"RichK" writes:

Hi All,

A bit tricky refrigerator problem. Unit is 12 years old Sears (made by GE)
top freezer. Symptoms are that it starts and cools for a while, but stops
and does not restart. Compressor quite hot - can hold finger on it for 4
sec. All fans are running. Coils clean.

Sounds like overload, but why is it overloading? How hot should the
compressor case get in normal operation? Could a bad run capacitor cause
that?

When you say "does not restart", does it try?

Compressors can run quite hot to the touch so that alone may not be that
significant.

You need to determine what is preventing it from restarting.

If the compressor where overheating, the thermal protector ("Guardette")
would open. But that would close after it cooled down, and the compressor
would attempt to restart.

Also, are you sure it's not the defrost timer telling the compressor to
turn off for the defrost cycle, which can last 20 minutes or more?

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