Fill Tube Grommet

The actual repair was a snap. However, be sure you check to make sure all of the parts are there. The two electrical adapter/connectors were missing from the water valve package, so I could not complete the job until a new valve could be shipped. The two adapters are essential to proper operation of the water valve. New ones arrived in 3 days.

DISASSEMBLY:

1. Unplug the refrigerator.
2. Shut off the water supply to the icemaker.
3. Remove the screws holding the cardboard cover onto the lower back side of the refrigerator, using a nut driver.
4. Disconnect the water supply line from the top of the water valve.
5. Remove the screw holding the water valve bracket onto the back of the refrigerator.
6. Unscrew the two water feed tubes from the water valve (one goes to the icemaker and one to the cold water dispenser).
7. Pull the two electrical connectors straight out of the back of the water valve. They are color-coded, but it won't hurt to label them with a small piece of masking tape.

NOTE:

Since I wanted this to be fixed and to not have to deal with it for years to come, I also replaced the plastic tubing running up the back of the refrigerator, the grommet that goes through the back of the refrigerator into the freezer compartment, and the water tube the pours water into the icemaker's tray - and it was well worth the few extra dollars and 10 extra minutes of work. To do this part:

1. Inside the freezer section, loosen the two screws holding the icemaker to the back of the freezer (you do not need to remove the screws, but it won't hurt anything if you do remove them).
2. Slide the icemaker upward until it clears the two screws enough that you can set the icemaker out of the way.
3. Grasp the 1/2-inch plastic tube that points toward the front of the freezer and pull it toward you until it comes out.
4. At the back of the refrigerator, pull out the plastic grommet that held the tube you just removed, near the top of the refrigerator.
5. Remove the thin water tube that runs from the water valve up the back of the refrigerator to the grommet.

ASSEMBLY:

1. Basically, reverse the order of disassembly.

CONCLUSION:

It took longer to type the instructions than it would have taken to do the job. If only the elctrical connectors had been there the first time.

The old fill valve was leaking water at a very low rate, sort of like a dripping faucet. Water was then freezing up in the fill tube and funnel areas, eventually causing the fill tube to push out of the grommet and allowing it to leak into the freezer's rear coil compartment. This resulted in a large icicle forming on the left side of the coils and defrost thermostat.

In addition to low icecube production, I also began to see excessively warm defrost cycles, due to the defrost thermostat being iced over. (Telltale signs--1.Ice cubes melted/frozen into a massive block in the bottom of the ice bucket, 2.Soggy frozen food boxes and soft icecream, 3.Water accumulating under the crisper drawers in the refrigerator.)

I ended up replacing the fill valve, which is about a 10min job, and also had to remove the icemaker and interior rear cover from the freezer compartment to de-ice the coils. This was a NECESSARY step as the freezer is not able to defrost and clear this amount of ice on its own. I used a small hair dryer, being careful not to get it wet. If you tap on the ice to break it up, don't use anything sharp. Just let it thaw--

My circa-1992 Kenmore fridge (363.9711780) does not show up at Sears Parts Direct anymore, but it's a GE unit, and in my case the parts were all listed in the owner's manual using GE "WR" part numbers.

Good Luck!

This repair was done on a 13 year old fridge. Within the last several years I had to replace the Incoming Water Line twice, the line from the Inlet Water Valve to the Dispenser Water Reservoir, and this time the Icemaker Water line. These were all due to the plastic tubing hardening and becoming brittle from the heat of the compressor.

For this repair, I not only replaced the cracked Icemaker Line, I replaced the Incoming Water Line with copper, and replaced the Dispenser Water Reservoir. If you have a leak in one of the plastic water lines around the Valve Assembly, I recommend you do the same.

The Icemaker Water Line instructions from Stephen from Raleigh was very helful and complete.

I found Scot from Fort Collin's instructions on replacing the Reservoir very helpful too. Although I found his comment that one line was too short, to not be the case. In fact I had to trim both lines because they were too long.

Scott from South Lake Tahoe's suggestion to use the old Reservoir Lines to fish the new ones is good. I used duct tape to attach them together instead of drip irrigation fittings, and it worked fine. It helps to have somebody at the back of the fridge to pull the line while you push it from inside the fridge.

The line to the door connection can be accessed by removing the grill at the bottom of the front of the fridge.

Pretty easy repair. Thanks to the other contributors for the help!

Removed items from freezer, removed 2 nuts from ice maker and set ice maker aside. Pulled old fill tube from back (no tools). replaced with new fill tube. Removed old valve at back of ref. installed new valve kit and reconnected plastic line. placed clamps on plastic line to insure no leaks. No more leaking and ice maker works great. No ice cubes freezing together.

It was very simple. From turning off the water and draining the line to unscrewing the controller, disconnecting the line and etc. Putting everything back together was easy as well. Most of my time was spent cleaning below the frig and back.

The only thing I wish I purchased a new hose clamp.

Icemaker waterline leaking inside by the grommet where the water line comes in the refrigerator . First removed the water line from grommet . Then removed grommet by hand from the fridge. Last, reversed prodedure.

First I shut off water supply and drained line. Then I unplugged power to refrigerator. I then removed the back lower cover from the refrigerator and removed the water supply line from the water valve. I then removed the water valve from the unit then removed the wiring harness from the assembly. Then I cut the plastic lines from the old valve assembly and inserted them in the new valve assembly, one at a time to avoid crossing lines. I reinstalled valve assembly and rear cover on the refrigerator. After turning on the water and plugging in power it took a bit for the air to work itself out of the icemaker supply line.