8 cup or less of water during this whole exercise. (5) Cut off the old, broken water nozzle. (4) Find a screw of the appropriate size to fit tightly 1/2 way inside the new tubing (this is to ensure your old and new tubing are connected to feed through the door). If screw is not tight within the tubing, wrap part of a plastic (thin) sack around this screw a couple of times and force into the tubing. You'll, of course, then need to use the hacksaw to cut the head off the screw as you'll be forcing the other half of the screw into the old cut tubing (6) Chase the dog out of the kitchen and cajole your wife (significant other) to push the newly joined tubes through the top of the dispenser, through the door and out the bottom as you will be gently PULLING on this old tubing from the bottom until the new tubing pops through the doors bottom. (7) Once this new tubing is out, you will separate the old tubing and, using the nuts in the proper sequence, connect this new tubing to the white tubing. (8) Plug the refrigerator back in and test flow the water. Check to ensure the plastic nuts have no leakage ... button up the bottom grill ... and enjoy the fresh water! PS> Don't forget to praise the wife (significant other) and give the dog a treat for staying out of your face!!

Remove the cardboard back cover and the vertical metal strip, all the screws are the same on the back. Remove the front bottom cover, those screws are all the same but longer. The tubing is bad because they tucked it in on the side and it rubbed and wore a hole in it. Remove the tubing nut. You may notice that there is an insert in the tubing, but the new tubing has no insert because it is thicker walled and does not the insert because it is stronger. The nut and compression ring are one piece. Open the front door and pull the tube out of the metal plate to the left, and cut the tube off at the end to remove the metal ring, and to make it easier to pull it out. Pull the tube out from the back, but first carefully remove the sticky gray putty, and put it aside. You might also bend the copper line to the right a little if it is putting pressure on the tube at the top of the unit. Now pull the tubing out, and use it to make the new tube the proper length, You might also want to first tape the new tube to the old tube to fish it through. I did not. It was tricky fishing the tube in from the back of the unit to the resevoir. If you do it my way, then aim it to the right. I got it on the second try and felt lucky. Once you get the tube in there, put the metal ring back on the new tube, and press it into the metal plate to the right. You can feel the groove and hole in the metal plate. I think the metal ring goes under the plate, but honestly I don't think you need the ring on the new tube because it has a thicker wall and is stiffer, so it won't pop out. Make sure you put the putty back in once you have completely installed the tubing. I think this is important to keep the tubing from sweating and to help keep the ice bin cold, like insulation. Do not put the tubing back along the left side of the unit, or you will be replacing it again, but maybe not with the thicker walled tubing. When you are all done, check to make sure your sump pump works by pouring water into the ice tub, if it is plugged in and you do not hear the pump, or the water backs up, then your pump may be bad. I also pulled a piece of white plastic out of the clear tubing just above the pump and never did find where that came from, but it would have been from the ice bin. I then ran a cleaning cycle and the instructions say if there was water still in the resevoir, then do another cleaning. My resevoir was full, so I did another cleaning. IF YOUR RESEVOIR IS FULL, THEN YOU NEED A NEW UPPER PUMP! Mine is on order. Mine was full after both cleanings, and after trying to make ice, I realized what the problem was. It could be that it is very clogged, but they don't appear to be serviceable, and I never heard it try to run. I did hear the lower pump, compressor, and fan all run previously, so I hope that when the new pump is installed, the unit is not low on refrigerant or anything like that. Fingers crossed, and good luck.

Unplugged the unit. Removed 2 screws to remove front cover to access the cutter grid.removed 2 screws to the cutter grid, unsnapped power connector and removed broken grid. Slid new grid in place, reconnected power connector, replaced screws, plugged in ice maker and slid back in place. Very easy!!!

Remove inside door trim plate. Then removed three screws that held in the light assembly. The only difficult thing was reconnecting the temperature adjustment rod. After replacing this rod you must slide the temperature control slide to midway and this hold the rod in place while reinstalling the light assembly. If I were to do it again it would probably take me half as long.

