ZIS36NTE General Electric Refrigerator - Instructions

This is a built-in unit. Remove the external bezel at the top of the unit. Reach through the unit and unplug the frig. On the compressor unit, you'll see a vertical metal panel. Remove the metal panel and the timer is right behind it. Remove one wire at a time and switch it to the new timer. Remove timer and replace with new one.

Just an added comment, GE Service wanted to put an "ice kit" into my unit. The full repairs would have cost $1,000. While I described how to replace the defrost timer, the problem was the tray heater. But that's another story.

My problem was that the tube from the water valve to the ice maker was freezing when the valve was malfuntioning and sending more water, causing it to back up and freeze in the reception tube. Then the plastic water tube from the valve to the freezer seperated and water was leaking onto the floor. By reading the repair storyies on the Partselect website I learned that the water valve was not working correctly and needed replacing. I ordered the replacement part on a Wednesday evening and had the part at my house via FEDEX on Saturday morning. It took me about 20 minuttes to complete the entire repair.
I had shut the water off to the valve and unplugged the refrigerator.
First I took the ice storage unit out of the freezer. I then unsrewed the ice making tray from the left side of the freezer. I lowered the unit to the shelve but did not disconnect the wiring. I then pulled the water reception tube that goes from the ice maker to the outside of the refrigerator on the top right rear. There was grozen water contained in the tube. I ran it under the sink and released the frozen water so the tube was clear. I reinserted into the tunnel it sits in and reattached it to the 90 degree plaqstic fitting in the outside of the right rear of the refrigerator.I reattached the plastic water hose from the water valve to the 90 degree fitting. I then reattached the ice maker in the freezer compartment.
Using a nut driver I removered the rear cardboard cover and insulation from the right rear side of the refrigerator. Using a box wrench I unscrewed and disconnected the copper water tube from the valve. I then removed the srew holding the water supply copper tubing to the refrigerator and removed the srew holding the water valve in place.
I removed the old valve from the back of the refrigerator.
I then took note of the electrical connections and transferred them to the new valve. I needed the two adapters(supplied) for the right side electric terminal.
I then transferred the water connection tubes. Take note one is larger than the other. On the old valve they screwed into the water valve with a compression nut. On the new valve you only needed to insert the plastic water tube into the right size hole and push. The comression connection is automatic and does not require the nut. ( I just pushed the nuts back on the tubing and left them). There is a plastic seperation piece on the new valve. I just twisted it loose and removed it. This allowed ease in positioning the valve and water tubes.
I then inserted the new valve into the right rear of the refrigerator and resrewed the unit to the frame using the nut driver.
I then re-attached the water supply copper tubing onto the nipple on the new valve and using a box wrench re-attached same.
I then turned on the water supply to the refrigerator and checked for leaks.
I then replugged the refrigerator into the electical outlet and started the ice maker cycle.
I waited to see that all was working correctly. i then re-attached the insulation and cardboard cover on the rear of the refrigerator and pushed the unit back into the wall space.
Everything is working great now!

I first tested to make sure the solenoid was receiving power. Every time the arm on the ice maker cycled, the meter would go up to 120v for about 10-15 seconds, and then back to almost 0, so I knew the electical control and timer was working as it should.

The valve was easy to change - took about 20 minutes total (including pulling the fridge out and pushing it back in). I just turned the water off, removed the valve assembly from the fridge, and took all of the lines off of the old one. I then hooked up the supply line to the new valve assembly. The lines to the water and ice had compression fittings on them, but the new vavle has a "push-in" connector. So, I cut the old water and ice lines squarely, just past the fitting, then pushed them in firmly. Plugged the connectors in, re-attached the vavle assembly to the fridge, turned the water back on, and viola - I had ice in about an hour! Gravy! :)

