try setting the refrigerator control to 1 this will allow more air to go into the refrigerator section:)

OK, thanks for your patience! Got home and had some time tonight, here's what I did/found:

Freezer temp 20F, Fridge 60F.

I emptied the freezer and removed the lower inside back panel and what do you know, the evaporator was totally frosted over, blocking the intake vents at the bottom. I guess that with this intake blocked with frost, the fan couldn't get any air to blow up and across to the fridge. That mystery solved, at least.

I pulled the leads off the defrost heater and checked the continuity with a VOM, and it showed 21 ohms. The defrost timer seems to be working; occasionally I hear the fan turn off for a time.

So if I've read your other diagnostic instructions correctly, the problem would then look to be the defrost thermostat, right? Thermostat - defrost, Part #5303917954 | Refrigerators and Freezers | SearsPartsDirect.com

Any way to test that part to make sure it's the problem?


Thanks again!

ANOTHER QUICK UPDATE: I just triggered a defrost cycle by turning the defrost timer, and after 15 minutes or so the fan turned back on, but when I looked at the evaporator it looked like the frosting had noticeably softened on the bottom third of the unit, and i could flake off what looked like "slush. Now I'm confused again!

Gene,

Thanks very much for all your help! I defrosted the coils with a hair dryer and reassembled the back panel in the freezer and everything looks to be cooling properly. I see some frost building on the coils, not sure if this is "normal," or an indication that something is not working properly, but I took your advice and ordered the defrost timer and thermostat (from Appliance Parts Pros; thanks for this forum!) and will install next weekend.

BTW, I measured the resistance of the defrost thermostat while it was all frozen up and I got around 200 ohms; I would have expected it to be close to 0, but maybe this is normal?

At any rate, thanks again very much for your help!


Dave

[FONT=&quot]All,

I read some of the threads here and I find it very helpful thanks for the tips! I think I found the problem. Please review my findings and let me know if I’m on the right path:

Symptoms:
1. The unit kept on running all day/night long.
2. Temperature on the refrigerator side kept on getting warmer and warmer.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]3. Freezer remained operational.

On thanksgiving, after we got all fat, I placed in a thermometer and found that it was 50F on the refrigerator and about 0F in the freezer. I immediately placed all leftovers in our basement Fridge and left it operating to see if there was any change in temperature. Next day the fridge side was still at 50F.

I goggled my symptoms and I found this and the service manual that was posted by someone on these forums:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]http://www.servicematters.com/m...ibrary/docs/16010154.pdf[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Upon figuring out was everything was, and I had all the tools available, I went ahead and took off the back panel on the freezer side. When I opened it up I found the following snowy picture.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Picture #1 Icy Evaporator[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Picasa Web Albums - Joel - Maytag Refrig...[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Also, I spotted some more ice on the top , so I removed that panel as well[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Picture #2 Icy Air Tunnel[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Picasa Web Albums - Joel - Maytag Refrig...[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yes that’s ice on the top right, not the plastic cover [/FONT]J[FONT=&quot]. No wonder why cold air was not getting to the fridge side.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I went for the easy stuff first and removed the defroster assembly and placed it on my desk. I checked the OHMS on the heating element. It hovers around 23.8-24OHMS which is normal according to several threads on this site. Then I checked the defroster thermostat. According to the service manual in section “AIR FLOW - FORCED AIR SYSTEMS” (Section 2-15-16 or page 44) section 5 and 6 state that the thermostat can be checked if the temperature is higher than 15F. Since I took the assembly out and it was in room temperature, I was able to read a resistance of 244K OHMS.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]To add to this as well, i found the return vent full of ice as well.
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Conclusion:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The defroster system did not come on due to the resistance of the thermostat at 244K in room temperature. It should read (infinity). Therefore never turning on and eventually causing the air tunnels to freeze. Since this unit has dual thermostats, the refrigerator side was never cold on enough for the compressor to turn off. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Replacement part to be ordered:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]AP4069790 - Defrost assy Part Details - WHIRLPOOL Defrost assy, part number: AP4069790[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]What do you guys think?[/FONT]

Hey Gene, Got the warm fridge syndrome freezer ok deal going on and looking at your 1st post i looked up my fridge #'s. whirlpool mod.# ED5VHEXTQ01 problem is I don't see the shaft to trigger the defrost cycle. Is it not here? AP3109394 is my defrost timer.

Ok have 23.2 ohms resistance on heater element. defrost thermostat that is mounted on the evap coil, I checked continuity and it was closed. guess it must be a bad defrost timer board?