Ice Mold

Heating element broke and fried the rest of the parts had to take out the bad parts and put in the new ones and it worked. i have fixed this problem three times now.

I took out the ice collection box and auger to get access to the three screws holding the ice maker assembly against the left wall of the freezer. You can use a screwdriver or a nut driver. I then unpluged the assembly and wiggled it loose from the water fill tube. I assumed that unplugging the unit would disable the water valve but I put a plastic tub under the fill tube just in case. I studied the assembly on the kitchen table for a few minutes before I disasembled it. After removing a snapon plastick cover I removed three or four screws on the gearbox and was able to pull and wiggle the parts apart. The heater contacts have rubber O rings so you have to be firm pulling the mould out of and into the gearbox mount. Make sure it is fully seated. On reassembly note that the ice kicking arm is notched so it fits into the gearbox only one way and it helps to have it in position when you screw the gearbox back on. I also found the plastic ice guide that fits on top of the mold a little awkward in snaping back together. Make sure its fingers space evenly with the ice kicking arms.

I removed the ice maker assembly from the freezer compartment (four nuts/ nut driver) and unplugged the wire harness. I discovered the nature of the problem and I went on the Internet to look for replacement parts expecting I'd have to buy the entire ice maker. When I found PartSelect.com I looked through the pictures of the parts available for my ice maker. I found the correct part quickly and easily. And having an acurate photo on the site, I was able to match all the key features of the mold I had with the one on the screen. I ordered the part, and installed it the day it arrived with just a Phillips screwdriver and a nut driver. It functions perfectly.

Repair was easy and producing ice within five hours.

Turn off water supply too ice maker and unplug the fridge power. using a nut driver remove one bottom screw from the bottom, near the front. The other two from the side atop the ice mold. (loosen screws and ice maker will lift up and off.)
I set the ice maker on the counter, snapped of the front cover by hand. using a phillips driver, remove two screws near the bottom corners.(they go through the circuit board into the ice mold)
circuit board in one hand, other end of ice mold in the other, slowly pull apart about 1 inch. remove the silver colored "on, off" bar at the end by snapping the retainer out of the ice mold. (the silver bar stays with the circuit board end)
Watch how the ice guide(white fingers stationary on side of ice mold) hooks too the ice mold on each end. swap ice guide to new ice mold, insert three guide pins on end into holes on the circuit board, while holding ice guide onto ice mold, watch rotation bar while inserting into motor.(it only splines one way.) when each piece is lined up, simply push together and reinstall two screws. snap circuit board cover into place. reinstall ice maker into freezer in reverse order.

The ice mold has a coating on it. Over time the coating deteriorates. If your ice maker leaks water into the ice reservoir inspect the mold to see if the coating is compromised. If so, replace with new.

Remove the ice maker assembly. 3 small hex screws. Unplug power cord. Disassemble ice maker assembly. Remove ice mold/heater. Replace with new. Reassemble.

Looking at the ice maker it is pretty cut & dried as to how to remove the unit. I took out the ice tray and just started removing all the mounting screws. The same for the mold ice tray & heating element. I was just sad that you did not have just the heating element separate from the mold ice tray.

The lining of the ice mold (Whirlpool) started flecking off (black flecks in the ice cubes), so I decided to replace the mold.
Loosen the two 1/4 inch upper nuts and remove the lower nut to remove the ice maker from the freezer. The hardest part was getting it unplugged. I used a small blade screwdriver to release the catch on the connector and pull it out.
Remove the ice maker front cover. If you have a skinny enough phillips screw driver, there are two deep set screws through two holes on the lower portion of the control module (otherwise, remove the three screws on the controller, unlatch the shut-off arm from the control module, and separate the controller to access the mold screws). Unhook the shut-off wire from the end of the tray. Unscrew the two screws holding the mold and remove the mold.
Remove the plastic hardware from the old mold and install on the new mold.
Attach the new mold on to the control module.
WARNING WARNING WARNING!!! The mold I bought already had the alumilastic on it for the contact point to the thermostat. When I installed it and tightened the screws, the alumilastic was dried out, didn't squash down, and dented the bi-metal thermostat on the controller, ruining it. I had to buy a new thermostat. Be sure to check that the alumilastic is pliable. If not, take it off and buy some fresh to put on there.
Re-install the ice maker. It took a while to get the first batch of ice because the ice maker was at room temperature and I had the freezer door open for several minutes. So the freezer had to get cold and the ice maker had to chill down. Once everything got cold, it started making ice again.

Unlug refrig or turn off refrig from its control panel On/OFF switch.
For ease of work remove freezer shelve directly below the ice maker. Remove four screws from the bottom of the ice maker assembly, three that secure the ice maker and the other that holds a plastice shroud in place over the ice maker's power plug.
The ice maker is now ready to be removed; it will slide forward by pushing up on left and right side of the ice maker's mounting slide rails. Once the ice maker is moved forward it is easier to disconnect its power plug (depress a locking tab on the side of the connector and pull connector apart and remove ice maker assembly.
Remove and replace motor module by removing three screws and and replace with new unit.
Reverse ice maker removal proceure for installation. Once installation is completed turn on Power to Refrig, Ice making should begin after a few hours.

Removed ice maker from fridge. Removed motor assembly (3) screws on cover, and (2) screws inside. Removed mold (3 screws on bottom) and replaced everything in reverse order. Note: Turned ice maker off for several days while waiting for parts. The water line on this particular model will freeze inside the freezer if ice isn't made for several hours/days. You will have to defrost to begin making ice again.