Pulled refrigerator away fom wall. Removed cardboard cover at back bottom to reveal fan motor.The space available to remove the motor from the bracket is very limited, so smaller hands will be a plus! Tried to get a nut wrench on motor but there was hardly enough room. Finally was able to use a socket set to remove bolts. I would suggest you spray a solvent on the motor mount bolts and seat them in the new motor first. It was near to impossible to get them started in the mount, without seating them first. The electrical clip that connects to the motor fit on the new motor, so I did not have to splice any wiring. This made the job a little easier. Finally, replaced cardboard cover and moved refrigerator back against the wall. .

Over a period of weeks I watched my fridge grand to a halt. It was...saddening. I felt helpless, there was nothing I could do and I wasn't prepared to pull in a repairman. Upon it's departure from being affective (broke) I made up my mind to purchase a new one!! Flash-forward five minutes n the internet ...motivator by high costs, I altered my thinking and visited You Tube for a fix-it video. After a quick search I came across a clip that took me to the heart of the problem. It was THAT easy. Wow!! I followed the instructions and quickly learned the failure had to do with a small, light weight fan that's role was to pull heat from the condenser--it had ceased to work. While waiting for the part, I let a small fan blow on the condenser to dissipate the heat. The fridge roared to life!! Like a charm!! When the new fan body arrived I placed the blade from the old fan on it and installed it (the fan did not come with bolts and the holes were not threaded) using sheet metal screws. It immediately came started performing again and has been doing a superb job ever since. I easily saved $800 in costs going this route!!

Once I determined easier access to the fan motor, I removed the three fan motor screws that held the motor on place. After removing the motor I remove the fan blade assembly held by one nut and reattached to the new motor. I then reattached the new motor with 3 new screws which were provide and reattached the power cord with the cord clip and began reassembling the icemaker housing, then moved the unit back in place which was installed under counter. I could do this repair in less than 45 minutes now that I have done it once. I saved several hundred $ from the original estimate and the parts were delivered in 2 days after I ordered online. This is definitely a DIY project!!

Fan was barely rotating. So unplugged, removed back cover, removed fan and motor from frame work. Removed fan blade from motor shaft. Spun motor shaft which seemed fine. Pryed off back cover of motor to find a large but dry felt washer and a helical capillery slot formed into the motor shaft for carring oil from felt washer to the bearings. Added 30 wt motor oil and some 3in1 oil to felt and reassembled motor, fan and frame work. Plugged in power chord after getting rid of dust and dog hear on coils and is working like new.

Disconnect water line and power cord, Remove scoop holder, water reservoir and shield around pump to access pump, removed hose connected to pump then removed pump (3- 1/4" hex screws) and disconnected wire harness and 1/4" plastic water line attached to pump bracket, reverse process

I removed the two screws that hold the shield in front of the grid and put them aside allowing access to the grid. I then removed the two screws that hold the grid in place. I unplugged the connector and then pulled it out. I reversed the process to reassemble and powered up the unit. I now have ice again. This whole process probably took me 15-20 minutes to do the install.

I determined it was the cutter grid because there was a broken wire on the existing one. They have to heat up and cut the ice. I ordered it and the part was at my house in 1 day. The cutter grid part was easy to install. The ice maker is working great now.

Figured out You have to pop off the cocer than remove the 1/4 hex head screws only not the philips ones

Took out one strap support with a nut driver, unplugged the device and plugged in the new one. Reinstalled the support strap. Job complete.

Wires in cutter grid were broken and wouldn't freeze/cut ice. Replaced with the new ice cutter grid that came completely assembled. Put it in with a screwdriver in less than 10 minutes. Ice cubes ready in 45 minutes. Repair guy told me it would be $455 for him to repair it. With shipping, mine was $133 and 10 minutes of my time. Well worth doing it myself.

Follow the instructions already submitted by others. As mentioned be sure to place towel inside to cover the drain. My 3-wire electrical connector also had some corrosion build-up so I had to remove the bracket holding the connecter cut the 3-wires and install a new connector. Not a big deal, you are just working in a small enclosed area. Pulling the entire unit out and either elevating or tilting back helps with the access. Be sure to check drain connection in the back of the unit when putting back in place. Having a headband light helps for entire repair.