UNPLUG UNIT. Open freezer compartment, top door. You may want to let it warm up a bit before beginning work. Next remove single screw from small square plastic grate at top left back of freezer compartment with phillips screw driver. Remove green ground wire connection behind removed grate with nut driver. Next remove 2 screws at top of freezer compartment holding plastic air diffuser bracket in place and holding back panel. Remove metal back panel of freezer by pulling top towards you, then angle out of compartment. Evap. fan is now exposed. I inspected and removed fan by removing two screws with nutdriver on bracket behind fan blade. I inserted nutdriver (with long socket driver)between fan blades to screws on bracket behind blade - 1 each side. After these two screws are removed, pull fan and bracket assembly out from plenum. Remove wiring from motor and remove motor to workbench. Remove round metal clamp from fan hub with needle nose pliers and slide off fan blade from motor. Also remove bracket and rubber bushing. Disgard old motor. Inspect and clean blade. Replace if necessary. Reattach rubber bushing, bracket THEN fan blade to new motor. New fan has atleast one terminal in new location and I had to use one wire extension that came with kit. Route wire behind motor and plug in new wires to back of motor. Insert fan and bracket to plenum, hold in place with one hand while reattaching screws with nutdriver between fan blades. Once fan is in place and nuts secure, I tested operation by plugging unit back in to make sure new motor ran and fan spun freely. Reattach back panel, top diffuser bracket and small grate with 3 screws. Shut door, set temp. and wait 24 hours before loading freezer. Unit good as new!

I removed the shield over the timer and the part that supported the timer. Just unpluged it and pluged in new timer and put back shield. I had already replaced the defrost heaters which had totally burned up. I also replaced the thermostat while I was making the repairs although the old one was still o.k. All the information that I needed to make the repairs I obtained through your website. After looking at several websites to compare prices-etc, I found yours to be the best overall. Thanks-a-million your website is worth it's weight in Cold Food !

disconnect the power to the unit. remove the retainer sctrews on the mounting bracket. remove fan motor from unit. using the rerquired tools remove the fan from the old motor and install on the new one. torque the nut until all slack is out then 1/4 turn. reinstall motor assy. and reconnect power. test the system .

took out 4 screws - lowered timer cover - replaced timer- put it back together

First I turned off the water supply. Then I removed the ice bin and the ice maker by removing 4 screws and 3 electrical connections. This allowed access to the evaporator fan which was not moving. To remove the evap fan I removed two screws that hold the fan bracket. The fan assembly now had to be pushed back and rotated to remove from hole. There are 3 electrical connections that have to be disconnected from the fan, one ground wire that also is connected to the fan bracket and 2 power connections. Installing the new fan was the reverse of the above except the power connections were in a different location and i had to use the extension wires provided with the new fan to have the length needed to make the connection.

From instructions found on the site I was directed to the defrost timer part being bad. And from the information others posted that have had the same problem I was able to replace that part by removing the bottom grill just below the door and on the left side was the part. Removing one screw to remove the bracket from the frame and then another screw to remove the part from the bracket. I found it easier to remove the part from the bracket before I pulled the part out so I would have more room to unplug the connector. Just reverse the steps to replace the new part. It took about a day or so for the refrigerator to get to the proper temp.

Ordered the icemaker replacement. unplugged the unit, followed the simple instructions and got it done in less than 30 minutes. It did take a LONG time to start making ice. But it's working now.

I ordered the wrong part, the ice maker assembly, because your diagram was not marked properly. I returned the part and you credited my account. Thanks. Ordered the new bucket. It worked fine. Now I have ice and crushed Ice whenever I want. Thanks.

p.s. I didnt use any tools, but to satisfy you I select nut driver.

Turned off The water supply. Removed the back panel corner(nut driver). Removed valve (nut driver) and water supply inlet line. Cut the old outlet lines at the valve (new lines are push in) disconnected electrical lines, Reinstalled inlet line and electrical lines. Reinstalled valve and back panel. Turned on the water. Ice maker filled with water and a short time later I had ice. Easy job.

Was concerned that new icemaker was quite a bit different than the one we were replacing. Called GE to confirm it was correct.

Went ahead and installed the unit, using the supplied electric cable adapter.

A little difficult to deal with the extra cable, but everything worked OK and it's making ice normally.

I pulled the refrigerator away from the wall and turned off the water to the refrigerator and unplugged it from the wall. After removing the icebucket from the freezer I located the mounting screws, loosened them, unplugged the electrical connection below the icemaker and carefully removed it from the freezer. I unpacked the replacement icemaker, matched it against the original and attached the electrical connection adapter. Using the slots provided on the new icemaker I placed it over the mounting screws after aligning the water inlet pipe properly. I tightened the mounting screws while maintaining the icemaker in a level position. I plugged in the electrical connector. Then I replaced the icebucket, plugged in the refigerator back into the 110VAC outlet, turned on the water and repositioned the refrigerator in it's normal position.

Parts Select made this an effortless process. From finding the part, ordering, to the online diagrams.

I'll be back...