Single Outlet Valve Kit

Two screws held the icemaker on. You do not even have to take them all the way out to remove the IM. Replacement of the water valve was just as easy except they (parts manufacturer) updated the flange nut with a compression fitting and it took me a minute looking at it before I realize what was going on. The door seal could not be easier, no tools just a few minutes of 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!

when the ice maker runs through its cycle, you should be able to hear the solinoid valve open, letting water into the ice maker. this was not happening for me. you can dissconnect the plug on the valve and put the two probes from a multimeter in the plug and set for AC volts. when the ice maker runs its cycle, at the end you should see the meter jump as power is applied to the valve then turns off. this means you do have power to the valve so the valve is defective. turn off water supply to the valve, disconnect the water supply tube to the valve, remove the screw holding the valve, disconnect supply tube to icemaker then hook up supply tube to bottom of valve, screw braket back to refrig, install suppy back to valve, turn water back on and check for leaks and your ice maker should be working properly again.
these guys were really fast on delivery too!

Unplugged the refrigerator and turned off the water to the ice maker valve. Removed the water line at both ends (small crescent wrench). Removed the cover from the water valve area (two Phillips head screws). Removed the valve (two screws - small nut driver) and pulled off the two electrical connections.

Installed the new valve with the reverse procedure though the holding screws didn't line up with the existing holes in the refrigerator metal frame. I let it go with one screw holding ... didn't have a drill with me to make a second screw hole.

Replaced the old water line (from the wall to the valve) with a steel-reinforced hose.

Cut the female metal connector from the old water line up to the freezer and it fit nicely into the push-in outlet from the new valve. Turned everything back on and waited for the ice maker to cycle.
To my dismay, the leak had been coming from the plastic line that goes from the valve up to the ice maker. It had split, spraying water. Replaced that and everything works fine.

Lesson learned: Don't assume water near the icemaker valve actually is from the valve or its water connections. Watch the whole system cycle a couple of times to see what's really happening. Glad to have a new valve but the basic problem was the icemaker tubing.

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.

The valve is not a direct replacement,seems they
are not available,had to bend mtg. brkt. so valve
would mount in same position and cut off screw
type pressure fitting so could slide discharge
tube into new type connection, no instructions
come with replacement valve,asked several
places for info wanted to be sure before cutting
off end of discharge tube. Now valve shuts off
but water still in base of refrigerator must be a
leak in inlet tube behind freezer compartment.

This was a simple parts replacement. I had replaced the cracked plastic tube a few weeks earlier and destroyed the retaining star washer inside the solenoid valve while removing the old one. It worked for a while and then started to leak when the tube had partially worked its way out. The star washer is not a replaceable part so this repair was simply replacing the valve with a new one. It is very straight forward - disconnect the electric plug, remove the old valve, insert the tube in the new valve (it goes through the plastic bushing in the valve - do not remove the bushing - it can easily be mistaken for a shipping plug) and reattach the supply line being careful to avoid kinking it. Reattach the valve, the electric plug and support clips for both the supply line and the plactic line to the ice maker.

I removed one screw to loosen the cardboard panel that covered the old valve and one screw to remove the valve assembly. I disconnected the two wiring connections and unscrewed the two water line connections. Replacement was really easy since the bracket was the same as the old valve. The down stream water connection was different for the new (push in) than the old (threaded) but I cut the old threaded connector off and figured out that the new push in connection was solid (directions would have really helped here) Reconnected the inlet tubing and electrical wires and replace the panel and it was done.

I ordered the part and it got here very quickly. Being a novice home repair person, it took me awhile to get the courage to start. It was practically uneventful, but it did take some time to figure it out exactly. I did have to bend the piece some, which is always a little nerve wracking. However, the part is working beautifully and I feel good about myself.

This is a relatively simple repair, but requires a bit of running around your house and sitting in a likely cramped space on the floor behind your refrigerator. These steps assume you have verified the valve is leaking and not the lines. 1. Locate where the water line to the fridge connects to the house plumbing. Close the next valve in the house plumbing upstream of this connection. Open some fixture (likely the cold on the kitchen sink) to relieve water pressure in this section of plumbing. Water should flow briefly, then dribble and stop on its own. 2. Unplug your fridge. There are moving parts (a fan) close to the valve that may injure you while you are working. 3. Pull your fridge away from the wall enough so you can scoot behind and sit behind. 4. Gather your tools and parts and squeeze behind the fridge. 5. Remove the felt paper dust cover. Carefully collect the screws. 6. Take a picture of the electrical connection to the valve or make a mental note. 7. Carefully unclip lines from the fridge and remove screws holding valve to fridge body. Slicing a line will create a new problem to fix. Carefully collect the screws. 8. Remove electrical connection. Grasp the connector and pull firmly. Do not yank the wires. 9. Over the bucket, disconnect old valve from lines. Some residual water will flow out. If the stream is steady, double check that Step 1 is completed correctly. Set old valve aside. 10. Examine new valve to determine water input and outlet. There may be an arrow indicating flow direction. 11. Seat the input line in the valve input firmly and connect. Mine was a nut I tightened with a small crescent wrench. 12. Seat the outlet line in the valve outlet firmly and connect. Mine was a push in quick connect. 14. Rest the valve over the bucket. Get up and turn the water back on. Verify your connections are not leaking. 15. Review your picture and reconnect the electrical connection. 16. Install the new valve onto the fridge body. Mine was a different geometry that required some gentle bending of the mounting bracket. Reclip lines to fridge. 17. While you're down there, vacuum underneath your fridge. 18. Reinstall felt paper dust cover. 19. Plug fridge back in. Clean up. 20. Monitor your ice maker, verify good operation. When satisfied, push fridge back. Recycle(?) old valve. 21. Success!